Cigar Grads 2 - Keeping a Journal

    Welcome to the second edition of Cigar Graduates. This topic focuses on why it might be good to keep a journal and how it can help you learn your tastes. Let me begin by saying this is by no means an expectation of a cigar enthusiast, it is simply personal choice. Smoking a cigar is purely for enjoyment and it should stay that way, however if you want to learn how to "read" a cigar you might want to stay tuned!

   

    Above is a small journal that I've used to remember and categorize the cigars I've smoked. Feel free to use it for your own journal keeping. I will explain what each field is but first I want to answer one question...

    Why keep a journal at all? 

    As you may have read in my early blogs, cigar smoking is about taking in the various flavors and aromas that the master blenders wanted you to experience as apposed to looking for a high (However there are some cigars that are strong enough to give you a buzz). A cigars flavor can be as simple as leather notes or as complex as hints of espresso, spice, pepper, dark chocolate, and nuts. Mind you, only the most experience cigar tasters can pick up on these subtleties. I myself find the coffee and leather flavors to be the most noticeable while the others seem to stay elusive. Journal keeping is just one way to help you keep track of the cigars that gave you those experiences and allows you to remember which ones you liked the most.

The Journal

Brand
    What brand of Cigar did you smoke? It's also good to note if it's a limited release, special reserve, or maybe and exclusive brand from a cigar retailer. Some of the rarest cigars you may only get to smoke once so it's good to wright it down.

Scores
    As you can see on the left panel there is a scoring system. This is simply for general scoring on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is poor and 10 is excellent. Let me explain what each means.

• Look/feel - Here you will only pay attention to the way the cigar appears and feels.
• Excellent -
• Smooth wrap, few bumps and veins.
• Even color
• Somewhat soft when squeezed lightly, but not too soft.
• Band placement, it should be firmly in place.
• Poor - 
• Bumpy or crooked appearance, allot of veins.
• Blotchy color, patches of dark and light.
• Overly firm when squeezed, could be dry or packed too tight.
• Band is loose and or falling off. This isn't always a deal breaker.
• Quality - Here we focus on how well the cigar construction was executed.
• Excellent -
• Tight wrapper seams, near invisible edges.
• No cracks or separation
• Double, triple caps are best. They must be well applied with subtle edges.
• Crisp clean foot, no feathering or cracking.
• Loose draw, it shouldn't take too much work to smoke.
• Poor -
• Wrapper has clearly visible seams
• Separation of the wrapper is evident as well as cracking
• Single Caps are OK but make for a trickier cut. Loose visible seams where the cap is applied, cap is coming off.
• Roughly cut foot, wrapper is fraying or split.
• Tight draw, making it unpleasant to smoke.
• Flavor - This is simply your opinion on the overall flavors of the cigar. This is where it really comes into personal preference. What might be good for some may not be for others.
• Excellent -
• Smooth consistent taste from beginning to end.
• Flavor never got too intense or unpleasant at any time
• Great cigars will have vibrant and distinct flavors that set them apart.
• Poor - 
• Bitter flavor that lasts for more than 1" of the cigar.
• Intense or unpleasant tastes especially towards the 1/2 way point.
• Bland or unexciting flavors, nothing that makes the cigar memorable. 
• Burn - This is something you will have to actively pay attention to when you smoke the cigar but in general this is what you should expect.
• Excellent - 
• What we call a Razor sharp burn, from beginning to end the burn moves evenly down the cigar.
• Great smoke production, this differs from cigar to cigar but you should have creamy plumes of smoke with every draw.
• Stays effortlessly lit only requiring a draw ever few minutes or so.
• Poor -
• Uneven burn, one side moves faster than the other requiring frequent touch up.
• Poor smoke production, this happens with tight draws. No matter how hard you smoke it, the smoke is minimal and often unpleasant.
• Will not stay lit. This can require frequent draws and can lead to a cigar that gets too hot and can ruin the flavor.
• Overall - This is a rating for your overall opinion of this cigar.
• Excellent -
• The cigar had no real negative effects and was a pleasant experience from the light to the nub.
• Poor -
• The cigar was allot of work to keep lit and didn't offer any pleasurable flavors that would want me to try it again.

   When it comes to the understanding the overall score and what it means to me, I make it easier by breaking it down into three groups.

1. 1 to 4 - This would keep me from paying money for this cigar or smoking it again.
2. 5 to 7 - I might smoke this cigar again if it was on sale, given to me as a gift, or was my only option.
3. 8 to 10 - This score would bring me back to this cigar every time, I might even buy a box.

    In the next two fields, I have left space to note if there was a special occasion you smoked your cigar for or a memorable location you enjoyed it at. There is also a place to mark down the tasting notes you experienced. They are purely your own but some common notes are:

• Coffee, Espresso
• Dark Chocolate
• Spice (as in herbs)
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Pepper (as in black pepper with a bite)
• Leather (the after taste you get, similar to the sensation you smell when standing in a leather shop)
• Nuts (usually roasted nuts)

    On the second page, there is a more comprehensive recording system. You do not need to use this sheet if all you are looking for is a way to remember your favorite cigar. However, read on if you really want to learn more.

    The next three categories are where you will go into detail about your smoking experience. Observe the draw, burn, and taste at the beginning, middle, and end of your smoke. The ratings based on smoking stages are important as consistency is the key to a great quality cigar.

Draw
    Often times you will come across a cigar that has a tight draw in the beginning but then loosens up as the burn moves down. A tight draw simply means that the cigar is difficult to puff. Similar to when you get a piece of ice stuck in your drinking straw. It is always best to test the cigars draw before lighting up. This is referred to as a "cold taste." At your 50% mark, note if you felt the draw change. Do the same at 75%.

Burn
    It may not seem like a big deal but a cigars burn can effect its flavor. A nice even burn means all the layers of tobacco are burning together and you are getting the balanced mixture of flavors you were meant to. An uneven burn could mean higher concentrations of one flavor and not enough of another. This can taint your perception of what this cigar is supposed to taste like.

   Like before, take note of the burn quality upon the first light, then 50% and 75%. Was the burn consistent throughout or did you find yourself touching up spots here an there? Also, did you get a cone? Also known as the "Pencil Tip," the cone is a result of removing your ash and being left with what looks like a giant pencil tip. More on that in another edition.

Taste
    This is where you will ultimately determine your flavors during your smoke. A well made cigar will maintain a consistent, smooth, and flavorful smoke from beginning to the very end. Now it is very common to experience some harsher flavors at the very binning and then notice them mellow out in the middle. Just take note of those changes and notice how some of the best cigars almost never deviate from their starting flavor.

Ash [On]-[Off]
    This field is more personal preference. Some will prefer one way while others another. But taste the cigar with the ash built up, then again after knocking it off. Often times a cigars flavor will become more balanced when you de-ash. However, others tend to taste much better with the ash left on. It truly depends on the cigar and the taste of the smoker.

Cutter Used

    Show what cutter you used.

Manufacturer Location
    The location where the cigar was assembled could be completely different than where the tobacco came from. This is usually marked on the cigar box itself. You will see it as the decorative sticker that holds the lid down.

[NOTE: For the definitions on sizes and shapes, visit my blog on Size, Shape, and Shade!]

Shape, Length, and Ring Gauge
    These three fields are all to record the exact size and shape of your cigar since the dimensions can differ from manufacture to manufacture.

Wrapper, Binder, and Filler Origin
    As I stated before, where a cigar is assembled isn't always where the tobacco was grown. For this you may have to do a little research on the cigar itself. In a single cigar the wrapper can come from Honduras, the binder from Nicaragua, and the filler from a combination of other origins.

Wrapper Type/Color
    This is simply the color of the wrapper which I explained in my Size, Shape, and Shade installment.

Where Purchased   
    It's often a good idea to know where you got your cigar as the different shops tend to store their cigars in different ways which can effect the way it smokes and tastes.

Date Purchased, Date Smoked
   These fields have to do with the possibility of aging. If you purchase the cigar in July then smoke it in October, it would've had 3 months to age which can positively effect the cigars flavor. Or negatively depending on how it was stored.

Cost
    This may seem trivial but it is good to know, depending on where you purchased the cigar, which shop has the better price? 

[Oily]-[Dry], [Veiny]-[Toothy]-[Smooth]
    We are talking about the wrapper in these fields. Simply mark which characteristic your cigars wrapper had. 

• Oily - The satin almost shiny look a cigar can have. A nice sheen of oil is an indication that the cigar was well humidified.
• Dry - The opposite of Oily, a very mat almost parched look. This can be an indication of poor humidification.
• Veiny - This is common among some of the bolder cigars but in a well made cigar, the cigar roller will strip most of the vain from the wrapper. So highly visible veins in a cigar can be looked at as a defect. However this is not always the case.
• Toothy - A term that refers to the texture of some cigars wrappers. This again is common among the heartier tobacco leaves grown on the top of the plant which tend to be a bit stronger in flavor. "Tooth" appears as tiny bumps like a fine sand paper and are actually little pockets of oil. This is not an indication of a poorly made cigar, just a characteristic of bolder tobacco.
• Smooth - This term reflects its exact definition. Common among the more mild cigars, they have no tooth and very subtle veins. Little Vein indicates a well made cigar. But again, not in all cases.

[Mild]-[Medium]-[Full Bodied]

   Just note where you felt the cigars intensity fell. This typically corresponds to the wrapper color as explained in my Sizes, Shapes, and Shades installment.

• Mild
• Mild-Medium
• Medium
• Medium-Full Bodied
• Full Bodied

Accompanied Drink

    The experience you have smoking a cigar can be mellowed or enhanced depending on what you might be tasting with it. Often times cigar enthusiasts will have a glass of Whiskey (Scotch, Bourbon, or Tennessee) with their stogie. The flavors of whiskey are perfect for almost any cigar. If you're more of a beer drinker, try the hopier varieties such as Stouts, porters, and reds. Be weary with wines. I've tried a dry red wine with a maduro cigar and it was awful. But don't go by me, give it a shot!

    I hope you've enjoyed this edition on Journal keeping. Please leave a comment if you have any questions and check out my other cigar articles!

Take care!

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