Tasting flavors in cigars

[worlok]

Hi,

I have been smoking cigars for over 20 years.

Reading many cigar reviews I always see reviewers mentioning all of the flavors they taste. Things like vanilla, chocolate, nuts, toasted bread, leather... etc (probably many more)

The most I ever taste is leather, nuts, and toasty flavors.

What is wrong with my pallet??

I have smoked mostly NC but also some CC like Monte #4's, RYJ No2, St Luis Rey, and Hoyo de Mont.

Why can't I taste all of the fancy flavors that all these other smokers seem to detect?

[El Presidente]

Hi,

I have been smoking cigars for over 20 years.

Reading many cigar reviews I always see reviewers mentioning all of the flavors they taste. Things like vanilla, chocolate, nuts, toasted bread, leather... etc (probably many more)

The most I ever taste is leather, nuts, and toasty flavors.

What is wrong with my pallet??

I have smoked mostly NC but also some CC like Monte #4's, RYJ No2, St Luis Rey, and (dammit the fourth one escapes me)

Why can't I taste all of the fancy flavors that all these other smokers seem to detect?

This thread should lead you in the right direction/explain a few things.

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=118136&hl=palate

[worlok]

Thanks. I searched first didn't find it. (spelled palate wrong) duh

This thread should lead you in the right direction/explain a few things.

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=118136&hl=palate

[Smallclub]

I suggest you take a course in oenology, even a basic one (it's probably mentioned in the thread pointed by El Presidente).

[davidl]

This thread changed the way i perceive taste. .

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4330

[PigFish]

You are who you are.

Are you happy smoking cigars and with the flavors that you do taste and can identify? Then who gives a rat ass what someone else claims to taste?

Cigar smoking is life path. I won't deny that some mentoring is a good thing, but it is as personal the other interests that you have, the other tastes that you have and your own opinion. Cast off the chains of limitations set by the opinions of others and smoke what you like, like what you smoke, be honest with yourself and others, and be happy!!!

Cheers! -Piggy

[DWC]

I've come to terms with the fact I am not, and will never be a 'supertaster' I thought I was missing something by reading too many reviews and thinking I was supposed to be picking up all these nuances they were talking about.

Then it occurred to me I was putting too much on emphasis on the flavors I was missing and missing the flavors I was tasting and ruining the whole smoking experience.

I love analogies, so I compare it to perfume. I don't have to be able to pick up on all the top notes, heart notes, and bass notes (or whatever) to know if I like a scent and if it gets my motor running, if you know what I mean.

I'm not a complete billy goat and can tell the differences in the major flavors of the cigars I smoke but I'm not always able to identify the subtle background flavors. I notice them, and know they are different from one another, I just can't name them. And that's ok with me. At least I know what I like in a smoke now.

Mr. Piggy summed it up well in his last paragraph. I agree whole heartedly.

Dan

[fabes]

Something to consider is what you taste and smell is relevant to your surroundings and experiences.

Example being: if you don't eat persimmon or smell persimmon and thus aren't able to confidently recognize persimmon smells and tastes, then you won't pick it up in a cigar.

[Habana Mike]

One suggestion on the pre-light draw.

Take a few minutes and alternate between long slow draws and quick short draws.

With luck you'll pick up a range of different flavors before you light up.

[paulF]

Something to consider is what you taste and smell is relevant to your surroundings and experiences.

Example being: if you don't eat persimmon or smell persimmon and thus aren't able to confidently recognize persimmon smells and tastes, then you won't pick it up in a cigar.

+1 This made a lot of difference to myself. not a chocolate person and hence couldn't taste/smell chocolate in Cigars until i started purposely having different kinds of chocolates lately and recently i've been able to vaguely smell/taste chocolate in my Cigars when my housemates that never smoked a Cigar before would let me know that it actually smelled like chocolate when i was smoking! Training your taste buds is important i believe!

[Wallbright]

I really had to work to taste flavors in cigars but now it is almost second nature. I'm a moderator and do weekly reviews for a popular NC focused site which has helped immensely. I reviewed before but now doing one a week I feel like I am constantly working on picking up new flavors. I feel that some reviewers (not any here that I have seen) embellish quite a bit and pull flavors out of their butt. However, on the whole I feel that the majority of flavors that reviewers state they experience in cigars can truly be experienced.

One way that helped me was to revisit old cigars and read reviews while I was smoking. It allowed me to put a name to a lot of flavors I was experiencing.

[Rye]

. I feel that some reviewers (not any here that I have seen) embellish quite a bit and pull flavors out of their butt. However, on the whole I feel that the majority of flavors that reviewers state they experience in cigars can truly be experienced.

Yep, I am one to pull flavours, but I have to say, that they all are FAR from my butt!! If I was forced to smoke and review NC's all day and every day, I fear I'd quit. Plain and simple, as I've tried so hard to find a decent NC profile that I like.

Now, as far as telling what I taste, if I tase "marzipan and burnt caramel" then only those that have tasted or smelled that can relate, and on top of that, those that can bring it up while smoking.

I love to taste.

It sucks that all can't enjoy the way I do!!

[Wallbright]

Yep, I am one to pull flavours, but I have to say, that they all are FAR from my butt!! If I was forced to smoke and review NC's all day and every day, I fear I'd quit. Plain and simple, as I've tried so hard to find a decent NC profile that I like.

Now, as far as telling what I taste, if I tase "marzipan and burnt caramel" then only those that have tasted or smelled that can relate, and on top of that, those that can bring it up while smoking.

I love to taste.

It sucks that all can't enjoy the way I do!!

Haha the NCs aren't so bad honestly. I enjoy both CC and NC so I guess I'm more in the minority on a site like this. I'm the same with some of the out there flavors. I tasted fresh baked snickerdoodle cookies in a cigar a while back. The flavors just all came together to create the experience. It is rare that I get such an out there flavor but it happens from time to time.

[tippexx]

I've been guilty of writing the occasional review, and can honestly say there no 'flavours' in cigars. Cigar tobacco is not dead, it is still alive (semi-immortal almost) and within it are Enzymes which are very efficient catalysts for biochemical reactions, and it is these chemical reactions which via the nose trick the brain into believing we're experiencing something which we are not .... basically it's all in our heads, not in the cigars.