Most reviews in the media are on a 100-point grading scale while the reviews on the CCR platform are done on a 10-point scale. Why did you choose this scale over the rating scale that most people are accustomed to seeing in major publications? That’s a great question, and it took us years to come up with our own answer. We know that many cigar and wine reviewers use the 100-point scale, and companies like Amazon and others use a five-star rating system. The problem with the 100-point scale is that you get like 60-plus points just for being a “cigar” or “wine,” so this seems nonsensical. It is a feel-good scale because once you get into the 90s, you’re close to 100, and that seems great, but it is still a subjective system. The five-star scale is graphically appealing, but it feels a little limited. Simply put, the 10-point scale is very relatable, and all people have been using it in many facets of their lives forever. A 10-point scale is not too big and not too small. Furthermore, a rating like a five or six is not bad; it is simply middle of the road. So, if a cigar gets an overall rating of six and the price is $4, then that is a pretty good value proposition. People understand the 10-point scale, and it is not superficial or elitist—it just works. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, just communicate well.
Take us through the different parts of a CCR cigar review. Certified Cigar Reviews are organized by cigar specs, component data, pre-smoke, smoke and post-smoke. Reviewers rate the objective and subjective criteria of a cigar, including aesthetics, construction, flavor (taste and aroma), spice, strength, body and smoking conditions. Facts, sensations, impressions and opinions are documented, aggregated, evaluated, processed and displayed on a graphically rich webpage, which can also be shared, printed and/or saved by anyone in the world.
Cigar specs and component data are the objective criteria of cigars, which we are currently working on benchmarking. Pre-smoke qualities, like appearance, draw and flavor, are rated by the reviewer. Smoke qualities, like taste, complexity, spice, strength and finish, are also rated by the reviewer. In addition, reviewers can select from myriad flavor and sensation descriptors, which will also be displayed with their review. They can make their review as complex or simple as they like, so if they don’t taste “nougat” or “mineral,” they don’t have to select anything. In the post-smoke section, reviewers give an overall rating and can add beverage, food or pairing notes, along with any other commentary they would like to add.
How are retailers able to use their own reviews generated from the CCR platform to improve their own business? As a retail tobacconist, one of my favorite features is the ability to create shelf talkers. Every CCR shelf talker promotes the Certified Retail Tobacconist (CRT) who created it and gives a snapshot of the cigar’s qualities and rating. Shelf talkers are a powerful way to communicate with consumers who may be reluctant to ask questions, draw attention to specific products, and help tobacconists to develop a following and share their impressions. Lastly, now we don’t have to wait or rely on manufacturers to provide us with shelf talkers. We can print our own and create a consistent and custom branded presentation in our humidors.
Spec sheets are also a great way to present the full cigar review. These can be placed in a notebook or dossier, as well as be included with gift purchases or mail orders. Providing a full-color spec sheet is a powerful value-added feature that many consumers will appreciate, and they promote the tobacconist and store who created it. Every CCR has a Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn sharing button, and every review promotes the reviewer and their company. Now, tobacconists have the ability to easily create compelling social media content and share it with the click of a button.
As a retailer, I can tell you that sometimes we struggle to find valuable content to communicate via social media—cigar selfies will only get you so far. Having the ability to share CCRs with the click of a button is a powerful way to constantly communicate and add value to our customers and community. Similarly, reviews can be linked in emails, so we can add more value to our communications. Lastly, the CCR platform exists to empower people, and I think the best ideas are yet to come, and they will be developed and pioneered by creative tobacconists and consumers. To that end, we must wait, see and learn what the market wants and needs and then be ready to provide that to enrich our culture and profession.
How can manufacturers take part in Tobacconist University’s CCR program and what are the benefits that are offered by being a part of it? That is what we are currently focusing on. We have just finished the programming to benchmark cigars, which creates a user account for every manufacturer and distributor. This will allow us to welcome them into the CCR platform and add all of their products, including images. We want to make sure that our data is correct to honor all of the products that get reviewed. Ultimately, the CCR database must be carefully curated to ensure accuracy. When their cigars get reviewed, we expect manufacturers and salespeople will have the sense to share and promote their reviews, so they should receive a significant benefit from that process.
We will spend the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 communicating with manufacturers, setting up their benchmark user accounts and introducing them to the benefits of the CCR platform. It is also an exciting opportunity for Tobacconist University to do outreach with manufacturers in the industry. Because we do not sell advertising, we have never had a good system in place to bond with that level of the industry, so this will be the beginning of many new relationships and opportunities for all.
You can access the Certified Cigar Review (CCR) website at certifiedcigarreviews.com. For more information on Tobacconist University, visit tobacconistuniversity.org.
This story first appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– Story by Antoine Reid, senior editor and digital director for Tobacco Business Magazine. You can follow him on Instagram @editor.reid.
