Cigar Aficionado

[caudio51]

Worth the 19.95 per year?

[pdonlin]

I voted no... I subscribed less than a year ago and its an alright magazine, but like most big magazines its full of advertisements and it seems I never get my money worth... but thats just me

[cvm4]

Nopers!......

[tobby4]

Nope... I can watch commercials all day if I want to look at ads all day

[pharmgator]

I can read it free of charge at the local B&M. Why bother?

[allanf]

none of the cigar magazines is any good, who cares? I"m also not into lifestyle type magazines anyways...

[Terrasco]

none of the cigar magazines is any good, who cares? I"m also not into lifestyle type magazines anyways...

What he said....

[CWS]

Never paid that much. Always got two and three year deals.:dance:

[David]

nope...

[Ratbert]

When I first started smoking cigars several years ago I would pick it up every month, but I quickly tired of it. I cannot imagine subscribing to it...just not worth the money.

[Wasch_24]

The only time I read CA is when I find it sitting on a coffee table somewhere.

[joshua]

My free subscription is gonna run out and I am not paying for that magazine. If I find another free subscription online somewhere I'll sign up but its not worth paying them to read a ton of ads for crap I probably wont buy.

[seriesV]

Is Cigar Aficionado worth $19.95 for 12 issues a year?
Yes
No

There are only 6 issues a year, its a bi-monthly mag

but to answer: yes and no. i wouldn't pay that much for a year, i get the 2 or 3 year deals, and sometimes it has paid off (free cigar coupons every now and then, and an article on cigar factories in NYC that was very helpful)

[Headbanger]

I paid for the subscription last year and came with like a 10 pack of sticks for $24.95. I would not buy the magazine again, but may read or Cigar Magazine in the stores if I have time.

[tripp]

I got something in the mail from them today.
Gonna open it tomorrow.
I got a subscription to it one year for Father's day from the family. Still have all the old issues.
Including the one with the review of a cigar I cant recall what it was but it was "smacking of meat and mushrooms":headroll: :headroll: :headroll: :headroll:

[-MM-]

Nope. It has an interesting article or two. What turned me off is when I realized there is actually a cigar section in the magazine.

[caudio51]

Shit it's bi-monthly! F-that!

Along with all of you...if it is on the coffee table I'll browse through.

What's the European cigar magazine called? I can find it at Barnes & Noble sometimes....

[AZsteelman]

Tom, got the same offer...it says for 12 issues, for $19.95...that is for 2 years, and for that price I'll take it...not a good cigar mag, but it has some nice articles from time to time

[caudio51]

Ah, I just glanced at it. I guess 10 bucks a year ain't bad. Gives me something for the shitter.

[vperlman]

My free subscription is gonna run out and I am not paying for that magazine. If I find another free subscription online somewhere I'll sign up but its not worth paying them to read a ton of ads for crap I probably wont buy.
Yup, what Joshua said.

[pdonlin]

not worth paying them to read a ton of ads for crap I probably wont buy.

Comon, you know that you want and need a brand new private jet!

[indyrob]

My free subscription is gonna run out and I am not paying for that magazine. If I find another free subscription online somewhere I'll sign up but its not worth paying them to read a ton of ads for crap I probably wont buy.

Same here...I still get the magazine even though I sub'd almost 3 years ago and renewed via free sub link from somewhere. To me, it's not worth it at all no matter what they charge. I'm blue collar and the mag is pretty much a white collar publication. The only things I've read in there of any interest are the cigar reviews (which suck half the time), the connosuiers corner (which suck too), the interviews are pretty good, and I keep looking in the picture section for Tom.

Other than that, the first 3/4 of the mag sucks ass, 1/8 of it is tollerable, and what remains are those little cards that keep falling out.

[CWS]

Gee guys. Don't you make your christmas list from the must have section? I'm shocked. I really like this magazine. Its Wine Spectator with cigars. I find the tasting notes amusing but not really useful. Maybe the target audience is different. Well my Rolls is here so later.....

[sunivy]

Nope. Usually manage to get a glimpse of it somewhere or another. Plus, too many ads and not enough substance.

[Wasch_24]

Gee guys. Don't you make your christmas list from the must have section? I'm shocked. I really like this magazine. Its Wine Spectator with cigars. I find the tasting notes amusing but not really useful. Maybe the target audience is different. Well my Rolls is here so later.....:rofl:

[Bsslack]

Not enough "Cigar Content" Nope.

I've subscribed over the years but never at $20 bucks, usually 14.95. I could not get it otherwise when I lived in Alaska. Now I haven't decided yet for next Year.

my 2 bits




slack

[the nub]

I voted yes. You can't buy ANY magazine for less than $2 up here.

[Dgar]

I voted yes... I like to drool on the glossy pictures.


Dgar

[djs134]

I was given a subscription as a gift a few years ago. Never really found it to be that substancial in content. Doubt I'd ever buy it. Cigar Mag on the other hand, I read from Cover to Cover and can't wait for the next issue... now if only they could review habanos........

[kirscovitch]

my dad gave me an issue of one a while back that he "liberated" from somewhere. not too bad of a mag, but not worth buying. i can get interviews with celebrities and reviews of hi-tech gadgets in Playboy. (plus extras!)
any cigar i want reviewed i can get here.

[Terrasco]

There was a deal on ebay a couple of weeks ago, three years for $19.99. I didn't take it. There is so little content that interests me. Their website has much more available for free.

[NYLaw]

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with Terrasco... I'm a magazine lover. I friggin' love nothing more than to kick back in bed on a weekend and just flip through the pages, and I don't even mind ads. But cA has so little content on cigars, it's ridiculous.

I subscribe to 4 monthlies and 2 weeklies. cA is more like Robb Report but with Cigar in the title... I have really gotten to like Cigar Magazine, and I appreciate their "mission" to be a truly cigar-centric magazine... I wish they came out monthly.

[UFGators]

I think cigar aficionado is worth 20 bucks a year. You just have to take the cigar reviews themselves with a grain of salt. They give you some idea what to expect, but the best part of the magazine is everything else.

[lambing]

Whon pays $19.95 a year for it?
My sub is about half that.

[Black Dog]

I never read it so I voted no.

[BradMc]

I said NO, But I do get CA, This is the last year of a three subscription, It was a gift to me from my Family, will I reorder NO..............

[sleepydoc]

I subscribe, but I won't pay for it, for the reasons already mentioned.

I use my (worthless) frequent flyer points. Nowadays, it's nigh unto impossible to get a flight without using double points, so I just don't pay any attention to them.

I do use them for magazines, however. For 400 miles, I can get CA for a year. That's 400 miles that's not doing me any good otherwise, so why not?

[DocLogic77]

Never have never will.

[Poriggity]

I won't subscribe to it. My local shop subscribes to CA, cigar mag, Smoke, and the best one yet, PLAYBOY! Can you guess which one I "read"? :D I have one issue of CA, and I don't read it. Way too much high roller crap in there, and stuff I would never want, or can afford. Any amount of money is a waste for that rag.
Scott

[mark5]

No...........

[derekmckee]

I voted yes because it states 12 issues for a year at 19.95. That is 6 more that what you get a year since it only comes out every two months. I have a subscription, and enjoy reading it. I understand a lot of smokers online dont like it, but I have always been different.

[caudio51]

Yea, Randy corrected me, it is for 6 issues.

[Neuromancer]

It was a great mag when it was about cigars...if I wanted to read GQ or Esquire I'd subscribe to them...that's what CA has turned into...just another GQ/Esquire wannabe...

[carbolicsmoke]

No -but I find Cigar magazine much more cigar centered with many more interesting articles about the industry etc...

[Donk]

Way Way to upper class for me. I don't care for the adds, I couldn't begin to afford 3/4 of the stuff adverised in there anyways. To yuppy and stuffy for me

[rpb67]

Magazine has definately gone down hill.

For $19.95 I get my subscription and a free one for my dad. So at that price I guess its OK.

[caudio51]

I actually got a free subscription, I browse through it

[jrohrer]

I voted no

I've never had a subscription, but based on what I read here, I'd rather have one 20 dollar cigar (or maybe 2 ten dollar sticks) than 6 issues of CA

[MichiganM]

I voted no.

There are some decent articles in the mag, but there is simply too much free information on the internet to pay 20 bucks for a magazine that is 70% advertisements.

[CWS]

I must be the minority. I thoroughly enjoy this magazine. Sure the cigar ratings are mostly fantasy but they do introduce new stuff. I enjoy reading about the high end stuff. I thought the interview with Tommy Franks in 03 was fantastic. Its all fun.

[cvm4]

Chuck that was 3 years ago :rofl:

[CWS]

Yeah. I know but I keep them and re-read.

[cvm4]

Ahhhhhhh

[CWS]

Everyone was giving it such a bad rap I had to chime in. Yes its uppity. Yes the reviews are skewed. But I love reading about the growers and the high end stuff.

[caudio51]

It is nice to read about that stuff...just not applicable to anything I will be buying

[CWS]

It is nice to read about that stuff...just not applicable to anything I will be buying

Give it a few years. When the time comes that the Ferrari is reachable....:clap:

[caudio51]

:rofl:

[BradMc]

I must be the minority. I thoroughly enjoy this magazine. Sure the cigar ratings are mostly fantasy but they do introduce new stuff. I enjoy reading about the high end stuff. I thought the interview with Tommy Franks in 03 was fantastic. Its all fun.
I'm with Chuck, on this one I get CA, CM and a few others ALL of them have a different view, and that is what was looking for when I went to reading them.......

[jrohrer]

I agree...I roigionally voted no, but I got a script for x-mas, and got the first one the other day.

I must say...I think Chuck's right on, I'll probably never be able to afford half the stuff in it, but it's a pretty interesting read!

[calebnobbe2003]

voted no

[Bob_in_toronto]

I happen to like cigar aficionado for a couple of reasons.

Over the last few years, it has been able to raise the profile of cigar smokers and popularize "tasting cigars". Times change, and as cost increase, there is an increasing need for advertising. Some good some bad, some just
why is it there in the first place.

I've always enjoyed having the magazine. In general it is work friendly and I've used it at work and home to introduce friends to cigars. I've had 4 or 5 cigar nights.

Cigar ratings, well are they now based on users contributing or are they now based on manufactors advertising dollars? Again that's part of the business and we should accept that fact too. Unfortunately in Canada, the extreme cost of cigars forces alot of us to seek alternative distribution channels. Magazines like cigar aficionado cannot and in my view should visibly support these channels. They provide mainstream advertising, enable resturants, clubs, and ??? to provide large scale smoking events, and

... I just like the magazine.

[caudio51]

Cigar ratings, well are they now based on users contributing or are they now based on manufactors advertising dollars? Again that's part of the business and we should accept that fact too.

I don't think we should. I want the magazine to be honest and not reccomend items because Fuente has 15 ads

[Bob_in_toronto]

The reality of life is that we are always presented with opinions on what is best.

Accordingly, manufactors must present their product as "best" or why would we try it?

The idea that I was searching for "acceptance" is related to the idea that all want to be perceived as the best.

Through "our" tastings, blogs, and sharing of what works and does not work, we supply knowledge that help us discern fact from fantansy, advertising hype, from truely good cigars. The advertising hype helps create the preception, and our reviews, blogs, helps fellow cigars lovers make informed decisions.

Hope this helps...

by the way, I am a newbie to the group, but have enjoyed cigars for years ....

[caudio51]

Oh certainly. It would be nice to have all of that in a magazine that is not subject to the pressures of advertising revenue.

[CWS]

I don't think we should. I want the magazine to be honest and not reccomend items because Fuente has 15 ads

It would be nice Tom but human nature and business is always going to skew the ratings. I was comparing Cigar Mag, Smoke and CA. Each has its own bent. Thats whyI like our own reviews. I would rather hear what you, Todd or HB has to say than someone who lives on advertising revenues. What thier reviews do is make me aware of new and different cigars as they should.

[Wasch_24]

Magazine subscriptions are so cheap because of the ads...necessary evil.

[Boppa-Wasch]

I was suppose to receive a "free" one year subscription to CA for a purchase. Have yet to get first issue!:dunno:

[Wasch_24]

You got shafted!

[CWS]

I was suppose to receive a "free" one year subscription to CA for a purchase. Have yet to get first issue!:dunno:

How long ago. It takes forever.

[Boppa-Wasch]

8 months!!!!

[CWS]

Hmmmm. You are a very patient man. I'd email Marvin and complain.

[Wasch_24]

Knowing my Dad he probably just rememberd. :rofl:

[Boppa-Wasch]

:rofl: :rofl:

[CWS]

Sadly. I can identify with that.:frownno:

[Boppa-Wasch]

Knowing my Dad he probably just rememberd. :rofl:

Todd who..........??????????

[Wasch_24]

:rofl:

[caudio51]

It would be nice Tom but human nature and business is always going to skew the ratings. I was comparing Cigar Mag, Smoke and CA. Each has its own bent. Thats whyI like our own reviews. I would rather hear what you, Todd or HB has to say than someone who lives on advertising revenues. What thier reviews do is make me aware of new and different cigars as they should.

Yea I know....it would be great to live in a peaceful world too

Knowing my Dad he probably just rememberd. :rofl:

:rofl: Picking on the old guy