Cigars

by **yorkie** » Sun Aug 05, 2001 12:48 pm

Ref issue 18. At times I think the magazine is loosing its focus ...it is after all titled "Whisky Magazine"...yet we have (including 2 pages of cigar adverts) 11 pages dedicated to smoking cigars. It is not the first time that cigars have had space either. When you remove the adverts, repeat glossaries and directories, the cooking, hotel and photography bits and pieces, there is not much room for whisky topics.

by **lexkraai** » Mon Aug 06, 2001 7:57 am

Hi Yorkie

In defense of WM, there is no way the magazine would ever be able to survive without the advertisment. So that's unavoidable.

In any magazine, no matter the subject, there will always be topics that are interesting to a certain reader and some that are not. Personally, I don't smoke and therefore don't care about the cigar articles, so I skip those. But I do certainly like the cooking with whisky articles as for me that's another way of enjoying whisky.

So far, every issue of WM has provided me with more than enough interesting articles or topics and I simply skip those topics I'm not interested in; as I said, there's always plenty left for me to make the subscription price worthwhile!

Cheers, Lex

by **howarths** » Mon Aug 06, 2001 12:59 pm

I'm with lexkraai here. I never buy a magazine that contains everything I am interested in, there is always a compromise. From my point of view I do smoke cigars and have enjoyed the comparisions as I too enjoy trying to find the perfect whisky/cigar combination. In previous months there have been features on subjects I am not too interested in, but I read them anyway - maybe I just haven't got enough to do - and I always find something in there that either educates or entertains, or even both!

Simon.

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Aug 06, 2001 3:06 pm

I'm with Lex & Howarths here, since I enjoy a good cigar a couple of times a week

Maybe Whiskymag is trying to become a lifestyle magazine?

Regards,

Martin B

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Aug 06, 2001 6:42 pm

Hi All,

I don't support anyone here, but I'm willing to give my opinion.

I joined WM from the beginning and, I believe they didn't had so many articles on cigars etc. It's commonly known that people who likes cigars, they combine that with a good malt whisky, I'm a non smoker too, and yes believe me, I would like it too, all things and subjects on whisky. However you have to deal with several interests from the people, who reads such magazines and to reach them you have to make a compromise every now and then. Of course I have some troubles with WM, I like their articles, but when it comes to delivery I hate them(with all my hart), because they are always to and to late on me, but that's another matter. The issue here's that you can't have it all, and about those advertising's, they need them, without them, Marcin doesn't gets his salary on time and so as all the people who are working on that magazine....
In a way you have to share sometimes...
(Can anyone brief me about WM 18??, because I'm behind as always)

Slainte,

Erik

by **Marcin Miller** » Mon Aug 06, 2001 7:26 pm

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your support.

Some people smoke cigars, some don't. The fact is we (and here I mean the industry as well as the magazine) need to keep broadening our audience. Otherwise we'll end up with the same people with the same prejudices. That's not going to keep distillers and independent bottlers (not to say publishers) in rude health.

It's great to hear that you do find it is all worthwhile even though not every feature is relevant to you individually.

M

PS Erik, 18 was out on time (a day early in fact). All subscriptions were sent out ahead of schedule. Have you chased your local postal sorting office?

by **Ian** » Tue Aug 07, 2001 2:58 pm

I'm with Yorkie on this.If I wanted to read reams about cigars I'd buy a cigar magazine. Still, now that the editorial staff have had their 11 pages or so on cigars perhaps that will sate their addiction for a decade or so.

By the way, what's the distinction between a "member" and a "junior member"?

Yours aye

Ian

by **lexkraai** » Tue Aug 07, 2001 3:33 pm

Even though I don't smoke, don't care about cigars and didn't read those pages, I still defend their inclusion in WM.

Besides offering something of interest to those whisky lovers that do smoke cigars, topics like this also try and attract people from 'outside', people who may never have thought of drinking whisky with a cigar. Getting a broader reader base will be to the benefit of all us hard-core whisky lovers. It's that bigger picture that's important to keep in mind.

If we take 20 random subscribers and ask them to create their perfect issue, we get 20 different issues. Marcin et al have to do a delicate balancing act each time to try and make sure that every issue has something of interest to every reader. We probably all agree on wanting to see tasting notes and details on distilleries, but beyond that personal taste is much more varied. Personally, I do like, for instance, the historical angles and Martine's cooking articles, but don't care for the cigars or the celeb interviews. The next subscriber may have completely the opposite preference. So, besides trying to cater at least a bit for everyone, it's unavoidable that some issues will be more heavy on some angles, other issues on others ....

Cheers, Lex

by **Iain** » Tue Aug 07, 2001 3:50 pm

As a former smoker, I hope I have no axe to grind - each to his own, say I. But it has often intrigued me...

drinks magazines (not just WM) often write about matching malts or blends with cigars.

But none I've seen have ever advised on whiskies that suit different types of cigarettes.

I'm sure there are at least as many smokers who have a ciggie or two with a dram, as have a cigar. Any visit to a Scottish pub, a Spanish bar etc reveals that, for many people, whisky drinking and ciggie smoking are enjoyed together.

So why are there no articles published offering advice, say, on the blend best suited to accompany an Embassy Regal, or the best single malt to enjoy with a Sobranie?

Just a thought ;-)

(Maybe Charles Maclean could write an article for a future edition of WM??)

by **Ian** » Wed Aug 08, 2001 8:27 am

Dear Lex,

Whisky lovers no doubt do lots of other things before, during, or after a dram - that doesn't mean an article on each is warranted, does it? (Even if the articles WOULD attract more readers.)

Yours aye

Ian

by **lexkraai** » Wed Aug 08, 2001 10:40 am

Hi Ian

If those 'other things' enhance the enjoyment of whisky and/or add a new dimension to it, then an article on them is warranted in principle, I feel.

It'll remain a matter of personal preference which 'marginal topics' should or should not appear in WM and where to draw the line ...

Cheers, Lex

by **Deactivated Member** » Wed Aug 08, 2001 9:30 pm

Marcin, has WM made a survey among subscribers to find out what their interests are ?

Is smoking cigars a part of the "Whisky Magazine Reader's Lifestyle"? What other "lifestyle" topics can we expect?

Regards,

Martin B

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Aug 09, 2001 2:48 pm

To all readers,

I think that this discussion here is getting us nowhere, in a certain way of course.

We all have different opinions, all a different taste etc. Like Lex, was it I believe, said: if 20 random subscribers are allowed to make their own issue, we get 20 different ones.

WM has to make several choices, on what to publish in the magazine, and of course you can't make every one happy(however they made a mistake, instead of a dozen pages about cigars, they should pay more attention to the Islay Festival....but that's personal and can vary from person to person...)

At the end all we can say is that WM is more like a lifestyle magazine, and for some of us not the magazine we hoped for.

I personally would like to see more on the production of whisky from A to Z, and go deeper in to the process, a bit more on a higher level.....

We will see what's happening in the nearby future. Oh I finally got Issue 18 with courtesy from the BOWMORE distillery, but still I'm waiting for my subscription magazine, Marcin said something about calling your post office, well Marcin I can tell you this:they don't know it and they say: ask whisky magazine....So where does it get me????

Slainte.

Erik

by **Laphroaig** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 10:23 pm

Ian:

As a person who enjoys a cigar occassionaly with a nice dram, let me just say in defense of the defenseless, that cigarettes and cigars can be worlds apart. The cigarettes I know about contain over 400 chemicles and additives when lit. Except for growing from the ground, there is very little natural about them after that. They burn even in the rain. etc etc etc. The truth of the matter is just as you've seen whisky rated, awarded and flavor profiles detailed, cigars are equally championed. When was the last time you saw a vintage of Marlboro rated 90, and descriptions of leather and cocoa tasting notes to accompany? Not to knock cigarettes, but I believe your example above is comparing apples to oranges or whisky to vodka.

Let's hope that the editors of the magazine do keep in mind that we understand they have to stay in business, but do not over saturate us with frivilous decoration and salesmanship. I ignore a certain CIGAR magazine because it contains about 8% cigar related material. The rest is Whisky [HA], watches, travel and other hobby stuff I have no interest in.