News just in - James Suckling - "Retires"

[nicwing]

Just picking up some stories from twitter and following up it appears that James Suckling has "retired" from his position at Wine Spectator and as the same guy also owns Cigar Aficionado it's got to be likely he will go from there too.

This is the announcement from Wine Spectator

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/43213

Interestingly I found this comment below...
Sounds fishy.
One day you are posting blogs on the upcoming 2009 Bordeaux futures, one of the best ever, the next day you retire.
A significant loss

On Twitter he himself says "The reports of my retirement have been greatly exaggerated. Stay tuned for exciting things to come."

I have just seen this tweet from Davidoff in London which appears to suggest that he will be leaving Aficionado as well "Dear James, we wish you all the success in your future endeavours and thank you for your immense contribution to our world of cigars"

...................

[El Catador]

The man needs a haircut though, IMHO.

(God, I sound like my mother).

[Habana-Habanos]

He is retiring .

[Paulie]

This is on another website:

James Suckling is an American wine and cigar critic, who wrote for Wine Spectator since 1981, serving as its European bureau chief since 1988, and writing for Cigar Aficionado since its inception in 1992. Wine Spectator announced in July 2010 that Suckling had retired from the company

[nicwing]

James suckling just posted a note on Twitter referring to this post as being accurate: http://www.decanter.com/news/news.php?id=300137

[nicwing]

And now this on "twitter I will continue to cover cigars as always and in a more meaningful way. I am smoking one now planning an exciting future."

Looks like his departure from the Wine Spectator wasn't on great terms so maybe he is off to another publication. How about a cigar column for the Daily Mail?

[Gary]

I think Decanter magazine should snap him up, he's a pretty cool guy with a great knowledge of wine and cigars.

I hope he doesn't leave Cigar Aficionado magazine as I always love his reports from Cuba and about Cuban cigars, although reading the comment attributed to Marvin Shanken about his departure from Wine Spectator, seeing he owns Cigar Aficionado magazine too, it would seem strange that James stays on at that magazine, unless those comment are inaccurate?

[cbob]

I read where Marvin Shanken apparently commented in cA that Suckling would be "missed but not that much". I can no longer locate the link but it sounds like things at cA were not going so smoothly.

[pedro_han]

The man needs a haircut though, IMHO.

(God, I sound like my mother).

agree!

[cigarsmoke]

Did he fall or was he pushed ?.

[Pantomimehorse]

maybe he wants to be free to write honest reviews not based on who advertises with the mag?

[peanutpete]

And now this on "twitter I will continue to cover cigars as always and in a more meaningful way. I am smoking one now planning an exciting future."

Looks like his departure from the Wine Spectator wasn't on great terms so maybe he is off to another publication. How about a cigar column for the Daily Mail?

maybe he's after your job on the London blog nic

[Drewmidorn]

maybe he's after your job on the London blog nic

Suckling's good,.... but he's no Wing!

[nev coss]

Did he fall or was he pushed ?.

seems like he had a little push

[monkey66]

Maybe he wanted his soul back after CA's last Cigar of the Year results