An Interview With Paul Minkovsky of Cigar Ranker

With any hobby, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced aficionado, one of the best ways to refine your appreciation is to catalog what you’re enjoying. Apps like Untappd have helped drinkers navigate the world of craft beer, and rating and reviewing films on apps like Letterboxd have led many people to develop a deeper appreciation of what they watch. There are social elements as well, as it’s fun to see what your friends are consuming. Readers who want to go beyond casual check-ins can also turn to resources like The Beer Connoisseur for expert beer reviews, brewery features, and broader coverage of the craft beer world.

Now, an app for rating and reviewing cigars has entered the game. Created by seasoned cigar expert Paul Minkovsky, Cigar Ranker is an app for logging and reviewing the cigars you’ve smoked. The app can help you keep track of which cigars you’ve smoked, what you thought of them, and it can even offer guidance on which cigars to try next.

Continue reading to learn more about Paul Minkovsky, why he created the app, and what it has to offer cigar lovers of all experience levels.

What has been your background with cigars before making Cigar Ranker?

Well, during covid I got a job with Cigars International testing their websites. There was a big boom for cigars back then because everyone was at home. Anyway, I had a really nice employee discount, as well as just getting freebies all the time, so I started trying out all their cigars. I had smoked a few Black & Milds here and there before, but this job introduced me to the really good stuff. I don’t work there anymore, but ever since then, I’ve gotten really deep into this hobby. I’ve traveled to Cuba, Canada, and all over the US, been to probably hundreds of lounges, and tried more cigars than most people ever will.

Where did you get the idea to create Cigar Ranker?

My buddy Rob and I smoke all the time, and we always just talk about what score we’d give every new cigar we try, on a scale of 0-10, with decimals. If you’ve ever seen Dave Portnoy with the pizza reviews, it’s basically that, but we do it with cigars. Portnoy has the OneBite app for pizza, so I figured, why not make the same thing but for cigars? 

How has the app and your vision for it changed from inception to its release?

It hasn’t changed much, but the most important thing I added was the Discover section. When I was working on other people’s websites, I never saw a good way to figure out which cigars to buy next. So on my app, I made it factor in which cigars you favorite and rank highly, and suggest new cigars based on that.

What were your biggest challenges while developing the app?

Mostly technical issues. Figuring out the hosting, storage, and various internet services. At one point, the cigars on the home page were taking forever to load, and it took a while to figure out how to fix it.

How has the app been received since its release?

Overall, pretty good. It’s only been a few days, but everyone I’ve shown it to in person likes it. They say it’s clean, simple, and easy to use. People from Reddit began creating accounts, and some started using it regularly. One of them even told me he’s moving from Cigar Scanner completely because he likes my app better.

How do you feel cigar smokers can benefit from using your app?

I think if enough people start using it, we can finally have a realistic view of what cigars people actually like. Cigar Aficionado magazine publishes a list of the top 25 cigars, but the same brands are always on it year after year. My app democratizes the process – anyone can rank cigars instead of just a handful of people at a magazine company.

How is your app different from other cigar tracking apps?

The main thing is the Discover section, which I mentioned previously. 

Besides that, my AI cigar scanner works way better than other apps. You can literally just take a picture of the band, and it’ll recognize what cigar it is. Other apps do have a ranking system, but I didn’t like the formats I saw. I wanted something more fun and simple. I didn’t like the 5-star system; I wanted it to be 0-10 with decimals, no stars, just a number. Rating the draw, appearance, aroma, etc., was too overcomplicated in my opinion. 

Are there any features you’d like to see added on to the app down the line?

I’m thinking about adding a new section for ranking cigar lounges. This could open the doors for a potential competition. I also want to add a “where to buy” section that will tell you the cheapest place to get each cigar.

Presently, the app is not available on app stores. However, you can save the app to your device by navigating to the menu on their website and clicking “Save App.” You can also use it from your web browser.

Paul Minkovsky is the founder of Cigar Ranker, a platform built to bring transparency and accountability to the cigar world. Born in Russia and raised in Philadelphia, where he still resides, Paul combines a lifelong appreciation for cigars with a deep interest in technology and design.

He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Film and previously worked in photography and videography. That creative foundation shaped his attention to detail, composition, and audience experience. He later transitioned into software testing, bringing a structured, analytical mindset to technology. While working at Cigars International, he gained direct exposure to the cigar industry — experience that ultimately led him to build his own platform.

In his free time, Paul enjoys hiking and international travel. He has visited 35 countries and 49 U.S. states, often seeking out local cigar lounges in every new destination. Exploring different cigar cultures around the world continues to inform his perspective and reinforces his commitment to building a truly global, community-driven ranking platform.