I see there are several types of tasting sheets available online. Does anyone ever use these as a way to track their cigars and the flavor notes the find in each one? I thought about it but doubt my cigar pallet is that sophisticated to tell the difference. Thoughts?
Tasting Sheets
- Thread starter Tedster
- Start date
That is one of the ways to improve and educate your palate. Also look at several reviews of the cigar you are smoking, isolate the most common identified flavors and see if you find them. It also helps if you are familiar with the flavors identified on the tasting sheet. Do you remember what a barnyard smells like or the difference between dry cocoa and baking chocolate?
I realized that my last post may have sounded a bit dismissive or aloof. So let me add a bit.
Starting out I focused on whether I liked the cigar or not. Taste was important, but I wanted to figure out which ring gauges and lengths worked for me. As long as it was a pleasant experience flavor wise, I was okay.
My first suggestion is always learn how to light and smoke properly, in a way that works for you, and then consider the flavor wheel. Once you get the timing and rhythm that works for you, if the flavor or smoke texture piques your interest, read reviews while smoking. That can give you an idea of what to look for. It can also help you figure out things like, do I dislike Honduran tobacco or does this company have a reputation for less than optimal cigars. This is also a great time to put on weight. Start experimenting with foods and smells from the reviews and flavor wheel.
After all of that is when I started doing quick reviews for myself. Just a few notes or a few paragraphs if I was going to share it. That helped me more than tasting sheets or journals. I also found it took some of the joy out of smoking. So, I put it aside and just started enjoying the smoke. Luckily I am an adventurous smoker and I love a wide range of tobaccos. So, I like most well made cigars. To help me remember the good ones, I keep the band. It makes the experience less like homework and much more Zen.
Starting out I focused on whether I liked the cigar or not. Taste was important, but I wanted to figure out which ring gauges and lengths worked for me. As long as it was a pleasant experience flavor wise, I was okay.
My first suggestion is always learn how to light and smoke properly, in a way that works for you, and then consider the flavor wheel. Once you get the timing and rhythm that works for you, if the flavor or smoke texture piques your interest, read reviews while smoking. That can give you an idea of what to look for. It can also help you figure out things like, do I dislike Honduran tobacco or does this company have a reputation for less than optimal cigars. This is also a great time to put on weight. Start experimenting with foods and smells from the reviews and flavor wheel.
After all of that is when I started doing quick reviews for myself. Just a few notes or a few paragraphs if I was going to share it. That helped me more than tasting sheets or journals. I also found it took some of the joy out of smoking. So, I put it aside and just started enjoying the smoke. Luckily I am an adventurous smoker and I love a wide range of tobaccos. So, I like most well made cigars. To help me remember the good ones, I keep the band. It makes the experience less like homework and much more Zen.
Everything you said makes sense. If I did the sheets it would basically be a way to track what I like, what I didn't like and brands and leaves I liked. But by all means, enjoying the great cigars would be the main goal. Thank you for the input.
Even when you figure out what you don't like, revisit sticks or leaves later. It is like food time can change your taste. There was a time I hated Connecticut wrapped cigars. Now, the method of blending Connecticut cigars is changing and I enjoy some of them.
It is like food, time changes our tastes and sometimes the chef has a twist that changes our minds. So, always treat it like an adventure and keep an open mind.
Welcome to the hobby. I hope it gives you years of enjoyment and special memories.
Capn_Jackson
A Razorback lost in Texas land
I’ve used the Bespoke cigar sheet several times. I have smoked cigars for 25 or so years, since I was a teenager, but only about ten years ago started to collect and really take notice of what vitolas (sizes/cuts), wrapper, and flavor profiles turned me on the most. Keeping track on sheets helped me quite a bit, but as a much more frequent smoker now I do not use them. I rarely do anything while smoking except sit and relax, so I can hone in on flavors, retrohale aroma, smoke texture, etc. I have written a few cigar reviews, and I used a sheet to help for those. Usually I’d rather just enjoy the taste of the palette and retrohale. I think, personally, some of the best benefits I got out of using sheets for a time was determining my favorite sizes and ring gauges in different cigars, deciding whether I’d rather drink coffee or sparkling water with certain cigars (or iced tea!), even determining what cigars I liked best after certain meals. These can be real benefits to helping you get the most enjoyment out of it. Also, as @MikeNice said, revisit things later. Give them more than one chance. Weather can really affect how a cigar smokes. Also, your basic mood on a given day, or other variables, can affect your smoke. Sometimes maybe you even smoked a dud from a box of otherwise great smokes. Give them more than one try. I hardly ever buy just one of any stick I’m wanting to try, so that I can taste a couple at least.
All that to say, you’ve entered a world of endless discovery. Enjoy it, and try not to get overwhelmed by the variables. Read lots of reviews, even while you’re smoking the particular cigar being reviewed. Figure out what flavor profiles you like, find out what smokes you like, and in what sizes, and always be open to trying new smokes.
Cheers, mate!
All that to say, you’ve entered a world of endless discovery. Enjoy it, and try not to get overwhelmed by the variables. Read lots of reviews, even while you’re smoking the particular cigar being reviewed. Figure out what flavor profiles you like, find out what smokes you like, and in what sizes, and always be open to trying new smokes.
Cheers, mate!
Been meaning to try something like that but just haven't had the time. I was given some great advice about this actually...to find a reviewer who seems to have a similar palate to yours (search for reviews on a couple of your familiar/favorite sticks). Then, find some cigars that they've reviewed but you haven't tried. Order those cigars, smoke them, and then read their review of them to see if your palates align and you pick up similar notes.
At the risk of beating a dead horse. . .
I was watching an interview with the owner of Principle cigars last night. His blending style with the Aviator series is a little different, it is an evolving blend based on trying to tell the same flavor story as the batches of available tobacco naturally change. He mentioned that so many things change how we perceive a cigar. Everything changes your perception of the cigar. The weather, your mood, your drink, the time of day, what you've eaten, how many cigars you smoked that day or the day before, how often you smoke cigars, conversation, the music you're listening to, and even the chair you sit in. I've added a few things to his list, but we have the same point. Everything you do (or don't do) changes your perception to some degree.
That is before you even get in to the tobacco and storage. The cigar I am smoking right now was my least favorite of the Balmoral Anejo XO line. After four or five months resting around 66% RH, I really enjoy it. It seems to me that 68% was wrong for this particular cigar.
So, there are a ton of variables that change everything. So, two things should be remembered, revisit things, and don't let the variables detract from what is meant to be a time of relaxation and joy.