How do you actually keep track of what you've smoked?

[xelzh]

As the title, how do you keep track of what you've smoked in your life.

[JohnS]

There are a few methods listed here...

 

 

[Islandboy]

I don’t. 

[joey rockets]

I only keep track mentally and to do so, my sampler size is a box which I will smoke quickly if I like them and not so fast otherwise with certain 1/2 boxes gifted elsewhere.  Senility, be damned!

[Colt45]

I've not really kept track either, but used to keep all my cigar bands, which might be the simplest way to do so.

[rcarlson]

Like others, I've created an excel spreadsheet with some automatic calculations (days rested etc).  Not hard to set up.   

[Wookie]

Funny, I keep an excel of every CC I've purchased. But that's more to track the shipment lest I forget a purchase that didn't make it through. Like wine, I have notebooks filled with tasting notes. I used to write up every stick and bottle.  After filling up a lot of pages I just enjoy them now. Unless it's something super-exclusive, in which case I will probably still do a review.

[garbandz]

I round up to the nearest thousand.

[Cubadust]

I have a sheet for the boxes but don’t really bother with single sticks.

[Guest Nekhyludov]

I keep it as simple as possible in Excel. No need to turn it into a chore.

[Kitchen]

I only smoke loose stick I put into my humidor; full boxes never get touch until I am ready to go deep.  Then, twice a year I update my loose count, and that is it.  

[SigmundChurchill]

My system is simple.

If it is a memorable cigar, in a good way or a bad way, I remember it.

If not, I don't.  And I don't need a memo to remind me how “not memorable” it was.?

[Sudzdaddy]

Old school - notebook with a score, no tasting notes.

[Lotusguy]

My system is simple.
If it is a memorable cigar, in a good way or a bad way, I remember it.
If not, I don't.  And I don't need a memo to remind me how “not memorable” it was.

This. There is a lot of OCD in this hobby....

[Rhinoww]

I started by keeping notes on my phone of the cigars I liked/didn’t like and why. It quickly became a difficult reference point. 
 

now I have two systems. I have an excel I maintain for every cigar I smoke plus every one I have purchased ,cost (and per stick) box code or age and my notes. 
 

to keep track of the boxes I have open and aging and my wish list I use cubancigarwebsite.com. That helps keep me honest when I pull up 24:24 on my phone when I’m out. 
 

there are also a few apps folks use, but I’d rather spend my money on cc than an app. 

[wineguy]

I log boxes  and box size into a spread sheet but don't track smoking of sticks.  When I put the rest of a box, usually last third or so in the singles draw I note that on the spread sheet and take the count to 0 on the spread sheet so it is not entirely precise and shows somewhat of an over count. But my list is more for me to know what I have than an exact inventory.

[Fuzz]

I have a hard enough time trying to remember what I have, let alone what I have smoked!

[ohbob976]

1 hour ago, Kitchen said:

I only smoke loose stick I put into my humidor; full boxes never get touch until I am ready to go deep.  Then, twice a year I update my loose count, and that is it.  

You mean you won’t touch a box until you’re ready to smoke the whole box? Whatcha mean by “go deep”? 

[cgarner]

I don’t.  I just reminder the ones I like and the ones I don’t.  I don’t smoke a ton of variety so it is easy for me.

[DeskSmkr]

The notes app on iPhone, a picture is attached to visually explain. Date and cigar(s) with notes.

Sometimes I simply note: “great cigar.” This means I thoroughly enjoyed it, and want to have another.

At first I made detailed notes for every cigar, sometimes even longer than fits on one screen, now I don’t.  

I feel like it was useful initially, during a period of intense study, to explore flavors and what differentiates marcas to my palette. This helped me choose what I wanted more of - and I enjoyed documenting what I was doing.

Eventually though, it became a detractor and a chore, so I rarely log anymore and instead enjoy the ride.

[Sir Sooty]

Excel tracking sheet with columns for every imaginable classification to make custom sorting easier. A column for rating the box, a simple 5 star rating system. A column for ad hoc comments, incl abbreviated notes to indicate any changes in rating stars. For example, the most dramatic jump has been a 25 box of P.Shorts which jumped from 1 to 4 stars after a 1.5 year break... harsh and unsmokeable to ripper cigars

[IanMcLean68]

Like many here, I keep it fairly simple. My entire inventory is in Excel so I can keep track of money spent/value, box codes, vitola and marca totals, and age. My inventory list also clearly differentiates full/ageing boxes, open in-rotation boxes, and singles.

[BrightonCorgi]

I only buy full boxes, so whatever is remaining I know what has been smoked...

I remember the special fancy cigars when gifted (hint hint), and have general memories of the cigars I liked now & from a decade or two ago.

[Cigar Surgeon]

I write my thoughts down in a review notebook. It's what got me into cigar reviews in the first place.

[Nino]

I keep a Diary since I was 17 years old and for the last 15 years write down what I smoke.
No reviews - just the sticks I smoke and maybe a note if it was an unique experience.