h_rearden
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I think every lens has a "zone" within which the camera<->subject and subject<->background ratio is ideal for nice blur. Once you go outside that zone, even lenses with normally terrific bokeh can struggle, as Andreas has shown.
This "ideal bokeh zone" varies from lens to lens, of course, depending on focal length, aperture, etc. Some lenses have a much wider or longer (not sure which) "ideal bokeh zone" than others, resulting in "usually great bokeh" without any forethought on behalf of the shooter. The 85L fits this category, but it is important to remember that the "zone of ideal blur" is not infinite for any lens (although I have yet to find the bad spot in my CV 125/2.5).
Beyond that the lens design, number of blades, lens aberrations (or over-corrections thereof), etc. can subtly or drastically affect the quality of the blur.
Simply put, quantity of blur can often make up for (or "improve") the quality of blur. This is why nearly every "flower macro" in this thread has "great bokeh". The sheer quantity of blur (due to the close focus pushing the distance ratio to an extreme) makes it basically impossible to judge the quality of that blur.
Andreas example confirms that every lens, even the legendary 85L, has a point (outside the ideal zone) at which the quality of blur is really put to the test.
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Hopefully my Nikon magnifying eyepiece will make a difference the next time around.
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