Matt and Darren over at StraightUpCigars.com have  a unique way of reviewing cigars that makes each review informative, and yet still straight-to-the-point. Their concise way of serving up reviews actually works perfectly with one of the somewhat backwards ways that I buy cigars.

I like to try a lot of different cigars, so I’m somewhat addicted to the 5-Pack Auctions at CigarBid.com.  When I visit CigarBid.com, I tend to start with the list of 5-Packs being auctioned at the time, scanning through it and seeing what catches my eye. Then I’ll search StraightUpCigars.com for a review to see if it sounds like something that I’d be interested in.  The reviews allow me to go through a lot of cigar information quickly, without forcing me to scan through pages of detailed information about each cigar.

Each review contains a 1-20 rating of Flavor and Taste, and 1-10 ratings of Construction, Wrapper, Worth the Price, and Would I Buy a Box.  Even if you’re too rushed to read the descriptive information about the smoke, those five ratings will give you a pretty good idea of where it stands.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow them to be notified of new reviews – http://twitter.com/straightupcigar.

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As a side-note, I should mention that I’m incredibly impressed with the sensory talent that many reviewers have that allow them to dissect a cigar’s flavor, the changes that occur as the cigar is smoked, and then beautifully articulate their findings in incredibly detailed posts.  Although I tend to gravitate towards cigars with a more complex flavor profile, I definitely lack the ability to isolate and pick out specific notes and flavors. I’m quiet envious of those who can, and I’m grateful that some of them are willing to dedicate time to writing about the experiences so the rest of us can make educated purchase decisions.

Most of the cigars I smoke have a pretty relaxed life.  They enjoy some time on the balcony of my condo, in a dark cigar/martini lounge, or a quiet evening on a friend’s deck, and then it’s over.

Ruffi, on the other hand, likes to show his cigars an open-air adventure as he races down the highway on his Harley.

So as we sat at Kona Grill enjoying our happy hour and a Don Ramon Maduro the other day, he explained to me the intricacies that make up a cigar that travels well on a motorcycle.

In a nutshell, the cigar:

• Has to stay lit without much effort.
• Needs to be of decent size (it burns fast even when you’re not smoking it because of the wind).
• Usually isn’t too terribly expensive of a cigar.  After all, you might drop it or have to ditch it for some reason.

These will be the criteria by which a cigar’s RideAbility Index is established (on a scale of 1 to 10).  Once we have a few reviews we’ll compile an easy-index of cigars sorted by RideAbility so you can quickly scan the list when you’re in search of a stogie that’s worthy of a relaxing ride.

Look for this logo in future posts to determine a cigar’s RideAbility.

And yes, it’s pronounced just like the date-rape drug.