Review them or just smoke them?

TheTraveler · 08-14-2011, 02:06 PM

While cleaning some bookshelves at home I came across a binder with detailed cigar review sheets in it, the last one dated 7/21/10. I'd created a detailed review sheet (it even has a space set aside to glue the band to the sheet) and made sure to review a cigar if I'd never smoked it before. If I was smoking a cigar I'd reviewed already but hadn't smoked in a long time I'd refer to the old review while smoking to see if my tastes had changed or if I still felt the same way about the cigar. A quick skim through some of the reviews brought memories of a couple of dog rockets out of the cold-storage of my long term memory, but it also reminded me of a few gems I'd forgotten - now I want to revisit those gems so I'll probably start scouring the usual sites and looking at WTS threads here on CA.

So, why the hell did I get lazy and stop doing them?!!!

Anyway it made me curious about my fellow cigar smokers. Do you make a detailed review or do you smoke 'em and move on? Which do you do?

Bill86 · 08-14-2011, 02:11 PM

I'm not sure how detailed my reviews are but if I smoke something I want to remember or was really good I'll review it here if only to look back on it.

That and I read the reviews here to find new smokes, it's nice to contribute to the reviews here.

Ogre · 08-14-2011, 02:58 PM

I smoke them. If I find something I really like I will write the name down.

WittyUserName · 08-14-2011, 04:01 PM

I would like to start keeping a cigar journal. I have just started looking to try and find one, have any of you ever run across one or just created your own?

kaisersozei · 08-14-2011, 04:25 PM

I'll usually review the first few sticks of something I haven't tried before. If it's new or noteworthy, I'll share it here. After that, I just smoke 'em.

kelmac07 · 08-14-2011, 04:40 PM

I keep an Excel database on every stick I torch (my thoughts/likes/dislikes/would I smoke again, etc). Kinda my way to remember if I liked it or not.

TheTraveler · 08-14-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WittyUserName

I would like to start keeping a cigar journal. I have just started looking to try and find one, have any of you ever run across one or just created your own?

I made my own. I think there are one or two floating around on the net for download though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelmac07

I keep an Excel database on every stick I torch (my thoughts/likes/dislikes/would I smoke again, etc). Kinda my way to remember if I liked it or not.

I did that for a while but got lazy with it too and let it fall behind. No way to catch it up now though.

area51 · 08-14-2011, 05:59 PM

I put each cigar I smoke into Cigar Aficionados Personal humidor...That is about the extent of it.

08-14-2011, 06:14 PM

I have caught the reviewer disease. Thanks to guys like @GCPuff on twitter and Don Fernando. You two guys inspired me to start publishing reviews.

Than you also to Glyveth, mon Chatton who tickled my ego and made me WANT to make reviews.

Drez · 08-14-2011, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelmac07

I keep an Excel database on every stick I torch (my thoughts/likes/dislikes/would I smoke again, etc). Kinda my way to remember if I liked it or not.

But all you smoke are 601 blues Mac

Ok for real I don't review the cigars I smoke but if something I really like or want to revisit I'll take the band off and keep it in a old fish bowl. I'll also write it on a post it so I can keep a eye out for sales.

kelmac07 · 08-14-2011, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drez

But all you smoke are 601 blues Mac

Makes it easy to maintain the datbase.

Aporschaguy · 08-14-2011, 07:06 PM

I Smoke em and keep buying what I like and keep adding. It's a mental list.

08-14-2011, 09:07 PM

I just smoke
em and move on. If it's good, I'll get another (or a box). Otherwise, once and a while I look through all my old bands just to jog the memory of particular smokes.

irratebass · 08-14-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aporschaguy

I Smoke em and keep buying what I like and keep adding. It's a mental list.

This is what I have been doing.

Blak Smyth · 08-15-2011, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill86

I'm not sure how detailed my reviews are but if I smoke something I want to remember or was really good I'll review it here if only to look back on it.

That and I read the reviews here to find new smokes, it's nice to contribute to the reviews here.

Exactly this

Subvet642 · 08-15-2011, 07:17 AM

I wouldn't call what I do a review as such, but I do scribble some notes when I try a new stick.

Skywalker · 08-15-2011, 08:29 AM

I've become lazy!

Once in awhile I'll do a review but not like I use to.

08-15-2011, 08:38 AM

Too many blowhards giving reviews out there, and since everyone's palate is different, I don't think anyone should really care about this blowhards review any more (unless it's a horrendously bad stick, like the Gorilla Finger). So I smoke 'em, remember what it was (if I don't have more), and move on to the next one.

shilala · 08-15-2011, 08:44 AM

I've never kept a log of my own reviews, or even excel notes like Mac does (which is a great idea). That'd make smoking like work to me.
I'll do a review here if a cigar is really good or really bad. I remember saying before in a review that "I'm not interested in heaping words onto mediocrity." I will definately go out of my way if a cigar is super good, in hopes that some brothers will try it and enjoy it. If it's real bad, I don't really try to warn guys off the cigar, but ask them to lower their expectations and see what they think. I do that because lots of times I get all excited by hype and the cigar doesn't play up to my expectations, and I wonder how I'd have received it were I not already expecting big things.

08-15-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shilala

I've never kept a log of my own reviews, or even excel notes like Mac does (which is a great idea). That'd make smoking like work to me.
I'll do a review here if a cigar is really good or really bad. I remember saying before in a review that "I'm not interested in heaping words onto mediocrity." I will definately go out of my way if a cigar is super good, in hopes that some brothers will try it and enjoy it. If it's real bad, I don't really try to warn guys off the cigar, but ask them to lower their expectations and see what they think. I do that because lots of times I get all excited by hype and the cigar doesn't play up to my expectations, and I wonder how I'd have received it were I not already expecting big things.

Sklee!
Except I would review a rare or unusual cigar too.

View Poll Results: What do you do?
Keep a review	6	19.35%
Smoke and move on	22	70.97%
Other	3	9.68%
Voters: 31. You may not vote on this poll

08-14-2011, 02:06 PM	#1
TheTraveler giggity giggitty Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jonathan Location: Near a Walmart Posts: 1,813 Trading: (12)	Review them or just smoke them? While cleaning some bookshelves at home I came across a binder with detailed cigar review sheets in it, the last one dated 7/21/10. I'd created a detailed review sheet (it even has a space set aside to glue the band to the sheet) and made sure to review a cigar if I'd never smoked it before. If I was smoking a cigar I'd reviewed already but hadn't smoked in a long time I'd refer to the old review while smoking to see if my tastes had changed or if I still felt the same way about the cigar. A quick skim through some of the reviews brought memories of a couple of dog rockets out of the cold-storage of my long term memory, but it also reminded me of a few gems I'd forgotten - now I want to revisit those gems so I'll probably start scouring the usual sites and looking at WTS threads here on CA. So, why the hell did I get lazy and stop doing them?!!! Anyway it made me curious about my fellow cigar smokers. Do you make a detailed review or do you smoke 'em and move on? Which do you do? __________________ "My life is my own."

08-14-2011, 02:11 PM	#2
Bill86 Snob Join Date: Jul 2010 First Name: Bill Posts: 6,704 Trading: (67)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I'm not sure how detailed my reviews are but if I smoke something I want to remember or was really good I'll review it here if only to look back on it. That and I read the reviews here to find new smokes, it's nice to contribute to the reviews here. __________________ I'm drunk......but I'll get drunker! - Doug Stanhope

08-14-2011, 02:58 PM	#3
Ogre **CENSORED** Join Date: Apr 2010 First Name: Larry Location: Central Florida Posts: 12,068 Trading: (46)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I smoke them. If I find something I really like I will write the name down. __________________

08-14-2011, 04:01 PM	#4
WittyUserName WOOOHOOO Join Date: Aug 2011 First Name: Adam Location: Virginia Posts: 1,455 Trading: (15)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I would like to start keeping a cigar journal. I have just started looking to try and find one, have any of you ever run across one or just created your own?

08-14-2011, 04:25 PM	#5
kaisersozei The Homebrew Hammer Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Gerard Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 3,183 Trading: (40)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I'll usually review the first few sticks of something I haven't tried before. If it's new or noteworthy, I'll share it here. After that, I just smoke 'em. __________________

08-14-2011, 04:40 PM	#6
kelmac07 Resident Maduro Whore!! Join Date: Apr 2009 First Name: Mac Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 27,322 Trading: (218)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I keep an Excel database on every stick I torch (my thoughts/likes/dislikes/would I smoke again, etc). Kinda my way to remember if I liked it or not. __________________ Dom in the MLB thread "I could probably get you to wear a Yankee hat for a Maduro!"

08-14-2011, 05:59 PM	#8
area51 Blowing Smoke Rings Join Date: Sep 2010 First Name: Ken Location: Tejas Posts: 1,259 Trading: (3)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I put each cigar I smoke into Cigar Aficionados Personal humidor...That is about the extent of it. __________________

08-14-2011, 06:14 PM	#9
pgagnon Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I have caught the reviewer disease. Thanks to guys like @GCPuff on twitter and Don Fernando. You two guys inspired me to start publishing reviews. Than you also to Glyveth, mon Chatton who tickled my ego and made me WANT to make reviews.

08-14-2011, 07:06 PM	#12
Aporschaguy Two sheets to the wind! Join Date: Jul 2011 First Name: Adam Location: Great white north Posts: 218 Trading: (0)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I Smoke em and keep buying what I like and keep adding. It's a mental list. __________________ "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

08-14-2011, 09:07 PM	#13
Hippiebrian Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I just smoke em and move on. If it's good, I'll get another (or a box). Otherwise, once and a while I look through all my old bands just to jog the memory of particular smokes.

08-15-2011, 07:17 AM	#16
Subvet642 Bilge Rat Join Date: Nov 2009 First Name: Darren Location: Torpedo Room Bilge Posts: 2,997 Trading: (13)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I wouldn't call what I do a review as such, but I do scribble some notes when I try a new stick. __________________ *"Man's mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not." -John Galt*

08-15-2011, 08:29 AM	#17
Skywalker BABOTL Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dice Location: Galaxy Far Far Away Posts: 10,168 Trading: (18)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I've become lazy! Once in awhile I'll do a review but not like I use to. __________________ Smoke what you like!!!

08-15-2011, 08:38 AM	#18
Wanger Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Review them or just smoke them? Too many blowhards giving reviews out there, and since everyone's palate is different, I don't think anyone should really care about this blowhards review any more (unless it's a horrendously bad stick, like the Gorilla Finger). So I smoke 'em, remember what it was (if I don't have more), and move on to the next one.

08-15-2011, 08:44 AM	#19
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: Review them or just smoke them? I've never kept a log of my own reviews, or even excel notes like Mac does (which is a great idea). That'd make smoking like work to me. I'll do a review here if a cigar is really good or really bad. I remember saying before in a review that "I'm not interested in heaping words onto mediocrity." I will definately go out of my way if a cigar is super good, in hopes that some brothers will try it and enjoy it. If it's real bad, I don't really try to warn guys off the cigar, but ask them to lower their expectations and see what they think. I do that because lots of times I get all excited by hype and the cigar doesn't play up to my expectations, and I wonder how I'd have received it were I not already expecting big things. __________________