Reviewing vs just smoking

[Zmilin]

I find that reviewing vs just smoking is different for me.
When reviewing I have a routine to gather information. This is time consuming and mostly happens at the beginning (look, feel, aroma, etc...) before I light it. From there I find that I spend less time letting my brain relax because I tend to pay more attention to the flavors and aromas and trying to describe them as accurately as I can. This sounds like a negative but I do enjoy this at times. Reviews from regular smokers are more interesting to me than the magazine reviews.
When just smoking if I'm with friends then there's distracting conversation and I find that for a cigar to stop the distraction there has to be something intense happening with either aroma or flavor.
If just smoking alone I find my mind wanders and I do mentally slow down (I hear normal people call, his relaxing), which was one of the things I always enjoyed about having a lone smoke. Also, not a bad thing just overall a different experience.
Thoughts? I'd love to hear how some of you feel about reviewing vs just smoking.

 

[Craig Mac]

I used to do a lot of reviews and at first I found it was actually less enjoyable to do a review and I was overly critical of the cigar (as you would expect with a review). Over time I found it easier to "dumb down" the review and keep it fairly simple, I think it is more beneficial to the average cigar smoker that way. A lot of us read reviews that talk about things like "hints of sassafras" or "notes of lemongrass" and find it kind of laughable. When you stick to the basics with strength and common flavors more people can relate to that. When Jere (kockroach) used to do reviews here there were to the point and short reviews, it almost seemed like he did short analysis of each stage of smoking (prelight, first, second, third & finish) and didn't overthink it and it made his reviews great that way.

 

[reidmorebooks]

Being that I have never written a review I can't really say. However I do find that when I smoke alone I am more critical of the cigar because I have the time/mindset to concentrate on the smoke and flavors etc. When I'm alone I typically try something new to me for that reason. I try new ones a lot with friends but like you mentioned the conversation takes me away from focusing as much on the cigar....so I always buy 2 lol.

 

[Cigarth Vader]

I can definitely relate to all the above. When I'm smoking just for enjoyment, I tend to pay less attention to the subtlety of the flavors and moreover just enjoy it; whereas, when I'm reviewing, It's a battle between notebook, cigar, and time. Plus, the majority of my articles are pairings, so not only am I taking notes on the cigar, but also on the spirit and how everything plays off one-another. After one of those articles I'm exhausted, and usually end up reaching for the pipe as I actually write up the full article and do my edits.

 

[Zmilin]

I just checked out your site... bookmarked!

 

[Sydgar]

I never knew how some people can review cigars. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find the flavours that they get. And how I wish I could. They make it sound so delish. The most I can get is how peppery or how sweet or how chocolatey or how citrusy. How other people can get a lemon vs orange citrus flavour from the cigar is beyond me. But oh how I envy them.

There is one flavour that I can distinctly get. Bready. I don't know if you guys ever got that from a cigar. But it is one that flavour that I search for from a Cigar. I get a box of that stick ASAP.

 

[Triple-T]

What I don't envy about serious reviewers are when their policy is to smoke multiple sticks same before reviewing. So if your smoke 3 before publishing the review and it's mediocre from the get go, going to be several more hours with that cigar.

 

[Zmilin]

I only review cigars for my BOTL brothers/sisters and for a small FB group I have for my friends. I was only able to start doing this recently because in prior years a cigar was either good or bad and I didn't know why. I thought my palate had changed or maybe I got bit by a radioactive cigar beetle and developed some new ability... sadly no, the better thing didn't happen BUT I do believe my palate has changed. I also think as I got older, adventured out more with my food choices, stopped drinking nothing but one particular soft drink and ultimately developed a reference point for some flavors it gave me the ability to say "yeah, that tastes like xxx".

What I wish I could experience is the level of flavor/taste reference a sommelier has.

I also agree, it would suck to have to smoke three shitty cigars in a row. Ill stick to my amateur reviews here and smoke more of what I like and less what I don't.

 

[ssaka]

personally I find reviewing to be rather exhausting and can really suck the pleasure out of the whole cigar experience for me.

STS

 

[Jfire]

I never knew how some people can review cigars. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find the flavours that they get.

.

I tend to cook homemade meals a lot. 2-3 x a day.
And I use to do a lot of reviews here. Both those help to pin point certain flavors.
LRE ABR 09 RASS. Room aroma right now is of spice (cinnamon)
And the 2nd third is currently presenting strong Raisin and dried fig. (Like you would find in a homemade vanilla ice cream at a nice restaurant)

 

[Sydgar]

I see. Me and the wife are pretty adventurous with food. We like to eat out and try out new restaurants and street food, etc. We also like having different libations. Strange thing is that I find so many tastes with whiskey and beer and cognac, but I am also having troule with wine.

With wine, I experience it similar with my cigars. Where in it is either great, good, ok, or bad. Wierd I know.

Hmmm. Maybe I should look for that radioactive cigar beetle. Lol

 

[DocDrake]

I find that reviewing vs just smoking is different for me.
When reviewing I have a routine to gather information. This is time consuming and mostly happens at the beginning (look, feel, aroma, etc...) before I light it. From there I find that I spend less time letting my brain relax because I tend to pay more attention to the flavors and aromas and trying to describe them as accurately as I can. This sounds like a negative but I do enjoy this at times. Reviews from regular smokers are more interesting to me than the magazine reviews.
When just smoking if I'm with friends then there's distracting conversation and I find that for a cigar to stop the distraction there has to be something intense happening with either aroma or flavor.
If just smoking alone I find my mind wanders and I do mentally slow down (I hear normal people call, his relaxing), which was one of the things I always enjoyed about having a lone smoke. Also, not a bad thing just overall a different experience.
Thoughts? I'd love to hear how some of you feel about reviewing vs just smoking.

I'm just a newbie but in the past month I've tried 18 different cigars and taken personal written notes on each so I can distinguish what I like and its been exhausting. Awesome and fun but tiring at the same time, I've had three Erin go Braugh Irish Whiskey's that I got from dntWIZonme (love this cigar, can't get enough of them) and I found it easier to relax each one I smoked cause I didn't have to think just enjoy. So I kinda know what your talking bout, minus the doing a review my notes aren't even close to a review.

 

[Tobbot]

I never knew how some people can review cigars. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find the flavours that they get. And how I wish I could. They make it sound so delish. The most I can get is how peppery or how sweet or how chocolatey or how citrusy. How other people can get a lemon vs orange citrus flavour from the cigar is beyond me. But oh how I envy them.

personally I find reviewing to be rather exhausting and can really suck the pleasure out of the whole cigar experience for me.

STS

I have to agree with these guys. I definitely enjoy reading reviews, though. I can almost taste the cigar or maybe I just enjoy imagining what it would be like to get some of these flavors. No one would want to read a review written by me I am certain... Uhhhh ...tastes like tobaccy and some real good shit at that.

 

[dontWIZonme]

I enjoy reading a review while I'm smoking, or smoking with buddies and discussing the cigar amidst bs'ing about the days events and other things. Whether I am by myself smoking, or sitting around with the guys, I always find myself trying to distinguish the flavors I'm tasting. I would definitely be interested into writing a review once I've got more time and a more refined palate.

 

[ENV]

no saddles is going to be the best cigar review site.

 

[Clint]

The majority of the cigars I smoke are done while doing something else at the same time, like poker or yard work. (The term yard gar has a completely different meaning to me!) I am definitely paying attention to the burn, the flavors, etc, but would not post up a "formal" review from those experiences, nor do I have the time/ability to jot down notes.
When I sit down to smoke and compile info on a review cigar, it's usually at a lounge, or at home, and there is minimal distraction....Maybe on the iPad or talking with friends, etc. During these times I can really pin down that one flavor that keeps hitting my palate because I can concentrate on it.

 

[atllogix]

I tend to take notes and write a mini review every time I light up. There are times that I don't, but if it begins to grab my attention I'll start jotting notes anyway. I don't really find taking notes or doing a review exhausting, I honestly think it helps to smoke slower as I am occupied doing something else and not staring at the cigar waiting to take another puff. I really enjoy having some log of the experience to compare with later on. As far as smoking alone or in a group setting, I actually do enjoy smoking alone, I think more so than while I'm with others, I do like to have time to focus on the cigar when I feel like it, but I don't have any issues with smoking while socializing and actually do enjoy those times as well.