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How do you rate your cigars?

KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
in General Discussion
A previous post on one of my other threads got me thinking, how do you rate your cigars? Do you just rate your smoke on taste alone or do you get really detailed? I'm sure many of you want to remember everything you can about a great smoke you had, and so I would like to share with you how I rate my smokes: I like to rate/review everything about the cigar. The rating sheet I typed up has 4 main catergories. 1. Overall Appearence (20 points) 2. Lighting and Burning Properties (15 points) 3. Construction (30 points max) 4. Taste (35 points) Appearence - Visual appeal of a cigar is important to me. For one, it tells you alot about the cigar because it's your first clue as what to expect when you smoke the cigar. On my rating sheet, various aspects of appearence are worth 20 points max. Lighting and Burning- A cigar that burns evenly means that is was well constructed, I'm sure many of you know how annoying an uneven burn is. If it burns too fast, then it will give you a bad taste. And how easy was it to lite the stick. Construction - This catergory carries alot of weight with me. I have smoked good looking cigars, but have been a terrible smoke, either by burning to hot, too slow, kept going out..etc. Taste - I think this is the most important catergory. I like to be able to decide for myself how a cigar tasted. No fancy ads, or endorsements, just me and my memory. I especially like to notate that the cigar kept a great taste all the way down to the nub. If this happens, I usually give it a 35/35 in this catergory. If anyone would like to see a copy of my cigar review sheet, let me know. I will be happy to email them a copy.

"Long ashes my friends."

Comments

  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    For me it's all about flavor, draw and burn. I've had cigars that are uglier than sin but tasted great and burned decent. I like a little resistance on the draw, even a loose draw is ok as long as it doesnt burn hot but too much drag and it ruins it for me. Burn, hell who want to keep touching up cigars, i hate it! Especially because after a touch up you get that pungent almost sulphur like taste...you kno what i mean. I've had a touch up funk up a cigars taste for the remainder. This is why i dont like preferidos...too much work. Taste, the hear of it all. When i started smoking it was either good or bad. Now as i get more into it the more i like to pick apart flavors. How the cigar tastes in the first third, second third, creaminess, smoke volume, flavor development. Is there cedar, leather, earth cocoa, spice or just good tobacco flavor. I guess if youre in the hobby eventually you do this....if not an hour with a stick could get boring :).

    I like your system though, it has me thinking about a few things i'd like to do when smoking. I have the side of the munidor i want to smoke and enjoy/pick apart.....but then i have the other side which is whip out any old time because it's a good smoke, not much thinking necessary. I think i just contradicted myself...LOL
  • ftnatorftnator Posts: 14
    Sounds like a great system Kreig. I have a simple sytem. it's just and overall impression, taking most of the points you mention, (1-5 rating). IMO, appearance , feel, burn and taste are major components for me. I'm a novice and have smoked close to 40 different brands. Some, I've tried a second or third time if they get a high rating. I like medium bodied smokes and so, I have narrowed my favorites to 4-6 different brands. Rocky Patel, Sol Cubano and Partagas are among the top. I would like to get a copy of your review sheet. It sounds more thorough and a lot more fun.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    Not a problem, I would be happy to send it over to you. What is your email address?

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    I rate mine by:
    I love it
    I really like it
    It was good
    It was ok
    It was terrible

    Simple but effective, for me anyways.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    rwheelwright:
    I rate mine by:
    I love it
    I really like it
    It was good
    It was ok
    It was terrible

    Simple but effective, for me anyways.
    Lol, yeah I'm the same way, but if I notice anything terrific I make sure to make a note. such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee..
  • dep691dep691 Posts: 311
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    dep691:
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
    i wasnt good at rating cigars either. im sure that there are plenty of people that still think im no good at it.

    im not in it for you guys though. I started to catalog and rate so that i could explore what i liked and didnt like. with time i learned. since i knew more i rated a bit more accurately. (IMO)

    iduno I take reviews with a grain of salt they are what they are, and they all are opinions

    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    [i wasnt good at rating cigars either. im sure that there are plenty of people that still think im no good at it.
    I for one think you're pretty damn good. Do I agree with your subjective ratings of cigars? Typically not but I do think you describe exactly what you are getting from the cigar and have found that most of the time I get very similar things from the cigar that you do. Our dfference lies in what I like vs. what you like. Anyway, I find your reviews about as useful as any I've come across.
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I use the software (free) from  http://www.cigarregister.com/.  When I first began to use it I wasn't sure I was going to like it but I sure wouldn't want to be without it now.  The more you work with it and learn your way around it, the better it gets.

    As I said, it's free.  Have a look and decide for yourself.

    Marty
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    jlmarta:
    I use the software (free) from  http://www.cigarregister.com/.  When I first began to use it I wasn't sure I was going to like it but I sure wouldn't want to be without it now.  The more you work with it and learn your way around it, the better it gets.

    As I said, it's free.  Have a look and decide for yourself.

    Marty
    wow, this is great info, thanks jlmarta. I am downloading the software now and can't wait to try it. Since I'm an IT guy, this software is right up my alley :)

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • rdnstnrdnstn Posts: 993 ✭✭
    dep691:
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
    Sounds like me. I'll make recommendations based on what I like but as for actual reviews, it has to be exceptional.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    rdnstn:
    dep691:
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
    Sounds like me. I'll make recommendations based on what I like but as for actual reviews, it has to be exceptional.
    I'm quite fond of the RRS ...
  • smokestersmokester Posts: 131
    On the data base for that website do you know if there is any way to do it on a mac?
  • smokestersmokester Posts: 131
    Krieg i would like to see a copy of how you review it to if you could send me a copy thanks.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    madurofan:
    rdnstn:
    dep691:
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
    Sounds like me. I'll make recommendations based on what I like but as for actual reviews, it has to be exceptional.
    I'm quite fond of the RRS ...
    Speaking of the RRS...I wonder where Smoke has been. I know he has probably been busy, but he would usually pop in every so often to post a new joke at least.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    smokester:
    Krieg i would like to see a copy of how you review it to if you could send me a copy thanks.
    no problem, just shoot me an email to me at: chriskitchens1@bellsouth.net, that goes for anyone else who's intersted too. -chris

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    madurofan:
    rdnstn:
    dep691:
    I don't rate cigars, not any good at it. I try not to post reviews on cigars unless it is just something that I thought was exceptional to me. I pretty much know what I like and thats what I get the bulk of, and buy samplers looking for a diamond in the ruff.
    Sounds like me. I'll make recommendations based on what I like but as for actual reviews, it has to be exceptional.
    I'm quite fond of the RRS ...
    Speaking of the RRS...I wonder where Smoke has been. I know he has probably been busy, but he would usually pop in every so often to post a new joke at least.
    I was wondering the same thing myself.
  • These Filthy HandsThese Filthy Hands Posts: 455
    My rating system is

    Amazing!!!
    Fantastic!
    Good
    So, so
    Bleh
    and, OH MY GOD THIS IS **** TERRIBLE!!!!
  • jihiggsjihiggs Posts: 469 ✭✭
    its a highly scientific process involving going into the bathroom, looking at my reflection in the mirror and seeing if there is a smile on my face after smoking the cigar. if there is, it means it was a good cigar, if the smile is there 20 min later, it was a really good cigar. if some how I dont see my reflection in the mirror, but inside the toilet, it was a BAD cigar.
  • smokestersmokester Posts: 131
    Email sent Krieg.
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    There is an earlier thread of mine which details the method I use to rate cigars. It has worked beautifully for me. When I am about to place an order, or if I am headed out to the shop to pick up sticks to share with friends or in the games (almost all of what I send out in games comes from the B&M), I simply use the filters in the spreadsheet to find my highest-rated cigars with the particular wrapper/body/price point I am looking for. I love it.

    For example, let's say I'm having 2 friends over to hang out and I want to smoke cigars. I'll head out to the B&M looking for 3 sticks, and let's say I've set myself a limit of spending $20 ($6.67/stick). These friends rarely smoke cigars, so I'm not looking for anything above a medium body. So I filter for sticks with an overall rating of 4 or 5, with a body rating of 5 or less, and a price of $6.67 or less. After removing the sticks I am not likely to find at the shop (5 Vegas, Sol Cubano, Camacho 1962, etc), the result gives me:

    Oliva Series G Cameroon Double Robusto
    Onyx Reserve Toro
    Fuente 8-5-8
    Nub 464 Cameroon

    Depending on my mood, I will rank those in order of preference, write out or print the list, and head out to the shop to make my purchase.
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