I use the Fin Nor Ahab 20s for marlin fishing. They're great for that purpose, and in particular, the drag system is outstanding. By comparison, I also hooked up a few marlin on a Shimano Calcutta 700. I expected the Calcutta to have a superior drag system, but in fact it's nowhere near as good as the Ahab's. The only marlin I broke off this summer was because of the jerky drag on my Calcutta.
That's pretty specialized fishing, though. I wouldn't want to cast an Ahab all day, because they weigh several tons. I can't really speak to reliability, either, because mine only get used on the boat, where there's no sand or grit, and they get washed with soap after every trip.
I have a bunch of the Daiwa Black Gold series reels for everyday use. They're all 3 years old and have each probably taken several hundred big bluefish. The drags are not very smooth, but they take a lot of abuse and nothing has broken. They're not fancy, but you can count on them.