Newbie seeking flavor! (tasting/technique/cigar choice?)

[Leo_Smokes]

Hey guys,

New smoker here looking for a little advice. I started out smoking a couple of Baccarat The Game. I'm unsure of the size but found them sweet, creamy & mild a great starter. I then looked up a bunch of good 'intro / beginner' cigars and bought the following:

Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne Robusto
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Corona
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Best Seller
Padron 3000 Natural
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Petite Corona
Oliva Serie V Double Robusto

I stuck 'em in a tupperware box with a Boveda 65% humidipack for a couple of weeks then started smoking them. So far I've only smoked the Perdomo and the Romeo Y Julieta. I found both to be almost flavorless. I could definitely tell them apart so they do have flavor, it's just so mild as to seem like a pointless smoke to my newbie palette. This may also be due to the fact that I lit them kinda poorly with a jet lighter, maybe scorching the foot. I've just ordered a soft flame butane lighter to try and ensure a gentler start to my next smoke. I also am trying to smoke slowly (1 - 2 times per minute) but reading the guide here my 'puff, puff, puff' technique may need some work but I feel one puff doesn't really get any smoke in my mouth, even with a big-ish guillotine cut. Should I dry a long single drag instead of a few short puffs or would that result in the same amount of airflow/heat that would affect the flavor?

I'm thinking the remaining cigars will be more flavorful but perhaps not massively so as they were all supposed to be 'beginner' smokes to some extent and maybe that means muted flavor. I had a dream last night that I sparked up the Hemingway and had a wonderful spicy, pepppery flavorful smoke and it's got me chomping at the bit for a better experience than my smokes to date. So, my (lengthy!) questions are thus:

What cigars should I try out next (after I've smoked the above) for a more flavorful experience?
How can I refine my technique of lighting and smoking to better appreciate the flavors?
Thanks all! I know it'll come with time… I remember when all whiskey used to taste the same to me but now I'm a big fan of all kinds and enjoy a flavorful drink or two many times a week

Cheers,
--Leo

 

[BrittS88]

As a new smoker as well I found that most cigars directed towards new smokers have no flavor. If you want a lot of flavor similiar to what you described a few good ones to try would be the Asylum Schizo, the Drew Estate Java Maduro, Drew Estate Isla Del Sol, and the Padilla Miami Maduro. I also skip most mild cigars as I can't pick up their flavors. Medium or medium to full tend to be best for me.

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[Craig Mac]

Best advice I ever got was to try Tatuaje Brown labels, was a giant push down the slope for me.... Of course it got pretty expensive from that point on...

The Padron and Oliva Serie V should give you some flavor though

 

[Monsterdg]

The Padron and Oliva Serie V should give you some flavor though

Totally agree, jump on that V and see how it suits you.

 

[DJSkopes]

Hey Leo, WELCOME to the Forum! I'm a new guy as well. I enojy Perdomos. I think they put out some great sticks and they all have different flavor profiles. If you're finding the Romeo and the Perdomo a little "muted" it's probably because they're a more mild smoke. You looked up "intro smokes" and got just that! If you want to look at smokes with some more character, I know a lot of brothers will chime in with their opinions but I would go for:

-Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro
-CAO Cameroon (It's a light wrapper but I find it has a great flavor)
-Flor de Las Antilles (Grab a toro, it was Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year)

They're good sticks that I've found give me a good sense of "smoking".

When it comes to your puff? I prefer the long, slow draw. When you puff rapidly you'll find you tend to get a lot of heat and you're not going to get the tastes you'd be hoping for. Bryan Glynn has a great primer video on YouTube: "How To Smoke A Cigar". Check it out!

 

[bluearmy]

Best advice I ever got was to try Tatuaje Brown labels, was a giant push down the slope for me.... Of course it got pretty expensive from that point on...

The Padron and Oliva Serie V should give you some flavor though

I also agree with the Padron and Oliva. Can't go wrong with those two. As for lighting, do not make contact with the flame and foot of the cigar, or you will scorch the cigar. As for your puffing, slowing down to around a puff a minute will do wonders in cooling down the cigar and enhancing the flavors. Some cigars can't last that long in between puffs and some can last a lot longer - just feel it out. I also tried the whole one long puff technique, but found that I liked my way of doing it better - one quick starter puff followed by a long puff. Most importantly, with all of the advice you receive here, feel it out an decide for yourself what you like - that's what it's all about anyway.

 

[Craig Mac]

I just want to add this.

When I first got in to cigars(cigarette smoker), I found a lot of the cigars I was trying out at first seemed flavorless, and many were. Once I tried some Nicaraguan bombs like Don Pepin Blue Label, Tatuaje Brown Label, Padron 1964/1926, etc... I got that "flavor" I thought was looking for. Fast forward after many months of smoking and developing a taste(palate) for cigars, I could smoke cigars that were a LOT more mild and pick up the subtleties of blend. I think this is the reason a lot of newbs smoke cigars like ACID, Tabak, Java or other flavored cigars, because they are able to pick up a distinct flavor when they smoke. Over time you graduate on to traditional cigars and after a while you can smoke a mild, medium or full bodied cigar and find something you like to it. It is a gradual process that you just have to grind through, you will find a cigar soon that you love only to find out you may hate in a year and vice versa. Good luck!


edit: Oh, and PS... drop by the introductions forum and tell us a bit about yourself.

 

[BrittS88]

I can remeber 5 months ago smoking a liga no.9 (now one of my favorite cigars) along with a video review on you tube, thinking what is this guy talking about? All I taste is tobacco. Just because something doesn't have flavor now don't rule it out. Go back in a few months and have another one.

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[MrHappy]

Hi!

From the ones you purchased, the ones below should definitively have a good amount of flavor.
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway Best Seller
- Padron 3000 Natural
- Oliva Serie V Double Robusto

A brother had a blind review of Hoyo Epicure that he really enjoyed, they are only about $4 so give them a try. Also, they come in Natural, Maduro and Oscuro (double maduro) which could give you an intro into the flavor of different wrapper types.

Rene

 

[StogieNinja]

Some good recommendations so far.

If I had to guess, I'd venture that you bought the cigars online, and so they're either sick (fermenting and releasing ammonia, during which time the flavors will be quite muted) or else they're overly humidified.

Where did you purchase the cigars? If you bought them from cigarsinternational or famous-cigars, for example, they're probably humidified to about 72-75%. Throwing them in an airtight container with a 65% Boveda isn't going to allow them to drop down to a good smoking rH (around 65%) for a long time - fresh Bovedas, in my experience, don't pull rH down very well. If they're dry, they'll suck rH up, but if they're new and saturated, they don't do as well.

First thing is to get a good hygrometer, and calibrate it (I like to use the Boveda calibration bag, its $6 on eBay). Once it's been calibated (takes at least a day) then put it in the tupperware for 24hrs and see what it reads. My guess is it's going to be significantly higher than 65%.


As far as recommendations for lots of flavor, I'd check the following:
-Tatuaje Brown label, especially any with a connecticut broadleaf wrapper like the 7th Reserva
-Illusione "r" Rothschild - at $4 MSRP, this is a great, creamy, flavorful smoke
-Oliva G - a great, inexpensive camaroon-wrapped cigar
-A Fuente 858 Maduro - rustic maduro flavor, great for a noob, and can often be found for under $5
-Undercrown Corona Viva - this pops up often on cigarmonster.com for around $4-5/stick and is quite good
-

 

[javajunkie]

the guys who are saying "start with bigger flavor" have the right idea. i started in the late nineties, going "gimme mild, gimme light", and getting a bunch of crap like macanudo and canary'a'doro (?) and being really frustrated, like i was missing out on something. finally, after voicing this to a guy at the local, he says "go maduro" and hands me a la gloria maduro pyramid. and it started making sense to me. you learn with big bold flavors, and then are able to go back and pick apart more delicate offerings. or you find you really really like bold flavors.

also, strong cigars naturally teach pacing: a mild smoke may turn hot or acrid if oversmoked, but a full-bodied cigar might toss you like a bull. which can be a good lesson to learn. o)

that hemmingway, oliva V, and padron should offer up flavor. also, fuente magnum R, el centurion or la duena from my father cigars, the tatuaje brown label (especially anything marked reserva, broadleaf is delicious!!!), undercrown, the diesel stuff if you buy online, LOTS of options for big flavor out there. good luck!

 

[Dave]

Retrohale.


I feel I wasted about two years of cigars before I learned to retrohale.

 

[StogieNinja]

Retrohale.


I feel I wasted about two years of cigars before I learned to retrohale.

This x10.

 

[CalixtoLopez]

My advice is to learn the wrapper varieties of the cigars you buy. They are great indicators of flavor profile. While you enjoyed your Baccarat, but struggled to find flavor in the Romeo and Perdomo, both have the same style wrapper. One difference is that the wrapper on the Baccarat is coated in sugar.

I agree that you should keep at it, but jumping straight to full bodied Nics might just turn you off of cigars altogether.

The Cameroon on the Hemingway is a little more flavorful but still mellow. Try that next.

 

[mmchugh84]

I started smoking not to long ago had a similar problem starting out
As for a mild smoke that taste good I would recommend macanudo cafe Hyde park its on the lighter side but its a good everyday smoke especially early in the day.
Other great smokes:
Cohiba red dot rubosto
Nub Cameroon, habano, or maduro
Olive series V or series V melanio
Ashton #40 maduro
Drew estate Undercrown
Im not really into flavor infused but i would recommend :
Drew estate acid Kuba Kuba, or tabak especial redeye/cafe con leche
Just a few I can think of hope this helps

 

[e-dawg]

This is why I love BOTL so much; such great, friendly insight.

I'm a noob as well and finally finding the smokes that work for me. And it's damn near breaking my bank.


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[ENV]

I too still have some issues with the very mild cigars. Try the Perdomo with Sun Grown Wrapper it is much better. Also pick up a tin of LP Papas Fritas. Trust me on this. The flavor is superb. The ones I am getting from a member here are aged and have amazing taste. Also grab yourself a Man O' War Puro if you want heavy strength. So many options. One of the first cigars that made me notice flavors was a Casa Magna Colorado.

 

[BrittS88]

And it's damn near breaking my bank.


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Yup be very careful with that brother. I dropped way too much in my second month on some liga's and a few other boxes of high end brands. I still regret it. Now I stick with much lower priced sticks for the most part and I still enjoy them just as much as I do 15-20 $ sticks that i smoke once in a while. Best advice I can give is shop online and shop around. Read the thread on here about fiscal responsibility. It helped me. Now I have a cigar budget each month and if I want a box that's more than that budget I save up my budget for a couple months until I have enough.

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[Leo_Smokes]

Holy smokes! (pun intended).

I am bowled over by the sheer volume and helpfulness of all of these replies. You folks are the best, thank you! Tons of ideas to try. I'm definitely going to be more careful with lighting, I'm going to try retrohaling and I'm going to put faith in the Hemingway, V & Padron that I have ready and waiting for me. I'm trying to "be good" and limit myself to a maximum of 1 cigar per week, so I'll dive into the Hemingway or the V this weekend. Can't wait!

Thanks again, all!
--Leo

 

[StocktonJohn]

As was said above, learn to retrohale. Mild cigars cannot be fully appreciated without it. Also, for now look for full flavor not full body. L'Atelier maduro, Alec Bradley Black Market and Perdomo Criollo are great for that profile.

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