Lost my ability to taste cigars

[stonedpirate]

Hi all

Going through a bit of a crisis and was hoping someone here knows what is going on.

I started smoking cigars about 4 months or so ago, in the past 8 weeks I have smoked between 2 and 6 Cubans a day.

My whole life I have suffered from hayfever in spring but this year, due to a change in meds, I have no hayfever symptoms. However, for the past 5 days, I have been unable to taste cigars. I can taste food and drink and smell flowers and perfume but I cant taste cigar smoke. I just retrohaled a full R&J and got nothing. I recently acquired a full box of monte 4s and RASS and they taste like salt. All I am getting from cigars is salt, butter and nothing else. I smoked a cohiba maduro and it tasted like nothing for the first half, then one puff off salt then threw it away.

I figured it must be they hayfever. I thought the antihistamines have cured the running nose, sneezing and itchy eyes but did nothing for nasal congestion. I got the bright idea of getting a nasal decongestant from the chemist today and it seemed to clear my airways completely. I got excited thinking that was the cure, sparked up a monte 4, 3 puffs of salt and threw it away.

I know the cigars I am smoking are good because they come from several different reputable sources and some of the cigars I am throwing away come from boxes that I enjoyed only a week ago. It is definitely not the cigars.

After all my research and hours watching reviews and smoking cigars and finally having a humidor with several boxes, I now cant taste any of them.

Has anyone else ever had this or heard about it? I asked on another forum but no replies and google seems to turn up little so it seems rare.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Duxnutz]

Take a break. More than likely just over baked your pallet. Easy does it. Kinda like when dating a girl at the start of a relationship - you've got to ease into it!

[CaptainQuintero]

I can only go by what would effect me, but the first thing that stands out is the amount your smoking. I can't smoke more than 1 a day without having dulled my taste buds. Even then after a few days I cant taste much in mild smokes. I find smoking one every other day, or having a run of smoking one a day then having none for a few days is the best for me.

Maybe try giving your body a week to recover then smoking one every other day and try to figure out what the balance for you in terms of wanting to smoke but enjoying it?

[Rye]

It very well could be the drug you are on. Some drugs have side affects that make people quit smoking altogether. I've never heard of a decongestant doing that, more an antidepressant but ask your doctor. The fact that you can taste and smell fine I find strange, and that makes me think it's in your head. As suggested, take a break.

2-6 cigars a day after starting only about 8 weeks ago is a massive amount of smoking.

[Smallclub]

Take a break. More than likely just over baked your pallet.

Agreed.

[bradbrennan]

I'll bet big money that it's the decongestant, especially if you used a nose spray

[leftimatic]

I have a hell of a time with tasting as it is but I know more than one every couple days will really write my taste buds off.

[amart]

If you got a decongestant like Afrin, like the Brad said, my money would be on the nasal spray as well. Works wonders for clearing the sinuses but also leaves a coating of saline + other stuff on the back of your throat.

[finecigar]

Yea this has happened to me before with nasal spray. Slow down and take a break! Cigars won't be going anywhere

[cigarbreak]

I agree with the lot here StonedPirate, take a break and rest your palate. I just got off a cold and sinus infection and it took me a while to readjust after a week + of non-smoking. Everything tasted quite harsh even an RyJ Short Churchill. I'm now back to regular; though if you really want to push it and waiting for more than a few days is too long, then might I suggest drinking some apple juice b4 and while you're smoking to cleanse your palate? Or, try and go for a brisk 15-20 minute jog if you are able to and then test out a smoke again shortly after with a palate cleanser drink to see if anything has changed? At least that will tell you its most likely the meds.

[Mckucci]

Based on the fact that you can still taste food and drinks etc. I wouldn't worry too much, you've probably just over done it with the cigars... Personally I cannot smoke more then 2 cigars in a row, otherwise something very similar happens, my mouth feels dry and "numb" to the point I cant taste and enjoy a cigar... I suggest taking a break for a week or so, and ease back into it. one cigar every couple of days....

I don't like to tell people how much to smoke, as it's really none of my business... However 6 cigars a day seems a little excessive for someone relatively new to smoking.

[Sophistic]

i know a (cigarette) smoker who completely lost his taste buds and hasnt recovered since then (7-8 years ago). interesting, he still orders the most expensive meals in a restaurant despite his inability to taste it and if someone tells him that his meal doesnt taste well, he doesnt finish it.

[PapaDisco]

I was gonna lay a joke on you about "you must've switched to NC's! yada yada" but this truly is perplexing! Usually the sense of smell and the sense of taste go together; lose your sense of smell and your sense of taste is also gone. It's very odd that you can taste everything else but can't taste cigars. Can you smell them? You can lose some taste/smell without losing others.

If it's o.k. with your doc, you can go off the meds and try again. Be sure to wait for whatever the published 'clearing time' is for your medication (for instance some antibiotics might take nearly 10 days to clear) before trying a cigar again. This will tell you if it's the medication.

I don't consistently smoke, but can pull out 6 cigar days at random just fine and taste/smell the sticks all the way to the end. From what some of the other brothers here say though, apparently one's palate can get numb after just one or two, but historically this doesn't sound like it's been a problem for you prior to the new medication.

[Hash]

cut down on cigar smoking, and see how it goes.

[ramon_cojones]

it's the meds

i would seek natural remedies if I were you

[PigFish]

Try removing the box before lighting… Or, just try to smoke one cigar at a time… -LOL

Of course I am just funning and fooling around. I mean with all this talk of famous basketball players smoking two cigars at once, one never knows what people will do when trying to keep up with the Jordons!!! -LOL

The good advice has been given. Take a week off… and lay off the sports!

Cheers! -Piggy

[tjohn7]

Take a break! You went from 0 to 60 in terms of your cigar consumption.

[jjdolphin]

I sincerely hope the taste comes back to you.

It has no for me. As you, I can taste all the foods, smell the flowers, but cigars, very limited.

I went through a bad round of sinus infections in 2010 and that completely ruined my cigar smoking experience. For about 3 years, no matter what cigar I had, it was misery. I do not take any meds. I occasionally, once a month, use a decongestant spray when my sinuses get stuffy. I am finally able to enjoy a woody flavored cigar, but have no sense for sweet, creamy, honey or anything like that. I use to love tasting the cherry flavor on some RyJs, now nothing.

Only cigar that I find 100% enjoyable, believe it or not, is the Padron. The Padron profile apparently agrees with me, however, I am not sure what the true profile of Padron really is since I never had one prior to my sinus issues. All the rest, a crap shoot.

I am sure your predicament is not as bad as mine and I hope you get back to normal soon.

[ramon_cojones]

For optimal sinus health you two may wish to look into zinc supplements which heighten taste and smell as well as clear sinus infections, etc.

[mk05]

I can...smell flowers and perfume...

I just retrohaled a full R&J and got nothing. I recently acquired a full box of monte 4s and RASS and they taste like salt. All I am getting from cigars is salt, butter and nothing else. I smoked a cohiba maduro and it tasted like nothing for the first half, then one puff off salt then threw it away.

I am very curious, what were the codes on the cigars?

[yannis]

take a break,

clean your system and THEN judge for yourself to find the right amount.

You smoke too many a day.My balance I found out after 20+ years of smoking= 2 cigars a WEEK.

That s the only way-for me- to stay healthy AND enjoy fully the great habanos

[PigFish]

I am very curious, what were the codes on the cigars?

While I consider cigars as individuals, this is a salient point.

You could, by luck, or bad luck of the draw, run a string of really bad cigars! It does happen and it cannot be ruled out.

The Cubans roll crappy cigars right along with the good ones! You pull 4 or 5 bad ones in a row, and it can shake you up! It has many a smoker before you! The fact is, it might no be you at all…

Cheers! -Piggy

[jjdolphin]

For optimal sinus health you two may wish to look into zinc supplements which heighten taste and smell as well as clear sinus infections, etc.

I've tried a lot of stuff, but not zinc. I will give it a try. Thanks.

[bradbrennan]

I sincerely hope the taste comes back to you.

It has no for me. As you, I can taste all the foods, smell the flowers, but cigars, very limited.

I went through a bad round of sinus infections in 2010 and that completely ruined my cigar smoking experience. For about 3 years, no matter what cigar I had, it was misery. I do not take any meds. I occasionally, once a month, use a decongestant spray when my sinuses get stuffy. I am finally able to enjoy a woody flavored cigar, but have no sense for sweet, creamy, honey or anything like that. I use to love tasting the cherry flavor on some RyJs, now nothing.

Only cigar that I find 100% enjoyable, believe it or not, is the Padron. The Padron profile apparently agrees with me, however, I am not sure what the true profile of Padron really is since I never had one prior to my sinus issues. All the rest, a crap shoot.

I am sure your predicament is not as bad as mine and I hope you get back to normal soon.

Only reason I have a lot of confidence that the nose spray could be part of the problem is that I just experienced it myself. Just came off a nasty sinus problem, tried some twelve hour sinus decongestant because my brother wanted to join me for a smoke. It opened my sinuses completely, but couldn't smell or taste my cigar. I could still smell some foods but not all. I feel oral decongestant and antihistamine also alters my taste and smell but never as bad as that spray did.

[ogus]

I quit and smoked a pipe for years. Got to the point I decided to sample CC, set down the pipe. Sometimes the pallet and mind need a change.