Pompous? Never! Elitist? Maybe... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif
Agreed, taste is a subjective thing. But the stigma surrounding Guiness as the best Stout ever is due to the overzealous marketing of the company, and the narrow focus of the average Joe. Mention the word 'Stout' to anyone and they will say Guiness. Few know there is a life that exists beyond this one brandname and IMO this is where the underlying problem exists.
Do you recall which other Stouts you have tried? There are different variations of the style, some good, others not so good. The Youngs Double Chocolate I mentioned is a great tasting Stout, but is of a different variation. If you understand that for what it is, there are plenty of very good tasting Stouts out there.
If you like Guiness, you might be more interested in seeking out different types of Porters since the Stout is a derivative of the Porter and actually predates the Stout by many years.
Best,
Mark