Thursday, July 24, 2008

My cigar rating system


OK, after discussing cigars and likes and dislikes for while now, I decided I need a numerical way to measure the cigars so I can keep better track. After much internet searching and deciding that I like a number scale over 5 starts etc. I developed the following scale.


This shows that Cigar Flavor, which includes 3 categories, the aroma, taste at beginning and taste at end comprise 50% of a cigar score. How a cigar burns is 30%. And 20% is the feel and appearance of the cigar. I thought about including price, but that does not effect how a cigar smoked which is the main point. Besides, if 2 cigars both rate 90 and one is $10.00 and the other $5.00, then you can make the decision on how much to spend and which ones to buy.

Cigars.about.com had a nice little writeup about taste and aroma that I am including here:

Smell and taste belong to a chemical sensing system that our physiology has called chemosensation. The complicated processes of smelling and tasting begins when molecules released by the cigars, tobacco and smoke stimulate special nerve cells in the nose, mouth, or throat. These cells transmit messages to the brain, where specific smells or tastes are identified.Olfactory cells are small nerves that are stimulated by the aromas around us such as the toasting of the foot, the smoke from the cigar or even just the smell of the tobacco in the cigar prior to smoking. These nerve cells are found in a tiny patch of tissue high up in the nose, and they connect directly to the brain.Gustatory cells are the taste nerves that react when you put the cigar in your mouth or draw on the cigar to bring smoke in your mouth. The cigar tobacco and smoke mixes with saliva and stimulates these nerves which are clustered in the taste buds of the mouth and throat. Many of the small bumps you can be see on your tongue contain taste buds. These surface cells send taste information to nearby nerve fibers, which send messages to the brain.
This system is much more complex than I described but I think you get the idea. Taste and smell cells are the only cells in the nervous system that are replaced when they become old or damaged. Scientists are examining this phenomenon while studying ways to replace other damaged nerve cells. The taste and smell sensors are directly connected so that the sensations are linked, which is why we feel that we can taste things just by smelling them

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