Good gosh, how do you decide which cigar??

Salem

Now that my humidor is looking ever so good with wonderful cigars in it, I'm wondering how in the heck am I going to decide which cigar to smoke with so many great ones to choose from? And being a noob, I don't know enough about many of them to know which one to try. What do I do, just reach in and grab one?? lol!! So, tell me how it's done. Oh, what a wonderful problem to have!!!!!! lol!!!!

Marker

Just smoke them. Take notes. Keep the notes. Keep the bands of ones you like in a certain box. Keep the bands of the ones you did not like in another box. You are still in a major trial and error phase of cigars. So keep trying them. Your palate is the only thing that can decide.

jlmarta

Marker:

Just smoke them. Take notes. Keep the notes. Keep the bands of ones you like in a certain box. Keep the bands of the ones you did not like in another box. You are still in a major trial and error phase of cigars. So keep trying them. Your palate is the only thing that can decide.

Marker's advice is good. And I'll add the comment that if you have an iPhone, Salem, there's an app that lets you keep track of just about anything you might want to keep track of. Otherwise you could start a spreadsheet on your PC to do the record-keeping. I find something is necessary because there's no way I can remember everything.

RCY Cigars

jlmarta:

Marker:

Just smoke them. Take notes. Keep the notes. Keep the bands of ones you like in a certain box. Keep the bands of the ones you did not like in another box. You are still in a major trial and error phase of cigars. So keep trying them. Your palate is the only thing that can decide.

Marker's advice is good. And I'll add the comment that if you have an iPhone, Salem, there's an app that lets you keep track of just about anything you might want to keep track of. Otherwise you could start a spreadsheet on your PC to do the record-keeping. I find something is necessary because there's no way I can remember everything.

+2 I have a app on my phone and on my laptop. This is a good way to keep track and say yea or na to a certain cigar you have. I have every stogie accounted for and the ones I have received as gifts. I keep a photo on photobucket with each name.

djbeenie

I read reviews and then seek out to find ones that get really good reviews. Cigar.com, stogiereview.com and http://robbyrasreviews.com/. Have you tried the Diesel Unlimited? They are cheap and EXCELLENT! Everyone should have a box of these.

jgibv

Salem, being fairly new as well....I try to base my decision on the time of day I'm smoking and how much time I will have to smoke. For example in the mornings when I don't have much time I usually do a smaller vitola/mild-medium body cigar whereas if I'm smoking in the evening after dinner, I like to grab a full body cigar, stronger cigar.

Also as the other folks suggested I think keeping track helps immensely. Even if your notes aren't that detailed, a simple log saying "yes I'd smoke this again" or "no I wouldn't" helps greatly. Also, sent you a PM with a suggested site on how to keep track of your cigars.

j0z3r

You guys are too scientific for me...I just open my humidor and throw a dart from across the room.

jimmyv723

There's definitely times where I'll have one picked out and change my mind once or twice before I actually head downstairs to smoke it.

Krieger

I just grab whatever makes me drool first.

OchoZacho

jimmyv723:

There's definitely times where I'll have one picked out and change my mind once or twice before I actually head downstairs to smoke it.

+1 Agreed! I do that quite often.

slickric

OchoZacho:

jimmyv723:

There's definitely times where I'll have one picked out and change my mind once or twice before I actually head downstairs to smoke it.

+1 Agreed! I do that quite often.

+1 heare as well

KCW

In the thread which asked about keeping inventory, I mentioned the app on my phone. Well one of the features it has is called "Random Selection". When I enter a cigar I can either include or exclude it from "Random Selection". Then when I want it to decide for me, I just press "Random Selction" and it selects a cigar for me. Sometimes I just know what I want.

asianbiker8

with the box of singles that i have, i just close my eyes and grab one. like some of the other guys, i keep notes on the cigars that i've had. i keep a notebook, take notes, tape the band next to the notes so i remember what cigar i had a long time ago.

Shaun.Harrison87

I base it off how many I can smoke, is there a special occasion, what do I want out of the smoke, or do I want something new

y2pascoe

I write the names of three or four cigars on balls, and then toss the balls in a large tank with a manatee. Whichever one the manatee picks, I smoke. I trust the manatee.

oldsoulrevival

y2pascoe:

I write the names of three or four cigars on balls, and then toss the balls in a large tank with a manatee. Whichever one the manatee picks, I smoke. I trust the manatee.

djbeenie

y2pascoe:

I write the names of three or four cigars on balls, and then toss the balls in a large tank with a manatee. Whichever one the manatee picks, I smoke. I trust the manatee.

++++1

AJGARLETT

open humi, pick one out....some things are best left uncomplicated.

Salem

Re: Manatee: That's the one!!! Don't know why I didn't think of that myself! LOL!!!!

jimmyv723

oldsoulrevival:

y2pascoe:

I write the names of three or four cigars on balls, and then toss the balls in a large tank with a manatee. Whichever one the manatee picks, I smoke. I trust the manatee.

Well played, lol.

KingoftheCove

Once you have multiple humidors (and you will) then if you are the least bit inclined to be organized, you'll want some sort of tracking system.
On the other hand, I know a guy who has 1000+ sticks, and really has no idea what he has!
That's not me, I'm on the other end of the spectrum, kind of close to having cigar OCD.

I did a custom spreadsheet, that lets me keep notes on each stick, tells me where the stick is (each humi broken into various sections), also listed alphabetically and by purchase date.
So I can look at various parts of the spreadsheet and decide what to smoke
-a well aged stick
-something I haven't tried yet
-maybe one that I thought wasn't that great 6 months ago, but now I want to re-visit it
-an old favorite
-one of my more expensive sticks
-etc
And I know exactly where that cigar is.

I have all that data at my finger-tips......and for me......that beats rummaging around looking for a suitable cigar.
I will do a blind grab now and again though.............just to step outside my little OCD box.

camgfs

Krieger:

I just grab whatever makes me drool first.

These make me drool, every time!

j0z3r

camgfs:

Krieger:

I just grab whatever makes me drool first.

These make me drool, every time!

Alright enough of that...if you don't have enough for the whole class, don't go showing off.

cooch36

Some times when I don't have a plan on what I'm feeling I put my head on my humi and ask it to tell me.... now this leaves my girl sole searching wondering if she's missed picking up on if I'm crazy... but withing a few minutes they tell me. It starts as a whisper then as it gets louder they start to insult me till I decide to burn their little ass. BTW I'm two bloody mary's deep right now and thats my story LOL.

y2pascoe

jimmyv723:

oldsoulrevival:

y2pascoe:

I write the names of three or four cigars on balls, and then toss the balls in a large tank with a manatee. Whichever one the manatee picks, I smoke. I trust the manatee.

Well played, lol.

Glad that was picked up.

Russ55

Mood, time of day, where I'm going to be, who's going to be around, what I'll be doing, how much time I have, what if anything I will be pairing it with, and if I feel like something specific. That's what dictates it for me, and helps me decide. In the beginning though, I just stuck to wrapper types I liked, and tried to smoke every brand in that wrapper I could.

Salem

Thanks everyone!!!

RBeckom

I close my eyes and point to A cigar. This way I always give each cigar an equal chance at being chosen.