Identifying Cigars By Look

[Mazeman]

For you more seasoned smokers, what are the odds that you would be able to identify a cigar by just looking at it, if the band had been taken off?

I'm not so much talking about its taste or smell, but only its appearance. I'm also not talking ablout cigars with unusual or distinctive shapes, but just, let's say, a common Robusto.

The reason I ask is I'm wondering if "blind tastings" of cigars can be truly blind, or do seasoned smokers have a good idea of what they're smoking by just looking at it.

Thanks in advance....

[stjohnroe]

Well, when you are talking cubans, the PSD4 and the CoRo are quite distinctive from the other robustos, however in most cases I would have to pass. Of course with cigars of other nations the term robusto seems to cover a wide size range and there are a lot of them. I think that I would probably fail the test.

[grand cru no 2]

I think most cigar smokers could determine by appearance what a cigar is not, I think it would be almost impossible to definitively identify a "common robusto" simply by the look of it/

[Mazeman]

The reason I ask is that I was thinking of starting a thread similar to the "Free Cigars" thread, but with a twist. (Maybe call it "Review This!"). If you are the "winner", you would get a single cigar mailed to you without its band or any other identification. Upon reciept, your job would be to smoke it and review it on the thread. At that point the identity of the cigar would be revealed (by the sender), and the person who won the cigar would offer one up for the next winner. I think "blind" tasting/reviewing would really test a smoker's discrimination. It could also be a setup for (good-natured) embarrassment. I mean would you want to be the one who pans a world-class stoagie? So I posted my question because it wouldn't be as interesting if most people could identify a cigar by just looking at it.

Does this sound like a good idea, or would people not be interested?
If it does happen, would it be best in the "Exchange" (where "free cigars" resides) or "Review" section of the board?

[SuperChuck]

It might be fun to send 2 cigars, smoke both, and try to determine which was the high-end stick

[TheSilentChamber]

I'd be up for it.

[Mazeman]

It might be fun to send 2 cigars, smoke both, and try to determine which was the high-end stick

Yeah, and I guess the potential for embarassment would still be there. People would need to write very brief reviews on each. Then say which is "the better one".