Nikon lenses had a better reputation than Canon among photo dealers and journalists, but I think that was mostly savvy marketing on Nikon's part. In the early 80's, I too drank that Nikkor koolaid, that is, until I starting looking at Modern Photography lens tests. The Canon lenses were superb...generally better that Nikon's.
One of the first brochures for the F-1 system, mentions an independent test carried on Japan on many lenses incluing FD lenses:
The lenses of the F-1 system are the result of the efforts
and cooperation of the departments in charge of design,
research, production, and survey, and the computer
department. High quality and performance were basical-
ly the main goals, and specifically a wide range of
interchangeable lenses, compact and easy to handle, with
image sharpness throughout the whole focusing range.
These lenses were to adopt a newly designed mechanisms
(Floating System), as well as new techniques for
processing and the practical application of the newest
materials. Special lenses were to be developed and
multilayer anti-reflection coating was put to practical
use. Besides, they all had to have a high resolving power
and extremely high contrast.
The challenge that these goals meant was most success-
fully overcome with the series of FD lenses, opening the
way for still newer and better lenses which are under
constant testing, planning and research.
One of Japan's leading camera magazines, the "Camera
Mainichi", in its annual supplement called "White Paper
on Camera Lenses", sets down the general criteria fo r'
judging lens quality.
In 1971's "White Paper" out of
375 lenses of the different Japanese makes surveyed,
Canon's got the top marks.
The publishers asked the Department of Applied Physics
of the Faculty of Engineering of the National University
of Chiba to conduct this study, and to examine the
quality and performance of the lenses, classifying them
into 14 categories according to the focal lengths.
In this
entirely independent survey, Canon's lenses were first in
8 out of the 13 categories it participated in. (There was
no Canon entry in the 85mm focal length category).
My note: The FD lens 85/1.8 was introduced later in the FD lens line, so this would explain why there was no lens in the 85mm FL category.
Edit: From other forum, user rick_janes adds:
From Camera Mainichi's "White Paper on Camera Lenses 1971", where Canon FD optics defeated the competition in 8 of 13 classes:
"The surprising fact that the commonly accepted contention that lenses produced by firm [Nikon] are the best available from Japanese makers proves to be without foundation."
Edit: My speculation on what the 14 categories could have been:
1. fisheye
2. 20mm or below
3. 24
4. 28
5. 35
6. 50mm normal
7. 50mm of 1.2 speed
8. 85mm
9. 100mm
10. 135mm
11. 200mm
12. 300mm
14. above 300mm