How to educate your palate?

[01Vert]

  Hope this is the right place for this question.  If not can you delete and direct me to the appropriate place?

 

Being new to Cubans and only into cigars for a few years it seems that i have a very "blunt" palate.   

 

  I can pick out flavors pre-light like wet straw, barnyard, dark chocolate, cherry, wood and some others but once I start smoking it seems as though I only get general flavor notes.   I can differentiate mouth feel of the smoke quite easily but nuanced flavors are missing to me.   I know what I like and dislike and can sense differences as I progress but putting that into words or comparative flavors seems impossible.  

 

  With New World cigars this was not an issue to me as I could explain the basic notes but I would like to do better than that with my Cubans.  

 

  I do not drink wine at all so the references to that will not work.  Usually better rums  or sparking water (mostly) with a cigar.   

 

  So here is the question.  How do I educate my palate so I can explain the tastes to others as well as feel like I am understanding more than just the overall feel of a cigar?    Any references / practices / help in general is appreciated.  

[Corylax18]

1 hour ago, 01Vert said:

So here is the question.  How do I educate my palate so I can explain the tastes to others as well as feel like I am understanding more than just the overall feel of a cigar?    Any references / practices / help in general is appreciated.  

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke!!

Different sizes, Marcas, Wrapper colors, custom rolls, farmies. Smoke with food, smoke with different drink pairings, smoke inside, smoke outside. 

Practice makes perfect, so just keep practicing!!  

[BrightonCorgi]

Download a flavor wheel and review while smoking.

[SCgarman]

Only cigar smoking experience and time will develop your ability to taste flavors, and develop preferences as to what you like and dislike. Experiment with different cigars, gain experience, then you will have a developed palate. I speak from 30 years of enjoyment of all different types of cigars from all the different countries.

[MrBirdman]

Do you retrohale at all? Adding it took my tasting to the next level. 

[shokao]

One thing helped me the most: cook more. While cooking, you're always tasting spices and different kinds of flavors. Since you're doing the whole thing, you become able to hold memories of aromas and tastes. Since I look to cook a lot since I was a teenager, when I first started cigars I had a good notion in how to catch flavors from a cigar. 

After sometime, just like @BrightonCorgi said, I've download a Flavor Wheel and start reading reviews of the cigar I was smoking trying to identify the flavors described by the reviewers. The next step, I've switched this dynamic: I've writed down my own review and then I was look for others to compare and see how the flavors described match. 

Nowadays I just feel confortable enough to review cigars myself without reading anything. Was a nice exercise and I've enjoyed every bit of it.

[Ford2112]

If I may offer a suggestion, have fun and relax. Your palate will develop over time. I sometimes have no idea what people are saying when they describe " digestive biscuit" or " Cointreau " . So stick to keeping things simple. I will say that learning to retrohale will enhance your cigar smoking experience. Also, it took me quite some time to figure out what I like and what my palate agrees with. Its a never ending journey. 

 

 

[01Vert]

Thanks for the pointers.  Time to find a flavor wheel and figure out retrohaling 

 

 

[Chibearsv]

Smoke slowly and start by identifying obvious up front flavors that pop out to you.  Then see if you can pick up any other flavors you recognize underneath the main.  Don't feel like you need to describe a cigar in any kind of sophisticated way.  I never heard the phrase "stone fruit" until I read reviews here, so I couldn't relate to it.  Any flavor experience you share will resonate with others.  There isn't a cigar out there that everyone will agree with on the flavor profiles.  That's part of the fun, it's your experience to share.

[Corylax18]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:46 AM, shokao said:

start reading reviews of the cigar I was smoking trying to identify the flavors described by the reviewers.

I can't disagree with this piece of advice strongly enough. There is FAR too much variability in cigars (Cubans Especially) and individual palates to expect every stick to taste exactly the same to every person. I'm also of the opinion that 95% of cigars reviews are 95% fluff, just exercises in what you recommended above. Read the manufacturers description, watch a couple reviews, repeat the main talking points, move on to the next stick. 

Watching a review and searching for flavors can leave you frustrated, searching for something that isn't there, making you think your palate is off/bad. Who cares what some guy on the internet said? Really. Develop YOUR palate, not an industry echo chamber. Just because somebody else tasted leather, or chocolate in their example and loved the cigar doesn't mean you will taste either or love your example. And that's ok. 

[shokao]

6 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

I cant disagree with this piece of advice strongly enough. There is FAR too much variability in cigars(Cubans Especially) and individual palates to expect every stick to taste exactly the same to every person. I'm also of the opinion that 95% of cigars reviews are 95% fluff, just exercises in what you recommended above. Read the manufacturers description, watch a couple reviews, repeat the main talking points, move on to the next stick. 

Watching a review and searching for flavors can leave you frustrated, searching for something that isn't there, making you think your palate is off/bad. Who cares what some guy said on the internet said? Really. Develop YOUR palate, not an industry echo chamber. Just because somebody else tasted leather, or chocolate in their example and loved the cigar doesn't mean you will taste either or love your example. And that's ok. 

I agree 100% with you. I’ve said that because when someone says that found something like “tiramisu” in a cigar, sometimes you’re tasting something related but can’t address what it is and reading about it maybe ring a bell for you. It’s not supposed to match everything but when you don’t know what you’re looking for sometimes when you discuss the cigar with friends or even here on FOH, you’re able to pick things you weren’t fully aware or you were just kind of “lost” describing what you’re getting from the cigar.

Like I’ve stated above, you have to set your mind for an exercise if you’re trying to develop. In my case, I’ve just shared how I did it. It’s not supposed to be the right way or the best way, just my way. Maybe it’ll help, maybe it won’t.

That’s my 2 cents on this matter.

[BoliDan]

Find a flavor wheel and actually taste things on it. Put a little white pepper on your tongue swish it around. Don't not just the taste, note the feel as well. Scrutinize what you are 'experiencing'. You will soon be able to apply the experience to smoke. But also you should keep your cigar palate in tune.

We all can fall into the trap of smoking our favorites, but variety of cigars will keep your brain vigilant on find new flavors.

[Tdm_86]

53 minutes ago, BoliDan said:

Find a flavor wheel and actually taste things on it. Put a little white pepper on your tongue swish it around. Don't not just the taste, note the feel as well. Scrutinize what you are 'experiencing'. You will soon be able to apply the experience to smoke. But also you should keep your cigar palate in tune.

We all can fall into the trap of smoking our favorites, but variety of cigars will keep your brain vigilant on find new flavors.

This is very good advice, imo. Flavors in cigars (and spirits/wine) are all just connotations to things you have tasted before. So, taste a lot of different things.
 

When I taste, for example, chocolate in a cigar there is no actual chocolate in that cigar (obviously). But I have tasted chocolate many times before and if there are compounds in the cigar smoke that smell/taste kind of similar, my brain is going to equate that to the thing I know. 
 

Also, a cigar is just a cigar. And when you enjoy it without finding all these nuances and different flavors, that’s ok too. 

[ElJavi76]

14 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Just because somebody else tasted leather, or chocolate in their example and loved the cigar doesn't mean you will taste either or love your example. And that's ok. 

If you don’t believe Cory just go look at reviews or comments on RASS on this very forum. You’ll get 4/10 that say it’s glorious and 6/10 will say it’s ASS. Hold the R. I particularly like them but others don’t get it. Smoke a bunch. I do recommend that when trying something new make sure it’s the first cigar of the day. Or something you really want to register as well. I leave my “filler cigars” for second or third cigars of the day. My farm rolls fall in that category. I’ll smoke labeled stuff first. Premium first. After that the second and third rung material. You can still learn from that third cigar but you’ll never taste the nuances of a top notch cigar if it’s your 4th cigar of the day. Your palette will be exhausted by then. Same goes for wine. Drink the fine stuff early. When you’re half in the bag any wine will do. Good luck!

[BrightonCorgi]

20 hours ago, Tdm_86 said:

This is very good advice, imo. Flavors in cigars (and spirits/wine) are all just connotations to things you have tasted before. So, taste a lot of different things.
 

When I taste, for example, chocolate in a cigar there is no actual chocolate in that cigar (obviously). But I have tasted chocolate many times before and if there are compounds in the cigar smoke that smell/taste kind of similar, my brain is going to equate that to the thing I know.

Have a child sample wine and ask them what does it taste like.  They've never read a wine review and only know what they've encountered so far.  They'll point out accurate flavors. Not ones that most "wine experts" would use to describe.

[Chibearsv]

1 hour ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Have a child sample wine and ask them what does it taste like.  They've never read a wine review and only know what they've encountered so far.  They'll point out accurate flavors. Not ones that most "wine experts" would use to describe.

You aren't suggesting....

Are you? 🤣

[BrightonCorgi]

9 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

You aren't suggesting....

Are you? 🤣

Kids love anything involving a spittoon.

[ha_banos]

I taste very little with cigars. It's almost all in the nose.

I get sweet, bitter, pepper, spice, astringent, metallic, oily, dry, even meaty. That sort of thing.

Coffee, biscuit of any sort, almonds, macadamia, leather, tea, chicken, haricot beans, pumpkin spiced latte etc. I thankfully don't get.

 

I did go 'ooh fig!' once with an RA 2015 club allones.

 

[Tdm_86]

2 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Have a child sample wine and ask them what does it taste like.  They've never read a wine review and only know what they've encountered so far.  They'll point out accurate flavors. Not ones that most "wine experts" would use to describe.

Luckily, our 14 yr old just goes: ‘Gross, how can you even drink that?!’ 😄

[Chas.Alpha]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:30 AM, Corylax18 said:

I can't disagree with this piece of advice strongly enough. There is FAR too much variability in cigars (Cubans Especially) and individual palates to expect every stick to taste exactly the same to every person. I'm also of the opinion that 95% of cigars reviews are 95% fluff,  

Watching a review and searching for flavors can leave you frustrated, searching for something that isn't there, making you think your palate is off/bad. Who cares what some guy on the internet said? Really. Develop YOUR palate, not an industry echo chamber. 

I'm jumping on this response as well. What tastes like malt to me might taste like oatmeal to you. I don't think anyone can say "that's not right." When I write reviews, I first try to describe what it tastes like TO ME, then I attempt to let everybody know that I have no idea what I'm talking about!

Works for me every time...

Enjoy your smoke. Try to think of what it reminds you of, as ultimately it is just a blend of different tobaccos. To my knowledge, there isn't any cocoa powder or coffee beans included in a Boli PC.

CAH

[BrightonCorgi]

11 hours ago, Tdm_86 said:

Luckily, our 14 yr old just goes: ‘Gross, how can you even drink that?!’ 😄

Go deeper and ask them what flavors are particularly gross.  What is gross tasting about it?  Say it is made from grape juice that they are familiar with.  What is different tasting about wine and grape juice?

It's a challenge for them and us to come up with a response to what is a very simple question, "what does it taste like?"

[Fuzz]

Smoking a wide variety of cigars is all fine and good, but you need to form a frame of reference. Expand your taste and smell experience. Try new foods, drinks, aromas, the good and the funky, etc. By widening your smell and taste experience, you'll be able to pick up flavours better.

And even if you do expand your flavour horizons, also realise that not everyone can differentiate all the nuanced flavours and aromas. Not everyone is a super taster.