Creating a Cigar Dossier

Keeping a Cigar Dossier is a great way to organize your thoughts on all the various cigars you have tried. How many times have you tried a brand and forgotten about it? A Cigar Dossier provides a quick reference to cigars you have tried in the past. First, you may find yourself keeping track of every cigar you pick up. Keep the bands, and also record information on each one.

Why Should I Keep a Cigar Dossier?

If you are new to cigars, this is a good way to get to know what you prefer in a cigar. If you are an old pro, keeping a dossier is valuable so you don't waste time and money trying the same brand or size again. After several months, you should notice whether you lean towards milder or stronger cigars. If you keep detailed records, you may find that you prefer Maduro wrappers after a good meal, with a cappuccino shared with an old buddy, or new friend. In this trial-and-error method, you are able to cut down on buying disappointing cigars and investigate a specific country or product line offered by one manufacturer. Over time, you can judge new cigars by ones you already know as "Your Standard."

How to Make a Cigar Dossier

A cigar dossier can be made by anyone with as little as a simple notebook. We've created an easy-to-use Cigar Dossier template (727 Kb) that you can download and use to get started!

So, the following is a list of possible Cigar Dossier entries:

• Cigar Brand:
• Cigar Name:
• Manufacturer:
• Country of Origin:
• Length:
• Ring Gauge:
• Cost:
• Where purchased:
• Gift:
• Wrapper Color:
• Quality:
• Availability:
• Smoked:
• Where:
• When:
• With:
• Occasion:
• Meal:
• Where:
• What:
• Libations:
• Coffee: (Style, Blend, Roast:)
• Buy again:
• Enjoyment Scales: 1 (poor), 5 (fair), 10 excellent), etc.
• General Comments:

Loose-leaf binders with separate pages are great because this allows you to add pages as required. Feel free to try our template or create one on your computer, print out a dozen, and get started right away. If you want to get deeper into developing your palate as you go along, check out our article Enjoying Cigars, and most importantly, don't forget to have fun!