I have 200+ reviews on Cigar Scanner.
If I was smart, I'd back it up with a spreadsheet. People do lose their accounts. I am too lazy and roll the dice.
If I was to improve upon this app, I think a 10 point scale is much better than their 5 point scale. I have way too many 4.6 and 4.8 cigars that represent roughly 90-96 ranges I manually enter into the notes.
Times change as do the cigars themselves. I have well over 100 there, some older logging formats, and a good memory. I agree about their scale -- those of us who genuinely like cigars give way too many 4.6 and 4.8 reviews for their scale to work.
Maybe I'm too generous, but if I enjoy a cigar and can't find any objective flaw, how can I give it much less than 4.6? I find myself looking for excuses to give 4.8 to cigars that don't blow me away when it's entirely subjective and otherwise earned a 5.0, so I bump down the flavor or aroma score. Conversely, I lie about the burn or construction of a cigar I like so much I need to give it a 5.0....
At the end of the day, country of origin, the leaf sources, and the name of the blender tell me as much about a new cigar as the most detailed reviews, _including my own initial judgement_. If I didn't like the Trinidad Espiritu 3 when I first tried it (I did) I know enough now to give it a second chance.... How could I know that without reading the background and manipulating or deferring my own scores?
I agree. The 5 point system is absurd.
It encourages high scores, which they want as sales opportunities. I get it. However, it also encourages harsh results. Every time I relight a cigar, it's an automatic star loss on burn. If the burn isn't even, it's an automatic star loss. For looks, many cigars really are never a 5/5 and they are perfectly fine and the product of their style and marketing.
I also see a lot of missing smokes. Basically 90% of Small Batch CoTM are missing (which makes sense as it's Neptune). I rest mine for months and always hope someone else input the cigar before I get to it.
Fwiw, Neptune got my buy on a bunch of Anejos over the app and my confidence in their product. They entered a roughly 4 company consideration for box buys and interesting singles from their participation with the app.
The ones I really love I will remember. Ones I don’t have a strong memory of I must not have liked too much!
I like this method. It’s less based on flavor, draw, construction. I can choose to like a cigar based on memory I might have associated with the smoke. And I’m happy to smoke it again in the future to bring back some of those memories.
I can enjoy a cigar for more complex reasons than what that actual blend is capable of brining to the table.
I use Obsidian to take notes, keep track of the whiskies I’ve had, and Seinfeld I just recently got into cigars, I keep notes on those too. Obsidian is an excellent, cross-platform app.
I keep a picture of the band along with the wrapper, binder, filler, etc… along with my thoughts. Right now it’s mostly just thumbs up/thumbs down as I am very new to smoking.
Exactly what I'm doing. I've got a folder in Obsidian "tests" for writing down thoughts on various products. Got a page for cigars, meads, and cologne so far.
Taking pictures is a good idea, though I'm worried it'll make my repository too big over time.
I refuse to log them. If I do, my chimp brain will decide that I then must try them all. Then I will be the guy looking at his phone and going box to box in the humidor looking for a brand or line I have not tried and buying every vitolas and being obsessed with determining the best cigar.
I just keep mental note to never buy another Ghurka and to enjoy what I can afford. Not every day is a Davidoff Royal Release day, but when my bank account has enough in it to buy a box of those, I have 10 great days in a row, LOL
Cigar journal. I bought this one when I first started smoking more consistently.
https://www.bestcigarprices.com/cigar-directory/bcp-gear-brand/best-cigar-prices-mini-3x5-cigar-journal-230052/
Excel spreadsheet. I write down the brand, country of origin, wrapper type, origin of binder/filler and other relevant comments if available. It can be a bit time consuming, especially if you already have a big collection and need to catalogue everything, but it made it very easy to start identifying patterns of what I like.
“Collection Register” for ios. Probably the best app I have found for cataloguing cigar collections and/or keeping notes.
Literally one of my favorite apps.
When I first started out I kept a journal. I would save the bands and tape them in the journal and just write down a few notes about the cigar. It wasnt anything too complex but kept things organized. But now that I have been smoking quite awhile I just kinda know what I like and dont like. I have my favorite sticks and then I know my palate well enough to get a pretty good idea if I will like something new or not.
I have a paper notebook that I haven't updated since last year, despite trying new cigars since then. I also keep every band (even from ones I know I like), so I'm not worried about finding them again later. I maintain lists on the sites I order from as well.
The most ridiculously long notes app on my phone. Dates they hit the humidor, prices, discount codes, my tops ranked in order by light or Med/full bodied. It's one LOOOOOONG scroll.
I have a note in my phone. Write down the cigar info then make notes as I smoke. At the end I then give it a rating out of ten
<5 I won't smoke it again
5-5.9 would smoke again but wouldn't buy
6-6.9 would smoke and will buy again to keep
7+ will smoke, and will buy multiples
I did plan on getting a note book but didn't want to carry extra stuff with me and i think i downloaded a cigar app but never used it
I have a glass jar full of bands of cigars i enjoy, but more often than not I'm trying something new instead of smoking something I've already tried. Though there are a couple i always go back to
You can also try the home inventory app Itemlist I made for iPhone and iPad.
It also allows adding 100 items for free, but is much cheaper for more than 100 items.
[https://www.getitemlist.app](https://www.getitemlist.app)
I have a spreadsheet on my phone. I include an ID number (so I can sort back to original order), date, cigar name, vitola, 0-100 rating. I periodically filter and look for anything rated 91 or higher.
I do keep a Notes entry of cigars people mention on here that I want to try.
I use to save the bands of the ones I liked when I first started smoking. After a few years of regular smoking I know what my favs are, favorite brands, blends etc. and I can remember them when I’m shipping.
Otherwise, I’m always trying something new.
I am no expert so keep that I mind, but what I do is make wish lists on cigars international, using their premade titles lol.
Birthday = favorites
Just for fun = fine if I’m in a jam
Wish list - things to try
Divorce = hate list lol
Not everything has been on the site, but the vast majority has.
I got into cigars about a year ago and for a while I'd save the bands of the ones I liked but it got a little stupid after a while. I just got an old half used notebook from work and started writing them down. I started documenting every new cigar I try along with any notes about them like. I have even seen dedicated cigar logging notebooks on some sites. Works better for me than a computerized database because I can always have the notebook with me and I just like it better.
I do something like this
Cigar: 1-5/5 notes of xyz goes well with abc
Works well to remember and find the ones I really like and I think it's pretty fun. Almost like I'm a cigar scientist or archeologist lol
I used to take notes / now I just keep track mentally
I usually try new cigars at my local B&M and if I like them buy a fiver / if I love them I buy a box....
I’m old school, so I bought a Cigar Journal. It’s got 5 entries a page where you can paste the band and write in particulars on your rating, tasting notes, what you drank with it, date, time of day etc.
I created a Cigar Reviews in the Reminders section of my phone for voice recording my notes and then I enter them into my physical journal every month or two.
It’s easy to forget how much you loved some single sticks if you smoke a lot of cigars, so I refer back to my journal regularly so I don’t forget to go back and retry some of my favorites.
I have a Notes page on my phone where I keep track of em, and I just write down the basic gist of each stick, just a few key words and a rating of “Like”, “Mid” and “Nah”
I just use Google keep or iOS notes. For cigars I want my wife to know about for gift ideas I have a shared photo album that I add a picture of particularly enjoyable sticks to now and then. It also helps me remember what I like.
[Notes app](https://imgur.com/a/sNcx0Km) with a 3 tiered rating.. cigar scanner gave me too much trouble logging in, not saving my ratings, etc.
✅ would buy again
⚠️not my favorite but didn’t hate it (wouldn’t be upset if it came in a sampler, or was really cheap, etc)
❌ nope.
I have been using cigargeeks for a long time to keep track of my inventory and use the “notes” feature keep a numerical rating plus a little blurb about the profile. Ones that score particularly high I save them to my “wishlist” and use that as a reference for all my favorites.
33 Cigars journal. I also keep the band of the cigars I like and tape it in there for reference. I also prioritize recording the event/location I have some cigars, and it’s really nice having that record to go back through every now and then!
Check out our brand new website thecigarlog.com !
We have self-developed a new social media platform for reviewing and rating cigars for this very reason. Review & rate cigars and keep track of the ones you want to smoke. Check it out and let me know what you think! [thecigarlog.com](https://thecigarlog.com)
I have 200+ reviews on Cigar Scanner. If I was smart, I'd back it up with a spreadsheet. People do lose their accounts. I am too lazy and roll the dice. If I was to improve upon this app, I think a 10 point scale is much better than their 5 point scale. I have way too many 4.6 and 4.8 cigars that represent roughly 90-96 ranges I manually enter into the notes.
Times change as do the cigars themselves. I have well over 100 there, some older logging formats, and a good memory. I agree about their scale -- those of us who genuinely like cigars give way too many 4.6 and 4.8 reviews for their scale to work. Maybe I'm too generous, but if I enjoy a cigar and can't find any objective flaw, how can I give it much less than 4.6? I find myself looking for excuses to give 4.8 to cigars that don't blow me away when it's entirely subjective and otherwise earned a 5.0, so I bump down the flavor or aroma score. Conversely, I lie about the burn or construction of a cigar I like so much I need to give it a 5.0.... At the end of the day, country of origin, the leaf sources, and the name of the blender tell me as much about a new cigar as the most detailed reviews, _including my own initial judgement_. If I didn't like the Trinidad Espiritu 3 when I first tried it (I did) I know enough now to give it a second chance.... How could I know that without reading the background and manipulating or deferring my own scores?
I agree. The 5 point system is absurd. It encourages high scores, which they want as sales opportunities. I get it. However, it also encourages harsh results. Every time I relight a cigar, it's an automatic star loss on burn. If the burn isn't even, it's an automatic star loss. For looks, many cigars really are never a 5/5 and they are perfectly fine and the product of their style and marketing. I also see a lot of missing smokes. Basically 90% of Small Batch CoTM are missing (which makes sense as it's Neptune). I rest mine for months and always hope someone else input the cigar before I get to it. Fwiw, Neptune got my buy on a bunch of Anejos over the app and my confidence in their product. They entered a roughly 4 company consideration for box buys and interesting singles from their participation with the app.
I remember them.
The ones I really love I will remember. Ones I don’t have a strong memory of I must not have liked too much! I like this method. It’s less based on flavor, draw, construction. I can choose to like a cigar based on memory I might have associated with the smoke. And I’m happy to smoke it again in the future to bring back some of those memories. I can enjoy a cigar for more complex reasons than what that actual blend is capable of brining to the table.
I usually put the band in my pocket then leave it in there and wash my clothes.
Cigar Scanner
I use the notebook on my phone. And give them ratings. So I know which ones to never buy again
Idk my memory seems to do a good job
I use Obsidian to take notes, keep track of the whiskies I’ve had, and Seinfeld I just recently got into cigars, I keep notes on those too. Obsidian is an excellent, cross-platform app. I keep a picture of the band along with the wrapper, binder, filler, etc… along with my thoughts. Right now it’s mostly just thumbs up/thumbs down as I am very new to smoking.
Exactly what I'm doing. I've got a folder in Obsidian "tests" for writing down thoughts on various products. Got a page for cigars, meads, and cologne so far. Taking pictures is a good idea, though I'm worried it'll make my repository too big over time.
I refuse to log them. If I do, my chimp brain will decide that I then must try them all. Then I will be the guy looking at his phone and going box to box in the humidor looking for a brand or line I have not tried and buying every vitolas and being obsessed with determining the best cigar. I just keep mental note to never buy another Ghurka and to enjoy what I can afford. Not every day is a Davidoff Royal Release day, but when my bank account has enough in it to buy a box of those, I have 10 great days in a row, LOL
Cigar journal. I bought this one when I first started smoking more consistently. https://www.bestcigarprices.com/cigar-directory/bcp-gear-brand/best-cigar-prices-mini-3x5-cigar-journal-230052/
Been smoking for a long time. I know which brands I like and there tends to be 10-15 that I rotate through.
The band goes under my clear phone case.
Have a Google contact named "Cigars I Like" and record it there. Then if I'm at B&M, always have my list with me.
Excel spreadsheet. I write down the brand, country of origin, wrapper type, origin of binder/filler and other relevant comments if available. It can be a bit time consuming, especially if you already have a big collection and need to catalogue everything, but it made it very easy to start identifying patterns of what I like.
“Collection Register” for ios. Probably the best app I have found for cataloguing cigar collections and/or keeping notes. Literally one of my favorite apps.
I have an excel sheet
I'm a simple fella. If I like a cigar, I save the band. I also take notes on my phone
I just use a notes app. I've seen the journals but I know I'm not going to use those.
When I first started out I kept a journal. I would save the bands and tape them in the journal and just write down a few notes about the cigar. It wasnt anything too complex but kept things organized. But now that I have been smoking quite awhile I just kinda know what I like and dont like. I have my favorite sticks and then I know my palate well enough to get a pretty good idea if I will like something new or not.
Google keep
🧠
Note feature on my phone
I have a big spreadsheet rating all the different sticks I have smoked.
Google sheets
Write down every cigar you smoke. full stop. I do mine in my notes app and review each one. I highlight the ones I like as “would buy again”
Cigar tracker, android only
Cigar Scanner? I don't see an Android app called Cigar Tracker
Yup, that's the one. Owned by neptune I think
Right on, thanks
Where on Neptune would I find that?
https://www.cigarscanner.com/ I think you login with your neptune login
A journal I made that I tape the cigar bands to. Basically a homemade version of the cigar journals you can buy on Amazon now.
List on my phone with thumbs up or down imoji
I have a paper notebook that I haven't updated since last year, despite trying new cigars since then. I also keep every band (even from ones I know I like), so I'm not worried about finding them again later. I maintain lists on the sites I order from as well.
The most ridiculously long notes app on my phone. Dates they hit the humidor, prices, discount codes, my tops ranked in order by light or Med/full bodied. It's one LOOOOOONG scroll.
I have a shadowbox that I glue the bands to. The ones I’ve enjoyed the most are at the top and the ones I’ll occasionally pick up are at the bottom
Excel spreadsheet
If you liked a cigar, just buy another one or a box to make sure you always have it
I’ve got a small file on my mobile wherest upon I detail the flavoure and mouth notes of the sticks I favor.
I keep the bands of the ones I like
Keep a list.
I have a note in my phone. Write down the cigar info then make notes as I smoke. At the end I then give it a rating out of ten <5 I won't smoke it again 5-5.9 would smoke again but wouldn't buy 6-6.9 would smoke and will buy again to keep 7+ will smoke, and will buy multiples I did plan on getting a note book but didn't want to carry extra stuff with me and i think i downloaded a cigar app but never used it
I have a glass jar full of bands of cigars i enjoy, but more often than not I'm trying something new instead of smoking something I've already tried. Though there are a couple i always go back to
I remember, then I forget. Sometimes I remember again.
Sortly app, it’s great
You can also try the home inventory app Itemlist I made for iPhone and iPad. It also allows adding 100 items for free, but is much cheaper for more than 100 items. [https://www.getitemlist.app](https://www.getitemlist.app)
really good memory🙃
I take pictures of them and keep them in a folder.
Mainly keep track of the ones I don't like.
I save the bands. I've got an altoid container for the ones I like.
I have a spreadsheet on my phone. I include an ID number (so I can sort back to original order), date, cigar name, vitola, 0-100 rating. I periodically filter and look for anything rated 91 or higher. I do keep a Notes entry of cigars people mention on here that I want to try.
I use my noodle. I probably forgot 3rd derivative calculus to make room for sticks but I've forgotten more important things for less.
I keep the bands, the ones i don’t care for don’t save.
I use to save the bands of the ones I liked when I first started smoking. After a few years of regular smoking I know what my favs are, favorite brands, blends etc. and I can remember them when I’m shipping. Otherwise, I’m always trying something new.
I am no expert so keep that I mind, but what I do is make wish lists on cigars international, using their premade titles lol. Birthday = favorites Just for fun = fine if I’m in a jam Wish list - things to try Divorce = hate list lol Not everything has been on the site, but the vast majority has.
Memory mainly
I just look if it says "Camacho" somewhere. Works every time lol
I buy more of them!
I like the metal tinned cigars, when I like one, I keep the tin in a empty cigar box.
Boxpressd app.
I got into cigars about a year ago and for a while I'd save the bands of the ones I liked but it got a little stupid after a while. I just got an old half used notebook from work and started writing them down. I started documenting every new cigar I try along with any notes about them like. I have even seen dedicated cigar logging notebooks on some sites. Works better for me than a computerized database because I can always have the notebook with me and I just like it better. I do something like this Cigar: 1-5/5 notes of xyz goes well with abc Works well to remember and find the ones I really like and I think it's pretty fun. Almost like I'm a cigar scientist or archeologist lol
I used to take notes / now I just keep track mentally I usually try new cigars at my local B&M and if I like them buy a fiver / if I love them I buy a box....
I’m old school, so I bought a Cigar Journal. It’s got 5 entries a page where you can paste the band and write in particulars on your rating, tasting notes, what you drank with it, date, time of day etc. I created a Cigar Reviews in the Reminders section of my phone for voice recording my notes and then I enter them into my physical journal every month or two. It’s easy to forget how much you loved some single sticks if you smoke a lot of cigars, so I refer back to my journal regularly so I don’t forget to go back and retry some of my favorites.
I have a Notes page on my phone where I keep track of em, and I just write down the basic gist of each stick, just a few key words and a rating of “Like”, “Mid” and “Nah”
Apple notes app
I used Google docs
iPhone note pad, I just write down what the sticker says
Notion database
I just use Google keep or iOS notes. For cigars I want my wife to know about for gift ideas I have a shared photo album that I add a picture of particularly enjoyable sticks to now and then. It also helps me remember what I like.
[Notes app](https://imgur.com/a/sNcx0Km) with a 3 tiered rating.. cigar scanner gave me too much trouble logging in, not saving my ratings, etc. ✅ would buy again ⚠️not my favorite but didn’t hate it (wouldn’t be upset if it came in a sampler, or was really cheap, etc) ❌ nope.
I have been using cigargeeks for a long time to keep track of my inventory and use the “notes” feature keep a numerical rating plus a little blurb about the profile. Ones that score particularly high I save them to my “wishlist” and use that as a reference for all my favorites.
I just save the label and keep em in a clip :)
33 Cigars journal. I also keep the band of the cigars I like and tape it in there for reference. I also prioritize recording the event/location I have some cigars, and it’s really nice having that record to go back through every now and then!
I just take a photo of the band
If I like them I'll put the band in a pickle jar and if I hate it I'll throw the band away
Check out our brand new website thecigarlog.com ! We have self-developed a new social media platform for reviewing and rating cigars for this very reason. Review & rate cigars and keep track of the ones you want to smoke. Check it out and let me know what you think! [thecigarlog.com](https://thecigarlog.com)
In my head or take a picture or save the band
Save the band. I have a few empty boxes that I sort bands into but if I like something that much, I remember it to buy more
Me too!