Customer Reviews

Cigar Companion (Connoisseur's Guides)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this thinking it would be a good reference and tell me something about all the different brands of cigars, but I don't find any value in it whatsoever. I feel like the author wanted a quick buck so he cut and pasted alot of crap from back issues of his magazine into this book so he could sell the same opinions twice. In addition to that, the brands discussed are very limited and only a few examples from each are featured. Take my advice: I realized that it is dumb to buy any book that claims to lists different types /brands/shapes of cigars because the information is always changing - look on the internet at cigar sellers' websites and cigar makers' websites, where you will find everything you need.

Excellent book, rich in information on cigar's brands, history. Very nicely divided by topic. The book covers various aspects about cigars, but trully stands out in two sections;

1. Cigar brands with history and advice on their best production, with notes, year made....

2. Nice section containg what is considered to be the best cigars ever made.

A joy to read, light hearted strongly recommended.

This book does have a lot of good information for the beginning cigar fan (hence the 3 stars), the bulk of which lies in the Cigar Reviews section. The rest of the book is an attempt to cover all the bases quickly without much elaboration if any. If you are looking for an in-depth reading, you should look elsewhere or you will be disappointed.

In addition, the writing style is similar to that of a high school student. The many typographical errors, grammatical mistakes, and poorly formulated sentences show that very little thought or effort went into its production.

Overall, it is a good book for beginners who don't care whether the author shows at least a college level mastery of the English language or not.

It's a nice read for anyone starting in Cigars, or even if you started a while back but want to know more about the lore and the background of big cigar companies. It's a real basic fast read of cigar information, history and making (nothing special, just the basics). It tries hard to cover all of the basis, that's why it got a 3 and not a 2.

But as reported earlier, it need more advance or detailed information. They could of put some of their Cigar 101, like info on the beetle, and how to deal with it; The counterfeit gallery etc... But instead, a lot of the book sounds like a sales pitch, saying cigar's are good, these popular peoples smoke cigars etc... (actually that list of Hollywood peoples smoking is repeated twice, and we got a photo gallery of them, so they are listed 3 times).

1st, I never started smoking cigars because it's cool or a Hollywood star is smoking, I DON'T CARE!
2nd, They try to hard at some point, it feel like a propaganda book, and when they give you facts, one is cautious of the Bias of these so called "facts".

All in all, a nice quick propaganda book with some basic cigar information.

I bought this book to replace one by the same title and was dissapointed that it bears no resemblance to the 3rd edition that I had lost. While it is a handsome book, I was ultimately disappointed. What was a clear and concise review of many cigars widely available has become a very limited survey of a few cigars many of which are not easily obtainable. Most frustratingly, the reviewers will describe a certain stick as "the best of this manufacturer" and then go on to review a different offering from the same company without further reference to the cigar they deemed the most desireable. While the section on rare cigars makes for an interesting read, this seems more like a book for cigar admirers rather than one for buyers and smokers. I had hoped to find a book to help me make informed buying decisions. I plan to buy the 3rd edition-used!

I would no sooner buy a book entitled "Rotten Green Tomatoes" to tell me about what movies an author likes and why. Cigars are like wine, and while it is true that often the better cigars are more expensive (like wine) it is more true that each person has different tastes and preferences. Also, each person has their own prejudices and habits that cannot be swayed.

Before you read on, note that I fall into the non-elitist crowd. I Like cigars for flavor, the longevity of the smoke, and wether it compliments what you have just eaten, or are drinking at the moment. I don't care what brand a cigar is if it meets these requirements. The same can be said about my wine and brandy, too. I don't put super-charged gas in my car, I spit on the sidewalk, I work for a living, and I often have to clean dirt from my fingernails. On the other hand, I operate by the single prejudice that if it came in a cardboard box, it should be considered a large, unfiltered cigarette. If you care about the prestige or status that cigars bring you, ignore this review and consider this book a 5-star purchase.

Unless you want to sound cool in your next cigar bar get-together and learn when and how to use cigar descriptors like "robust" or "Earthy" and learn the name of some really overpriced cigars, this book is not for you. Get on the internet, order some samplers from makers like Rocky Patel, Maccanudo, 5 Vegas, Cohiba, and Drew Estate (some brands that it's generally hard to go wrong with) and find out what YOU like, and ignore the elitist reviewers. But if sounding elitist is what your after, you can still save a buck by looking at online reviews and read them describe cigars. I guarantee you will find 15 words to describe cigars, and 10 of them will be used in each review.

I purchased this book to get a rating guide. What I received was that and so much more! The first part of the book gives an in depth breakdown and rating of domestic and Cuban cigars and the second part is all about the history and making of cigars. If you have a cigar smoking friend and want to get him/her a gift, this book would be well received.

Excellent book for beginners and people who wants to know more of the world of cigars

I have cigars and some times people really want to know why well this book and others I have make it a good read

Great book with loads of info. Great for the beginner just getting into cigars for the first time. Very helpful backround info on the brands as well as tips on storing, buying, and lighting. A great book all around.