Independent Cigar Rating System (ICRS) - Modified for CigarLive

[Stogie]

I would like to introduce a modified version of the ICRS that will work with the current CigarLive.com review software.

Colin has been nice enough to help us integrate this into CigarLive.com

Take it away Colin!

Click to Download!

[Research-Colin]

The ICRS is the Independent Cigar Rating System. It involves 'walking' through the many aspects of cigars that one can comment on. The point of evaluating each aspect is to develop a highly detailed evaluation of each element of the cigars. Once you've examined every aspect of the pre-smoke and smoke, you can come to a rating that is more comprehensive than the more regimented evaluation systems that are out there. I'll post more information about this shortly. Here is the general layout of the evaluation form.

Instructions: Consumption of the cigar begins in the pre-smoke phase. Begin your evaluation by reading each
category for evaluation on the left. Take the pre-smoke and smoke sections in order and separately. Within
those sections you should address each item in the order you choose. When addressing each item, write full
sentences and phrases if possible with as many descriptive terms as possible. The terms on the right and below
the lines may help inform more descriptive answers. Feel very free to use terms not included on this page.

Pre-smoke
Scent of Wrapper: _______________________________________________
(Place nose to wrapper and breathe deeply)
Scent at Foot: __________________________________________________ _
Appearance: (image of cigar)
(Make Notes and Marks Above)
Wrapper: __________________________________________________ ____
(Note any markings, color, or inconsistencies)
Feel: __________________________________________________ ________
(Is the cigar spongy, hard, or inconsistent?)
Tongue: __________________________________________________ _____
(Press tongue to newly cut end and note perceptions)
Flavor on Draw: _________________________________________________
(Note any tingle or flavor on tongue or inside mouth)

Smoke
Taste: (1) __________________________________________________ ____
(2) __________________________________________________ __________
(Indicate all flavors including the different strength levels and combinations of flavors)
Flavor Changes: (image of cigar)
(Note on the image where flavor changes occurred if it did)
Strength: __________________________________________________ _____
(Note the power of the flavor at different stages if appropriate)
Feeling: __________________________________________________ ______
(What feeling does this cigar cause, at stages if appropriate)
Scent of Smoke: _________________________________________________
(What does the smoke smell like in the air)
Heat on Fingers and in Mouth: ______________________________________
(Does the cigar become hot on fingers or not; also in mouth?)
Draw: __________________________________________________ ________
(Does the smoke draw freely, deliberately, hardly or is it blocked?)
Finish: __________________________________________________ _______
(What is the lingering taste after smoke is expelled?)
Other Aspects of the Cigar Smoking Experience: (1) ____________________
(2) __________________________________________________ __________
(Make any notes beyond what you noted already)


Final Rating: Re-read all your comments and notes above and consider them with your general understanding of cigars. Rate this cigar on a 0.1-10.0 scale using one decimal point. Consult the scale on the left. Note your score here:



The form also includes a flavor chart to suggest descriptive terms:
Cigar Flavor Chart
Common Rare
Field Grass Eucalyptus
Green Peppercorn Olive
Hay/ Straw Fern
Tea Cabbage
Rose Celery
Lilac Jasmine
Prune Violet
Plum Apricot
Raisin Apple
Black Peppercorn Cherry
Clove Peach
Cedar Blackberry
Smoke Raspberry
Oak Strawberry
Birch Pineapple
Vanilla Melon
Sandalwood Banana
Bitter Coffee Orange
Burnt Coffee Lemon
Savor Mint
Roasted Nuts Cinnamon
Steak Fennel
Ham Pine wood
Onion Butterscotch
Cream Burnt Sugar
Milk Fish
Bread Butter
Cereals Mushroom
Rum Whisky
Ammonia Honey


Finally it also has a 1-10 rating scale described as such:

1 Unpleasant Flavor
2 Contains Bad Flavors
3 Seriously Flawed
4 Slightly Flawed
5 Acceptable
6 Good
7 Very Good
8 Excellent
9 Nearly Perfect
10 Best Cigar Ever

I hope this is a helpful introduction. I'll put up more information in a better format shortly. By the way, I apologize for the spelling.
Sincerely,
Colin

[Ceedee]

Interesting.... I am intrigued by this. Makes me think a bit more and pehaps "tune" my palate..

CD

[John51277]

Colin, thanks for the enlightenment. It looks very informative.

[mills]

Wow, that seems like a lot of work. No offense, but I have no idea what field grass tastes like, especially not what would taste like in a cigar. I'm gonna stick with my arbitrary "ugh..eh..mmm..wow" system.

PS. I'm definitely new at this, but are there cigars that taste like milk and fish? Not a fan of that.

[Research-Colin]

Hi Mills, it is alot of work to go through the whole sheet but when you're experienced it becomes almost instinctual. I don't advocate it for everyday smoking but for doing a review, this is a great way to appreciate the dynamism or lack thereof. For usual smoking, I don't use this, I just sit back and enjoy. Some of the more obscure flavors are not commonly found and you may never find them. Flavors like fish are probably unpleasant but should be on a list just to get people thinking outside of the typical descriptors. Do you know what a field smells like after the rain? That is a wet fieldgrass smell and sometimes you'll pick that up on milder cigars. It has been suggested that you could use this system as a beginner to start to appreciate cigars more deeply but it is also a little overwhelming so I'm glad you read through it. That alone will get you thinking a little more about the different sensory perceptions you can enjoy during the consumption of your favorite stick.
Hope that helps,
Colin

[mills]

Okay, I can see that. I don't have a very refined palate for food, so I doubt I'll ever have one for cigars, but I can see how going through something like this deliberately can help develop that. But man, some of those flavors I hope to never experience (ham, fish?). I appreciate the development of your system though, and sharing it with us.

[mrgatorman]

This is great...thanks Colin. It will help ALOT of people try to discern flavors and see what they are looking for.

Thanks again.

[g8trbone]

I will definitely be using it for the upcoming blind reviews. Thanks for your work on that Colin!

[architeuthis]

Originally Posted by Ceedee

Interesting.... I am intrigued by this. Makes me think a bit more and pehaps "tune" my palate..

CD

Stop smoking Herfdogs and yer palate will develop all by itself... <G>

[alanf]

Wow, this seems like a great system, but kind of intimidating. I'm not real good at picking out flavors but I'm pretty certain I don't want to taste Onion Butterscotch. However, it seems like a good way to help someone like me through the review process.

What we really need is a searchable database- something like Top25cigars.

[tekeeladude]

I added the PDF version of the original ICRS to Colin's post. It's easier to read/understand than the plain text version.

[alanf]

Originally Posted by tekeeladude

I added the PDF version of the original ICRS to Colin's post. It's easier to read/understand than the plain text version.

Thanks. That makes a lot more sense. I'm sure glad there is no Onion Butterscotch taste!

[Dickson]

This will certainly be useful for me. Not knowing how to do a review. Oh and one more thing.....Bombs Away!!!!!!!

[bobbyg29]

Did my first review using the ICRS which was a lot of fun! It was very interesting to focus my full attention on a cigar. As you will see I really got into it once I got going Check it out:

Saint Luis Rey Serie G Maduro
http://www.cigarlive.com/reviewpost/...hp?product=120

Question for Colin...I noticed that you did not have chocolate on your flavor chart? Was that on purpose? It is one of the most common flavors I experience with maduros.

Thanks for these great review guidelines Colin!
Cheers,

Rob

[Ceedee]

Originally Posted by architeuthis

Stop smoking Herfdogs and yer palate will develop all by itself...