I use the personal humidor on cigar aficionado's website and update as I try a new one. I don't keep the inventory numbers up to date, but tells me what i've tried and what i liked.
I use excel as well. That way you can sort by price and make or whatever you want. I don't catalog my collection, but I keep a dossier that way. I also keep labels in a little flipbook. I have a good number of entries, but there are many cigars I have smoked at a lounge or somewhere while I was with company and didn't take any notes.
I have a different worksheet for major makers who I follow, and a misc. sheet for the rest.
Any new stick gets a small write up in the notes of my iPhone. Nothing fancy, just a brief description of my experience. It does help as a quick reference where ever I may be
Stogie review app on iPhone. It has most cigars in their catalog with all the info on what types if wrappers, binders and fillers the cigar has and the ability to rate
I gave up trying and couldn't imagine doing it with the stash some guys around here keep. I try my best to take notes when I'm smoking, but cataloging what I have? Nope. I do try to keep a record of gifted sticks, though.
I think I might check out the iPhone app. See how that is and if it will work. I think I have a list of all the sticks I've smoked already.... Might have forgotten a few.
I use excel
name, vitola, date in humi, price I paid, current count, tasting notes, my rating
and most important...
location! (which humi/cooler, and where in that humi/cooler
I rarely do a blind grab, or simply open a cooler/humi and look for something
Most of the time I know what I want to smoke, and if I don't, I look at my spread sheet and decide .....................I have all the information I need, and then, I know exactly where the cigar is, and I'm not rummaging around leaving a cooler or big humi open for a few minutes, looking for that Air Bender.
I keep it simple: a little sticker with the date it came into my possession and, if it was gifted, the name of the giver. Beyond that...i'm not interested in making my cigars too analyzed.
I started with a spreadsheet over a year ago, and used to update it every week or so. Then my collection grew to maybe 600+ or so, and I stopped caring. Too much work.
I started with a spreadsheet over a year ago, and used to update it every week or so. Then my collection grew to maybe 600+ or so, and I stopped caring. Too much work.
maybe.............depends on how you set-up/programmed you spread sheet I suppose
When I get cigars in, I : enter them into my system once......about 30 seconds
then I just change the "count" field when I smoke a particular cigar......about 3-5 seconds
For me, it's worth it, because I always know exactly how many cigars I have, and where they are.............................and yes, I have a mild case of OCD heh heh..........but it did help to have this system as I "discovered" a few cigars "missing" about a year ago or so............that issue has since been resolved........but I most likely would never have noticed it......(at the time I was up well over 750 cigars)..........I'm sure the person figured I would never notice a few being gone...................wrong.
Also, it's nice to be able to look at my list, and pick something that I haven't tried, or that has 2 years of age on it, or maybe it's been resting a month, and I want to try one before letting the rest of the batch age, etc.
Having all that data organized makes the hobby much easier for manage and enjoy.
I gave up trying and couldn't imagine doing it with the stash some guys around here keep.
+1
Tried a couple of the "Apps", had compatibility issues with all my devices.
So I then tried a couple of the websites .... too many missing brands/vitolas, and challenging UIs .... so I gave up on them.
Then I put all my info on a Google Docs spreadsheet last winter (when I wasn't smoking much) --- kept that updated for about a month or two but once "smoking season" started I wasn't updating it regularly and it too fell by the way side.
Just too time consuming to keep it accurate, and if I'm smoking away from home I always forget to update it when I get back.....
bigharpoon:
I keep it simple: a little sticker with the date it came into my possession and, if it was gifted, the name of the giver. Beyond that...i'm not interested in making my cigars too analyzed.
^^^^^THIS^^^^^
Is the way to go, IMHO
I've done this since very early on and it's a fool-proof system.
Simple. Easy. Effective.
Tell's me everything I need to know about the cigar and I don't have to worry about finding a computer/phone/journal/etc. to update my "stash" when I'm smoking.
They are all in alphabetic order but in my own language. For example I have an Opus X next to a Tat Lancero. It's not T-O like Terrel Owens but O-T as in extra innings. Make sense?
I tip my hat off to those of you who do this. I personally do not. Too time consuming for me to do. Most of the cigars I smoke I have boxes for, so when I get low I might put in an order. For the singles, well the special singles I know how many I have and the others I just smoke 'em. I figure there is a reason why they are not in my humi all boxed up, and if they are one's on the "box" list I know where to go.
I use to even keep a spread sheet of my movies, but gave up on that too, now I just separate them based on type of genre. Guess I'm getting lazy.
That's the one I found for my phone. I'm having a hard time wanting to convert over to it since I made a spread sheet already. 73 different cigars and 15 doubles. A little time consuming... Even for a small collection.
I'm starting a spread sheet now...I also use cigar boss. As a 3rd item, I also take notes in a note book. I'd rather hand write notes, than keep them on my phone. Phone dies, notes die.
It can track purchases, inventory, gifts, and some stats. If you like it or want to give it a try, the sheet is editable. If you guys FUBAR it, don't worry, it's a copy.
There's a small learning curve involved which I believe you guys can handle. Most important is to make sure that the "Cigar" name is exactly the same in the "Purchase" sheet and the "Inventory" sheet. You can have multiple purchases on the same cigar in the Purchase sheet but only need one listing in the Inventory sheet.
Depending if you're on a mobile platform or desktop, there are 3 tabs on this spreadsheet: Purchases, Inventory & Stats. Add your purchases in the "Purchase Sheet" and then, if the cigar is NOT listed in the "Inventory" sheet, copy & paste the name to a new line in order for the computations to work correctly.
I made this spreadsheet on my ipad using Apple's Numbers app which also works on an iPhone and desktop. It works great on the iPad and if anyone wants a copy of this spreadsheet, PM me and I'll email it to you. Just make sure you have Numbers installed.
If you like the spreadsheet, and need some customization, I can try and help tailor it to your needs.
It can track purchases, inventory, gifts, and some stats. If you like it or want to give it a try, the sheet is editable. If you guys FUBAR it, don't worry, it's a copy.
There's a small learning curve involved which I believe you guys can handle. Most important is to make sure that the "Cigar" name is exactly the same in the "Purchase" sheet and the "Inventory" sheet. You can have multiple purchases on the same cigar in the Purchase sheet but only need one listing in the Inventory sheet.
Depending if you're on a mobile platform or desktop, there are 3 tabs on this spreadsheet: Purchases, Inventory & Stats. Add your purchases in the "Purchase Sheet" and then, if the cigar is NOT listed in the "Inventory" sheet, copy & paste the name to a new line in order for the computations to work correctly.
I made this spreadsheet on my ipad using Apple's Numbers app which also works on an iPhone and desktop. It works great on the iPad and if anyone wants a copy of this spreadsheet, PM me and I'll email it to you. Just make sure you have Numbers installed.
If you like the spreadsheet, and need some customization, I can try and help tailor it to your needs.
I did this for a while and still have a decent part of it accurate but I've found with all the trades, passes and bombs it's reallllly hard to update fast enough for it to be all that accurate. And to be fair I could have never done it without my wife's help since she did all of the spreadsheet work while I went through and called out the cigar and all of the info about it.
Stickers are the most efficient way for me. I takes minimal time when entering into the humi. A quick date, who its from and why. If I buy them, I just the date. Never any need to update quantity when smoking them and you always know who they are from.
I open the door, look around to see what is in there, stand there picking up cigars and putting them back and after about 15 minutes of that, grab a cigar and close the door. Pretty much, Toranos in one spot, Fuentes and Davidoffs in another spot and the rest, go where ever they look good and boxes down below. That's about as organized as it gets.
I tried the whole spreadsheet/website route and it is very tough to keep up with. Now I use small stickers on the cello with the date and maybe a name if I want to thank someone after enjoying it.
Thanks a lot guys, as i have just confirmed that i must NOT be as much OCD as i thought i was....especially regarding cigars!!
Honestly, not sure how i would ever catch up now, even if i wanted to. All the information i need is on the little stickers I put on them upon arrival (i.e. date received, source and price paid, plus the odd time the name of the sampler if it was unique or 'special' in some way...eg 'Alex's apology sampler')
Much more than that and i believe it would take away the enjoyment of the cigar experience for me. The last thing i want to do is have to update or report back on a cigar in a computer program while, or after i have smoked it. Even if it is just to reduce the inventory by 1.
In a way though, i am envious of your organizational skills, just not sure i could maintain that system even if i could have created it in the first place.
Comments
name, vitola, date in humi, price I paid, current count, tasting notes, my rating
and most important...
location! (which humi/cooler, and where in that humi/cooler
I rarely do a blind grab, or simply open a cooler/humi and look for something
Most of the time I know what I want to smoke, and if I don't, I look at my spread sheet and decide .....................I have all the information I need, and then, I know exactly where the cigar is, and I'm not rummaging around leaving a cooler or big humi open for a few minutes, looking for that Air Bender.
When I get cigars in, I :
enter them into my system once......about 30 seconds
then I just change the "count" field when I smoke a particular cigar......about 3-5 seconds
For me, it's worth it, because I always know exactly how many cigars I have, and where they are.............................and yes, I have a mild case of OCD heh heh..........but it did help to have this system as I "discovered" a few cigars "missing" about a year ago or so............that issue has since been resolved........but I most likely would never have noticed it......(at the time I was up well over 750 cigars)..........I'm sure the person figured I would never notice a few being gone...................wrong.
Also, it's nice to be able to look at my list, and pick something that I haven't tried, or that has 2 years of age on it, or maybe it's been resting a month, and I want to try one before letting the rest of the batch age, etc.
Having all that data organized makes the hobby much easier for manage and enjoy.
Tried a couple of the "Apps", had compatibility issues with all my devices.
So I then tried a couple of the websites .... too many missing brands/vitolas, and challenging UIs .... so I gave up on them.
Then I put all my info on a Google Docs spreadsheet last winter (when I wasn't smoking much) --- kept that updated for about a month or two but once "smoking season" started I wasn't updating it regularly and it too fell by the way side.
Just too time consuming to keep it accurate, and if I'm smoking away from home I always forget to update it when I get back.....
^^^^^THIS^^^^^
Is the way to go, IMHO
I've done this since very early on and it's a fool-proof system.
Simple. Easy. Effective.
Tell's me everything I need to know about the cigar and I don't have to worry about finding a computer/phone/journal/etc. to update my "stash" when I'm smoking.
I use to even keep a spread sheet of my movies, but gave up on that too, now I just separate them based on type of genre. Guess I'm getting lazy.
That's the one I found for my phone. I'm having a hard time wanting to convert over to it since I made a spread sheet already. 73 different cigars and 15 doubles. A little time consuming... Even for a small collection.
"Stick Sheet"
It can track purchases, inventory, gifts, and some stats. If you like it or want to give it a try, the sheet is editable. If you guys FUBAR it, don't worry, it's a copy.
There's a small learning curve involved which I believe you guys can handle. Most important is to make sure that the "Cigar" name is exactly the same in the "Purchase" sheet and the "Inventory" sheet. You can have multiple purchases on the same cigar in the Purchase sheet but only need one listing in the Inventory sheet.
Depending if you're on a mobile platform or desktop, there are 3 tabs on this spreadsheet: Purchases, Inventory & Stats. Add your purchases in the "Purchase Sheet" and then, if the cigar is NOT listed in the "Inventory" sheet, copy & paste the name to a new line in order for the computations to work correctly.
I made this spreadsheet on my ipad using Apple's Numbers app which also works on an iPhone and desktop. It works great on the iPad and if anyone wants a copy of this spreadsheet, PM me and I'll email it to you. Just make sure you have Numbers installed.
If you like the spreadsheet, and need some customization, I can try and help tailor it to your needs.
Honestly, not sure how i would ever catch up now, even if i wanted to. All the information i need is on the little stickers I put on them upon arrival (i.e. date received, source and price paid, plus the odd time the name of the sampler if it was unique or 'special' in some way...eg 'Alex's apology sampler')
Much more than that and i believe it would take away the enjoyment of the cigar experience for me. The last thing i want to do is have to update or report back on a cigar in a computer program while, or after i have smoked it. Even if it is just to reduce the inventory by 1.
In a way though, i am envious of your organizational skills, just not sure i could maintain that system even if i could have created it in the first place.