Started a Cigar Journal

[H311oLHD]

I've been smoking cigars for about a year and a half now, and never really thought of starting a cigar journal until a BOTL on CP mentioned something about his. Last night I decided to start a cigar journal and I made my first entry by smoking a 5 vegas Alpha. Great smoke, great construction, and I"m very glad I took notes on it, now I can either type up a review or go back when I am looking ot make a cigar purchase and look for ones that I enjoyed. :thumbs:

Anyways, With this smoke, I foudn the last inch and a half to not really have much flavor. i was wondering if there's anything a cigar smoker can do with a "bland" finish of a cigar. Would age help develop a flavor, I dont think so, but I didn't want to "assume" without asking you guys. Thanks!!

I'll be sure to keep up my cigar journal, anyone else do this on a regular basis?

-Aaron

 

[LilBastage]

Every cigar I smoke gets an entry into the journal. I only do about 1-2/week, so it's no problem keeping up. I'll also be keeping a journal for pipe smoking once I get going.

I just bought a blank journal at Barnes & Noble and fill in the info I want to look back upon. That includes date/time smoked, when received and from where, cigar name, vitola, origin, wrapper/filler/binder info, and smoking notes. Each entry takes 4-5 lines and I get 3-4 entries per page. The journal has several hundred pages, so it will likely last my lifetime.

Good luck with your journal. I find it to be a valuable tool and an interesting look back at how my tastes have changed and developed.

 

[robbiex0r]

good for you, stick with it.

 

[chadth]

Would it help people to have an online journal that already contained a certain level of information (origin, sizes, etc)? I should start a journal myself and have been looking for a reason to learn some new tech and this would be a good little project to do it with.

 

[Turk10mm]

Anyways, With this smoke, I foudn the last inch and a half to not really have much flavor. i was wondering if there's anything a cigar smoker can do with a "bland" finish of a cigar. Would age help develop a flavor, I dont think so, but I didn't want to "assume" without asking you guys. Thanks!!
-Aaron

I purge a smoke when it gets down to the last inch or two, with a flame to the foot. This seems to bring back the great things about a cigar that get muddled through all the tar and goo that concentrates in the end of the smoke.

Blow evenly through the smoke until you can't blow anymore while toasting the foot. Sometimes you know yer doing good when the crapola burns on its own after you've removed the flame..

 

[H311oLHD]

Anyways, With this smoke, I foudn the last inch and a half to not really have much flavor. i was wondering if there's anything a cigar smoker can do with a "bland" finish of a cigar. Would age help develop a flavor, I dont think so, but I didn't want to "assume" without asking you guys. Thanks!!
-Aaron

I purge a smoke when it gets down to the last inch or two, with a flame to the foot. This seems to bring back the great things about a cigar that get muddled through all the tar and goo that concentrates in the end of the smoke.

Blow evenly through the smoke until you can't blow anymore while toasting the foot. Sometimes you know yer doing good when the crapola burns on its own after you've removed the flame..

Turk, I've definitely used that technique quite a bit...i guess why I didn't think to do it was b/c I was in my bedroom and didn't want to get little specs of ash all over. Next time i'll just walk outside and purge it and come back in. I really wonder if this would have saved the taste for me in this example.

 

[thirdeagle]

. . .the journal is definitely a smart move. I've never been one to pick out the flavor nuiances of cigars, at least the really subtle flavors. I can easily pick out "toast" or "leather" or. . .get this. . ."cedar," particularly if it is cedar wrapped! I keep my bands and a few notes in book along with my bourbon and scotch labels. If it is a great cigar, it gets cataloged next to a particularly good bottle of bourbon or scotch. If it is a bad cigar, it gets cataloged and all but forgotten.

As for "purging" a cigar. I've found most cigars will tell me when they are done. No, my cigars don't talk to me. But I think there is such a thing as hanging on to a stick too long. When the buds are shot or when the flavor profile takes a turn for the worse. . .pitch it. If it's a good smoke, nub it. If it goes bland after a while, chances are you've toasted your buds or latched on to a less than admirable smoke.

. . .good luck. . .