• Cigar Sizing
• Aging Cigars
• Glossary
• Anatomy of a Cigar
• Lighting a cigar
• New Cigar Smoker?

Are you a New Cigar Smoker?

   

How do you Interpret Cigar Tastes and Flavors?

There are many cigar smokers who can taste different nuances and flavours in cigars and others that say “just smoke the cigar, it tastes like a cigar – that’s it!”

Everyone’s palate is different. You will interpret a cigar different than your friend and fellow smoker because you will have had a different day, different meal, different experience with the same cigar because, well you are you. That’s the best part about cigar smoking, you are never wrong when it comes to flavours and tastes. It is an individual experience.

 What are the cigar flavours?

There are some basic terms that you will hear people use to describe cigars.  See below for list I’ve compiled. Every tongue is different! While you may be able to pick up subtleties, your friend may only taste tobacco. Your tongue and nose will be your guide on the journey of cigar smoking. The basic flavours and nuances will come from your tongue, and your nose will detect aroma and some variations in flavour.

When is the best time to smoke a cigar?

While we would say ANY time is a good time to smoke a cigar, your optimum time is when your palate has not had anything to mar it. Morning may seem like a strange time for those just starting to smoke cigars, and/or not in the know, but really, truly it does have a special place in true cigar smokers’ experiences of their best cigars. The reason: your taste buds are awake and you’ve not sullied them with any food/drink yet.

What affects the taste of cigars?

Answer: Food, Drink, Time of Day, Your Mood, Traffic, Fights with your significant other/employer/kids, etc…

In other words, outside influences as well as internal influences can inherently change the flavour of a cigar. There are also psychosomatic triggers to cigar smoking. Some days you will love a certain cigar and other days that same cigar might taste “wrong”.

With regards to food and/or drink: A coffee or ruby port can enhance the flavour of a maduro cigar. While a glass of Pinot Grigio can draw out the honey notes in a natural wrap cigar. Whilst some cigars would lose all their beauty with any of the above and require only a glass of water to help wet your whistle.

Scotch, Whiskey, Cognac, Brandy and Rum tend to bring out some deep tobacco flavors which to some is deeper and more pronounced than merely drinking water. Some people choose not to / don’t drink alcohol so we suggest tea, sweet beverages, pop to do similar things to the palate.

What about smoking indoors versus smoking outdoors?

It’s a hard and fast rule that you can smoke anywhere you want and you’ll have whatever experience you have – see above about not being wrong – however there are die-hards that say smoking outdoors will totally affect the burn of your cigar and can change the true taste of the cigar. Smoke wherever you can, try out different places, whatever works for YOU!

What is Tobacco Blend?

Every cigar brand can not ever produce the exact same cigar year after year. No two tobacco leaves are ever the same. The best they can do is produce a moderately consistent taste using the same soil year after year. It’s about illusion each and every year – the magicians of cigar rolling go for consistency – which is why you’ll hear people say: “I remember when (insert cigar name) was beautiful and big and bold and strong – now they taste like (insert expletive)”. So each cigar brand will most often taste different from one year to the next. When you find a Month and Year you like, buy the box. Buy as many of that time period as you can, because they may never, ever be the same! We offer box discounts on a box of 25 cigars.

How to talk cigars? Increasing your palate!

Cigars will change and evolve as you smoke them. Most cigars have 3 different sections – some do not. As you become more accustomed to smoking cigars you’ll start to notice what you like and do not like at each level in a cigar.

Keep in mind a cigar you don’t like now, you may love 6 months from now. It’s all about timing! So keep re-trying a cigar every once in awhile. Palates change as you smoke and they need to be constantly challenged and thrown a curve ball to keep your taste buds excited.

The more you smoke, the more you learn what works best for you and your experience will bring maturity to your palate.

The four main ways of describing a cigar are:

These are some of the Aromas, Nuances, and flavours I’ve picked up in my cigar smoking journey, keep smoking and enjoying cigars and finding your own way of talking cigars! – Enjoy the pleasure - Psyche

Spices

Nuts

Any of them Roasted

Cereals

Fruits

Epicurean