Seems like most guys in the rock and roll business have histories that are multiple-choice, so who knows. I've never met him face to face, but communicated with him a bit in the past, back when he started his reviews. They were really off the wall back then, he's toned them down a bit since. That was all back before all his medical stuff hit and was a very rough time for him, he was very agitated. Phil is a pretty cynical guy to begin with, that just amplified things.

I'm sure most of his cigars do come gifted to him. From what I recall, the pairing up with a manufacturer was something many years ago, it was one or two small time producers or shops (or both) that got in touch with him after finding his original review to be favorable. I believe there was some sort of arrangement, but I don't know if that still exists or if they even exist anymore.

Thunder.Gerbil wrote:

There's nothing quite like bragging about tax evasion on an online cigar forum!

opelmanta1900 wrote:

heh. you'll enjoy this: Here's a snapshot of his latest review. Love this guy's honesty

"Cornelius & Anthony is a solid cigar company. It is a mystery to me how they let this new revised blend fly off the rails. Is this why there are no reviews of this cigar? Is everyone afraid of pissing off C&A? I’m not. But of course, I will burn another bridge by being truthful.

Manufacturers are very sensitive about what is written about them. The slightest critical comments doom the writer to be taken off their reviewer’s list. So be it. I am beholden to my readers, not the manufacturer.

https://kohnhed.com/2017/03/06/cornelius-anthony-meridian-2016-cigar-reviews-by-the-katman/ 

I know of no other cigar reviewer that appears more loyal to his readers than this.

LawOfMD wrote:

Hey, If Canadian customs doesn't bother to charge me tax/duty while coming through, i'm not going to complain! 🍺

@LawOfMD,
I'm starting to like this guy!! Read a handful of reviews last night and this afternoon and he's really quite detailed in his explanations on taste etc. Totally helpful!

Jayslow wrote:

:thumbs up: I agree. I spent the better part of last night trying to source some 5-ers of his top 25. Tough to do as most are sold out, short run smokes.

LawOfMD wrote:

Welcome Jayslow, you've set a new record for expansiveness from an intro post and thread. You started with a fairly common request for recommendations for must try cigars (never sticks) and the recurring theme about shortage of space for your burgeoning cache (picking up 99cobra's point about "collection" not being an apt term for stuff you will consume).

Somehow we veered into international monetary exchange rates, guns, buying cigars in Canada, killing bears, nature of criminals, cigar magazines that have a gay orientation, authenticity of published cigar reviews, pandering in the cigar industry, a rave about a cigar named (oxymoronically) after Trump followers, criminal tax evasion, elbow rubbing with an obscure rock star guitarist, and trustworthiness of cigar reviews by obscure rock stars...


🍺 🇨🇮

delta1 wrote:

He's right, the socialists have screwed up Canada. They tax those poor people to death.

jjanecka wrote:

Somehow we veered into international monetary exchange rates, guns, buying cigars in Canada, killing bears, nature of criminals, cigar magazines that have a gay orientation, authenticity of published cigar reviews, pandering in the cigar industry, a rave about a cigar named (oxymoronically) after Trump followers, criminal tax evasion, elbow rubbing with an obscure rock star guitarist, and trustworthiness of cigar reviews by obscure rock stars...

delta1 wrote:

He's right, the socialists have screwed up Canada. They tax those poor people to death.

jjanecka wrote: