You’ll see cigars scored on a 100-point scale (the famous ones top out in the mid-90s). A high score isn’t just “it tastes good.” Reviewers judge a few specific things — the same things that make your cigar a good or bad experience.
Construction
The unglamorous one that matters most. Does it draw easily — not too tight, not too loose? Does it burn in a straight, even line? A brilliant blend with bad construction is a bad cigar.
Balance
No single note bullies the others. Strength, sweetness, spice, and smoke sit in harmony rather than fighting. Balance is what separates “strong” from “harsh.”
Complexity
Great cigars change — cedar and cream early, coffee and pepper in the middle, dark chocolate at the end. A flat cigar tastes the same nub to light; a complex one tells a story.
Consistency
The best cigars deliver the same experience box after box. Reviewers prize a cigar you can trust to be great every time.
The finish
What lingers after the draw, and how pleasant it is. A long, clean, flavorful finish is a mark of quality leaf and good aging.