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Thread: My Little Book

  1. #1

    Default My Little Book

    I have a blank book a cigar store owner friend gave me. When I smoke a new cigar, I paste the label in the book and write down what I thought. It has really helped me to learn about cigars and what I liked and didn't.

    When I buy new cigars, I usually buy two and smoke one now and save one for later. I smoke the second one without looking at what I wrote before. It is sometimes interesting to see what I thought then compared to what I think now.

    After I know I like a certain type, I buy them by the box.




    I don't save the label and write about every cigar I smoke, just the new or special ones.

    Sometimes I find myself buying cigars just for the label!

    It keeps me trying new types.

    I really like it and think you would too!

  2. #2
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    I do something very similar, except I use 3 x 5 cards.

  3. #3
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    I do the same thing - my girlfriend thinks I'm the biggest nerd on the planet.



    "Celebrate Yourself!"

  4. #4

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    Master Cylinder, I like your book better. Man! Those are some huge labels, you must smoke some big 'uns!
    There's only 10 types of people, those who understand binary and those who don't!

  5. #5
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    Thanks Mark. Yea, that page happened to have some big ones on it - just chose it because it had less incriminating evidence against me... I normally get about 4 labels on a page.
    "Celebrate Yourself!"

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    Nice journals, folks . I do much the same thing, but I keep short notes on singles in a spreadsheet. (Boxes go into StogieRate.)
    Craig
    Ahhhhhhhhhhh Cigar Jesus just wept - kevin7
    A cigar storage primer | Basic Cuban cigar info

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    That's a really nice idea. I do not smoke but when I learn about a cigar it's hard to remember everything I did learn just by picking them out of my humidor, I always have to go back and research. I do gifting and such and I like to be knowable about what I am handing out especially the cigars I gift in person. I think I am going to have to cut and paste a pic of the cigar to a file on the PC and write a blurb about who I gave it too and what they said and a little bit about the cigar's stats. There must be some kind of reference on the PC about cigars that are objective like a dictionary or encyclopedia. Some place that is not selling you the product just giving the facts. I will be looking for that first before I reinvent the wheel.






    http://www.cmt.com/videos/eric-churc...le-smoke.jhtml?

    "Do this...go to Google and type in "Dumbass that can't take a hint"...notice the picture of a big feller in his Moms kitchen with a can of Wannabe RockStar on his man boob...Hey, that's you!" TheGreekTitan





    May God grant us the wisdom to discover right, the will to


    choose it, and the strength


    to make it endure










  8. #8

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    A little off topic, but I used to have a blog/website called Bottom of the Bottle. I would find rare and different microbrews, take a photo and write a short review/journal entry of what I was doing at that time.

    It was fun, but seemed more work having to process the photo/website (this was a bit before blogging software became widespread).

    I have been shopping the local book stores for a good smoke journal. Any ideas on good spots? I keep running across the pink journals with a heart shaped lock... not exactly what I'm looking for.
    "This may be the most important moment of your life. Commit to it." - V

    "You can't change the times you live in, you can only change how you choose to live in those times" - ??


  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by cinda View Post
    That's a really nice idea. I do not smoke but when I learn about a cigar it's hard to remember everything I did learn just by picking them out of my humidor, I always have to go back and research. I do gifting and such and I like to be knowable about what I am handing out especially the cigars I gift in person. I think I am going to have to cut and paste a pic of the cigar to a file on the PC and write a blurb about who I gave it too and what they said and a little bit about the cigar's stats. There must be some kind of reference on the PC about cigars that are objective like a dictionary or encyclopedia. Some place that is not selling you the product just giving the facts. I will be looking for that first before I reinvent the wheel.
    There was top25cigar but it has been puffinated. Iherzolite indexed over 3000 reviews posted on CP at http://home.comcast.net/~puu-oo/cp_reviews.htm

    For Cubans, www.cigars-review.org is very useful.

    Quote Originally Posted by FactoredReality View Post
    <snip>I have been shopping the local book stores for a good smoke journal. Any ideas on good spots? I keep running across the pink journals with a heart shaped lock... not exactly what I'm looking for.
    The only cigar journal that I know of is long out-of-print: "A Cigar Journal," by Michael Wolfensohn. The "look inside" on Amazon is still active, so you can see what the page layout was. Seems like it would be simple enough to make your own page layout and get it printed and spiral-bound at the local Kinko's or whatever. Not as nice as a hardcover, but no doubt there is somewhere on the Internet that'll do that for you as well .
    Craig
    Ahhhhhhhhhhh Cigar Jesus just wept - kevin7
    A cigar storage primer | Basic Cuban cigar info

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    Quote Originally Posted by FactoredReality View Post
    I have been shopping the local book stores for a good smoke journal. Any ideas on good spots? I keep running across the pink journals with a heart shaped lock... not exactly what I'm looking for.
    I wouldn't know about an actual smoke journal, but the one I use is just a blank Moleskine notebook - they're classy, small hardbacks. And aside from those Nubs, they seem to be the perfect width for cigar bands.
    "Celebrate Yourself!"

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    There is a Cigar Lovers Diary or something like that at my local. I don't remember the price, but it was a nice hard-bound book all sectioned off for the label and your remarks, date, etc......Check at your local b/m or search it on-line. I'm a cheap bastard so I'll stick with the 3 x 5 cards.

  12. #12
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    For those that do keep a journal what information do you keep in it?

    I'm curious, do you go as far as listing the filler, wrapper and binder countries, etc or just the country of origin?

    I have an idea or two but I could use more details.
    Just a stay at home dad (retired until I choose otherwise, thanks Canadian Army medical pension) hanging out and enjoying the good life.

  13. #13

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    This got me looking and I found a site that makes custom journals. Would anyone else be interested in getting some journals made up? What would you look for in the book?

    Things to consider:
    Size, number of pages, color of pages (white or cream), straight or jagged edges, color of binding, text on cover.

    I'm thinking:
    Size: 6"x4"
    Pages: 50 sheets (100 pages) cream colored
    Cover / Binding: Black on Black
    Edges: I like "deckled" edges, but not a necessity. Deckled is the torn edge look on the page.
    Text: "Cigar Journal" in gold ink. Could also do "Cigar Smokers Journal".

    Also need to determine page content. (1 or 2 smokes per page?)

    I'm interested in opinions. They will do individual books, but obviously better deal in bulk.
    "This may be the most important moment of your life. Commit to it." - V

    "You can't change the times you live in, you can only change how you choose to live in those times" - ??


  14. #14
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    That sounds like a pretty good idea. Is there a price range or quote on it? I'd probably say as far as page content you would want to include: Name, Vitola/Size, Flavor (Mild, Medium, Strong), Smoke (plenty/not enough), Price, Year (of production/aging) and comments. Those would be the ones I would want. I would also probably say 2 cigars per page and of course a nice spot for the band to be pasted.

    Quote Originally Posted by FactoredReality View Post
    This got me looking and I found a site that makes custom journals. Would anyone else be interested in getting some journals made up? What would you look for in the book?

    Things to consider:
    Size, number of pages, color of pages (white or cream), straight or jagged edges, color of binding, text on cover.

    I'm thinking:
    Size: 6"x4"
    Pages: 50 sheets (100 pages) cream colored
    Cover / Binding: Black on Black
    Edges: I like "deckled" edges, but not a necessity. Deckled is the torn edge look on the page.
    Text: "Cigar Journal" in gold ink. Could also do "Cigar Smokers Journal".

    Also need to determine page content. (1 or 2 smokes per page?)

    I'm interested in opinions. They will do individual books, but obviously better deal in bulk.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Corvin View Post
    For those that do keep a journal what information do you keep in it?

    I'm curious, do you go as far as listing the filler, wrapper and binder countries, etc or just the country of origin?

    I have an idea or two but I could use more details.
    Besides brand/name and tasting notes/ranking/ratings:
    -Cuban/non-Cuban
    -Maduro/natural
    -Which person or vendor the stick came from
    -What I was drinking (other than water).

    For a box I'll add:
    -Length/ring
    -Factory vitolla
    -Box date
    -Purchase date
    -Last smoke date/smoke date/next smoke date
    -Cost of box/price per stick

    I am, however, more into this than most. Analysis is a good part of my day job, after all
    Craig
    Ahhhhhhhhhhh Cigar Jesus just wept - kevin7
    A cigar storage primer | Basic Cuban cigar info

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    Could just set a template up in excel, and print them out / put them in a three ring binder. Just a thought. I'm a cheap bastard too.

    Will

    Quote Originally Posted by ashauler View Post
    There is a Cigar Lovers Diary or something like that at my local. I don't remember the price, but it was a nice hard-bound book all sectioned off for the label and your remarks, date, etc......Check at your local b/m or search it on-line. I'm a cheap bastard so I'll stick with the 3 x 5 cards.
    The powers that be might take it all away
    Together we burn, together we burn away

    Uncle Tupelo

  17. Default

    Cool journals fellers
    The older I get ,the better I was

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Corvin View Post
    For those that do keep a journal what information do you keep in it?

    I'm curious, do you go as far as listing the filler, wrapper and binder countries, etc or just the country of origin?

    I have an idea or two but I could use more details.
    I keep:
    Name
    Vitola
    wrapper / binder / filler
    date & time smoked
    beverage
    Tasting notes: strength / flavors
    Construction and burn

    I generally only make one card per cigar type the first time I smoke it. Then I refer back to it when I smoke the remainder of my sampling usually a 5er over a period of 5-6 months. This is the way I evaluate smokes for future box purchases.

  19. #19
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    The cigar needs to be easy to find in the book if I am looking for a padron I use it like a dictionary. This would be a big book...






    http://www.cmt.com/videos/eric-churc...le-smoke.jhtml?

    "Do this...go to Google and type in "Dumbass that can't take a hint"...notice the picture of a big feller in his Moms kitchen with a can of Wannabe RockStar on his man boob...Hey, that's you!" TheGreekTitan





    May God grant us the wisdom to discover right, the will to


    choose it, and the strength


    to make it endure










  20. #20
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    I'm thinking something like an old Rolodex... easy to keep alphabetized.

    Not nearly as classy as a leather-bound journal, though.
    "We're at NOW now... everything that's hapening now... is happening NOW!"

    ~ Col. Sanders ~


    "I guess all we need to do now is give a shit what you think. I'll work on that."

    ~ ashauler ~

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