Tasting the cigar flavours

[Trep01]

Hi guys just wondering of you have and tricks to taste and identify the cigar flavours. When i smoke my cigars i try to continue breathing when i puff to get the aromas to my nose to taste more the flavours of the cigars. I can easily taste the flavours and aromas but really have a hard time to identify them. When i read the reviews I couldn't say if i am tasting leather, coffee, sweet etc... I can identify (well i think) spicy, woody, cedar, but have a hard time with the rest, what are your tricks?

[dvickery]

I get cigar sucks or cigar don't suck ... The rest is beyond me .

Trep ... Try not to take things too seriously ... It's just a hobby .

Derrek

[Wilk INStheWEST]

I get cigar sucks or cigar don't suck ... The rest is beyond me .

Trep ... Try not to take things too seriously ... It's just a hobby .

Derrek

I'm the exact same! I've tried to pick up the nuances in flavours, but I struggle to actually put a name to them. For me, it is all about the enjoyment of it. Was it good for me, it was a good cigar. Was it a poor experience, it wasn't a good cigar. 

I've tried my hand at a couple reviews but I just can't put a name to the flavours. A lot of is it just experience though. Start smoking them (just paired with water) and try to put names (jot down notes, so you remember) to the flavours and you will eventually get better and better at it. 

[Danny]

I am in the same situation...

 

Only when I smoke alone and have the time to concentrate and be by myself with my cigar is when I really try to identify the flavors. For now I am trying to identify general profiles, once I master those I will try to move to the details...

 

The attached wheel seems simple enough to start for me. Every cigar log may have it.

 

 

[aki]

I imagine it comes with time. Like with my experience with wine. When I first started drinking wine I was never able to identify nuances in flavour, but now having tried such a wide variety of wines, and drinking wine for so many years, I'm able to pick up and identify more subtle flavours.

 

But our senses are all different. I can smell and taste stuff (like when food is slightly off) that my wife can't. It's also pretty subjective I think, and likely influenced by reading/hearing what other people describe. If someone says they can taste dried cherries, chances are you'll pick up that flavour as well.

[Trep01]

Thanks for the reply, in my opinion it is all about taking the time to lay back and relax with a good cigar. The major flavours are always present and like you guys said it comes with time and experience. Just loving this hobby!

[vladdraq]

Me i'm even worst, i like te taste of a cigar when actually it's not me who smokes it.

Then i can pick up tons of flavours.

I would say the direct smoke just kills my senses, but i love the experience.

 

Very, very new in the hobby though...

[Cisco]

I too come from a wine appreciation background with more than 20 years of tasting / collecting wine. I used to do reviews for wine forums and websites and I learned to refine my palate. As was mentioned, everyone's sense of taste is different and I quickly became aware that I was sensitive to certain wine flavours and flaws, though it took me years to really gain confidence in my abilities. Practice does help.

With cigars, associating flavours" to them I find difficult too but what I do is try to test if I do pick something up. Usually when assessing a cigar I will focus on the major attributes; what is the body of the smoke, does the cigar taste strong, does it taste creamy, sour, bitter, sweet, dry, etc. From there I try to focus on flavours,:woody, earthy, coffee, vanilla, citrus, nutty, stone fruit, are a few standard flavours I try to seek. Often I just get earthy tobacco flavours but that is just fine. If I like the cigar a lot, and you know usually right away, I don't really care if I can describe the cigar precisely., what's more important is if I can get more!

BTW, I find retrohaling while smoking a cigar does help bring out the flavours of a cigar. Sounds like you are doing this which does help.