This cigar editorial policy explains how Cigar Malaysia Guide researches, writes, reviews and corrects its work. We are an independent publication for adults, and we sell nothing. So our only product is trust. This page sets out the rules we follow to earn it. You can read more about the team itself on our about page.
Our standards
Every page aims to be accurate, clear and useful. We write in plain English, with short sentences and everyday words. When we use a cigar term for the first time, we explain it or link to our glossary.
We also write for Malaysia first. That means we cover tropical humidity, air-conditioned rooms, haze, customs rules and Act 852. If a foreign rule of thumb does not suit local conditions, we say so.
Finally, we keep a calm, neutral voice. We avoid hype, superlatives and sales talk. A cigar can be well made or badly made, but it is never a “must-try”.
Sourcing
We prefer primary sources. On law, that means the gazetted Act and its regulations, with the Federal Gazette as the official home of the text. For tax and customs, we use Royal Malaysian Customs. For health, we use bodies such as the WHO, the US National Cancer Institute, the US FDA and Malaysia’s Ministry of Health.
On brands, history and craft, we use manufacturer sites, Habanos S.A., respected trade press and academic work. We treat encyclopaedias only as pointers to better sources. Each page lists its key sources, and we link to them inline where a claim depends on them.
Fact-checking
Before we publish, we check every factual claim against a source. That covers dates, figures, places, owners, blends and legal points. If we cannot verify a claim, we leave it out. Where sources disagree, we give the best-supported figure or explain the conflict.
We never invent numbers, quotes, people, prices, addresses or awards. And where the law is genuinely unclear, we say so instead of guessing.
How we review cigars
Under our cigar editorial policy, cigar reviews are critical assessments, not endorsements. Each review describes what the cigar is, how it is made and its widely documented profile. It then weighs strengths against weaknesses.
We score five areas out of 10: construction, draw, burn, flavour and complexity. Then we give an overall score out of 100. These scores reflect each cigar’s documented construction reputation and the consensus view of its profile. We do not present invented tasting sessions or personal anecdotes as fact.
Moreover, no brand, shop or distributor sees a review before we publish it. Nobody can pay for a review, a score or a mention.
Act 852 compliance: what we will never publish
Malaysia’s Act 852 bans the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of smoking products. It also bans selling tobacco online. We follow both the letter and the spirit of the law. So we will never publish:
- Advertising of any kind, including banner ads and brand placements.
- Prices as promotion. We may explain why cigars cost what they do, such as tax and duty, but we never quote a shop’s price.
- Sales links, affiliate links, coupon codes or shopping lists.
- Sponsored content, paid posts or hosted trips.
- Sales pitches that urge readers to visit a shop or make a purchase.
When we mention a lounge, retailer or brand, we describe it neutrally as a fact. Our Act 852 explainer covers the law itself in detail.
Our health stance
Cigars are not safe, and our cigar editorial policy reflects that. We will never suggest that they are healthy, or a safer choice than cigarettes. Where health is relevant, we link to our page on cigar health risks. We also point readers to Malaysia’s quit service, mQuit, through JomQuit.
Our content is for adults aged 18 and over. We do not write for minors, and we do not aim any page at them.
AI and software tools
We use software tools to help with research and drafting. For example, they help us search sources and tidy up first drafts. However, the editorial team edits and fact-checks every page before it goes live. A person on the team stays responsible for each final page.
Updates and corrections
Laws, tax rates and venues change, so we review our pages regularly. When we update a page in a meaningful way, we change its “last updated” date.
If you find an error, please email editor@cigar-malaysia.com. We check every report against the source. Then we fix the page promptly. If a correction changes the meaning of a page, we add a short note that explains what changed.
Conflicts of interest
We take no money, products or hospitality from the tobacco trade. That includes brands, distributors, importers, retailers and lounges. We also have no financial ties to any venue we mention.
Our domain is cigar-malaysia.com. However, we have no link with cigarmalaysia.com, an independent retailer in Kuala Lumpur. If a team member ever has a personal link to a subject, they step back from that page. In short, nothing on this site is for sale.