Cigar Aficionado Magazine

[Kdot]

I'm thinking about subscribing to Cigar aficionado Mag. I've never came across it in the UK but see that there's plenty of places that allow subscriptions.

Before I take the plunge I was looking for reviews from the guys on this here forum to see if it was worth while.

Anyone got a few recent copies lying around?

Cheers

[Big_T_UK]

It makes for an interesting read but I am not sure I can fully recommend a subscription. It reviews a few cigars every month but mostly NC's with a sprinkle of Cubans. They list the price of the CC's in pounds sterling but the NC's in US dollars. The magazine is very US centric, which is unsurprising as it is a US publication but I suspect if you are after a cigar publication then there are better, such as Cigar Review. I struggle to find copies of that though.

Cigar Aficionado also concentrates on "the good life" in its articles which tends to show a shocking lack of taste and panders heavily to "new money". That is only my opinion. A lot of UK readers have a giggle at how "American" it comes across as, I have to agree and I am half yank, for my sins.

The actual content about cigars is rather slim in general. It used to be published only six times a year. Back then it was a weighty publication, bloody expensive and worth a read. Now it is monthly (I think) and mostly tosh.

Trevor.

[TJCoro]

My Three Cents!

Excellent question, senor kdot

I have been a loyal subscriber to Cigar Aficionado for many years and I'm also a member of it's forum, which I check in on from time to time, but much less after discovering this fine forum.

I also subscribe to Cigar Magazine and Smoke, but have since dropped my subscription to Smoke, due to so-so articles and no review of find habanos, at least that I recall. They primarily cater to the American market and the n/c smoker.

The three primary reasons I continue with Cigar Aficionado are 1) the cigar reviews, which somewhat reflect my taste and I think include a worthy selection of Habanos, considering it's primarily an American magazine, 2) the James Suckling articles on Cuba, which I find useful and entertaining, and 3)the connnisseur's corner, which reviews vintage habanos, including puros from the 60s, which I find useful in judging the advantages of aging puros.

With respect to Cigar Magazine, I don't really rely on the cigar reviews as much as I do with CA, but I love Simon Chases' articles on Cuba and learn quite a bit from them. Also, it is aimed more at the middle class (whatever that is) rather the the upper class, like CA.

I think both mags are worthy reads. Smoke mag, not so much.

Hope you find this information useful.

TJ

[whisky77]

Odd

Used to get the odd copy about ten years ago Kdot, and i liked the reviews and the "Cigar lifestyle features", whatever the hell that is.

Have not seen any of the more recent copies.

[jpmoore]

I tend to buy it every month normally an excuse to go into the local cigar merchants but it is very lifestyle ok if you like golf, boats, cars etc. Also try European cigar editor the recent publication had a great 3 page review of RE cubans.

[HabanoSy]

I tend to buy it every month normally an excuse to go into the local cigar merchants. Also try European cigar editor the recent publication had a great 3 page review of RE cubans.

Hi jp

Which/who is your local cigar merchants...?

...and I guess whoever they are they must carry European cigar editor as I have not seen this magazine...?

Sounds interestnig though...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[HabanoSy]

Hi Kdot

I have to agree with Big T and TJ...

I do like (Bi-Monthly) CA , however there is an element of cigar snobbery in it which I don't like.

Apart from the sections TJ mentions, and very rarely an interesting article theres not much else to it for me...!?!

Cheers, HabanoSy

[misterbulgarin]

Ive got one issue, I still like looking through it to this day just to see cigar stuff on paper, but content wise, it does hark on about stuff I cant have access to for a good 10 or so years, jets, big flashy cars , golfing etc. The cigar related stuff is interesting, but there's nothing I reall gain from the mag, I just like to have stuff on paper to look at in the future.

[jpmoore]

Habs the company i work for has a depot in Slough so i visit Havana house in Windsor quite often.

I have added some pics of European Cigar Cult Journal mag very interesting RE Article. (Ignore the German, English is next to it)

[ACMCC]

Hi Kdot, big T is about right with CA, I buy maybe 5/6 copy's a year from airports (normally when I'm bored) the cigar stuff is ok but very thin, the lifestyle stuff, well if your in to what they are talking about, you will probably know more, If your not then you probably wont read that bit!

Don't know much about the other mags, have to look out for them...

[Deano]

I've found it sold in the UK in the better bookshops when they have a vast array of magazines, e.g. Borders.

It's alright, but does concentrate on some very varied things. Not enough cigar talk for my liking, but I'm still buying it - and should probably subscribe at some point.

[Paulie]

I get it all the time, I agree with the comments about it being very lifestyle orientated. There are cigar related stories and good reviews, but as somebody pointed out these are mostly NC's.

If you enjoy reading magazines then I would say buy it, but be aware that the cigar content is not as much as you would expect. It is also heavy on golf and it sometimes comes across as just a vanity magazine for the editor/publisher.

But to be fair, other magazines in the UK are going that way now too. One magazine I buy every month had 110 pages last issue, 67 of them were adverts, so it is happening to all specialised titles IMO, they do not sell enough so fill them with adverts to make the money.

[Deano]

Very typical of US magazines. Chock full of ads.

[Paulie]

Actually the magazine in question is a UK title, but I do agree that CA does have it's fair share of adverts also.

[Robusto]

Nice articles to help you select your private jet, yacht etc.