My Little Book

[MasterCylinder]

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.

[craig]

Nice journals, folks . I do much the same thing, but I keep short notes on singles in a spreadsheet. (Boxes go into StogieRate.)

[cinda]

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.

[FactoredReality]

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.

[craig]

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.

<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 .

[MasterCylinder]

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.

[ashauler]

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.

[Corvin]

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.

[badwhale]

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

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.

[FactoredReality]

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.

[Silencei2]

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.

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.

[craig]

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