Things I’ve learned about flavor.....

[mpomario]

I thought it might be interesting for us to share things we’ve learned about flavor. I know there are many things that are or should be common knowledge like cadence and lighting correctly.

In the year I’ve been hitting the hobby hard I’ve learned things about flavor. Many of these are personal observations. Here are are short list.....
Ambient humidity causes a great change in flavor, especially in the extremes.
When I started people would mention flavors of raisin, blah, blah blah and when I tried what they were smoking I was like WTF. Then I noticed that they were many times married into the flavor and were deeper “into” the tobacco flavor.
I learned what that Twang was.
I learned how the different regions have distinct characteristics.
What are your thoughts? Would be interested in other proto veterans input as well as veterans to the hobby.


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[GOT14U]

I’ve only picked up 3 distinct flavors. My palate sucks! First one was Dr Pepper smoking a Umbagago. Second was whiskey from a EZ Cleaver and third was just this week. Levi Garret from a EZ brass knuckle...I am taking more time as of late to try and not “muttel” my palate with to much whiskey ...lol...and am trying to notice the differences of each stick...at least for the first two hours of a good night.


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[Nacho Daddy]

Tasting requires paying attention,and preparation of the palate.
Drinking strong flavored drinks will cloud flavors.
NC cigars can cloud the palate and totally eclipse CC flavors. It took me a couple of weeks to clear my palate after a prolonged bout of tasting NCs.
Same goes for foods, you need a clear palate to really taste nuance.
Some folks do not have the ability to taste as deeply as others, and some folks have a greater ability to taste than the rest of us.
When I was in the wine trade, the younger guys always came to me when a flavor note escaped them, usually I could pin it down.
Sometimes they pointed out things to me I had missed.
Same with cigars,you need to train the palate, and some folks just cannot do it.
Some cigars do not project flavors well,and some cigars have nothing special to taste.

Thus endeth the lesson...........

 

[Glassman]

One of the most curious things to me is the differences in people's palates.
Some people will taste and perceive flavors completely differently from others.

 

[ritter6788]

I can detect flavors I just can't always describe them. I get chocolate, nuts, cream, bread, minerals in someCCs. I couldn't detect it before but since smoking a lot of CCs, Nicaraguans all taste like black licorice to me.

 

[EL Corojo]

Tasting requires paying attention,and preparation of the palate.
Drinking strong flavored drinks will cloud flavors.
NC cigars can cloud the palate and totally eclipse CC flavors. It took me a couple of weeks to clear my palate after a prolonged bout of tasting NCs.
Same goes for foods, you need a clear palate to really taste nuance.
Some folks do not have the ability to taste as deeply as others, and some folks have a greater ability to taste than the rest of us.
When I was in the wine trade, the younger guys always came to me when a flavor note escaped them, usually I could pin it down.
Sometimes they pointed out things to me I had missed.
Same with cigars,you need to train the palate, and some folks just cannot do it.
Some cigars do not project flavors well,and some cigars have nothing special to taste.

Thus endeth the lesson...........

What he said; my best advice would be to slow it all down, wait a while between puffs, smack a bit. Take lots of notes at first. Meditate on the cigar. I used to write a lot of reviews. Really think about each puff; and relax. I’ve been into cigars for 16 years and feel like each new smoke presents the opportunity to learn, and to feel a bit of freedom from all the crap that life throws at you. Learn to give love to each draw. Don’t think of the cigar as a whole; with each draw the cigar presents itself to you, give yourself back to it.

 

[mitchellmunster]

What he said; my best advice would be to slow it all down, wait a while between puffs, smack a bit. Take lots of notes at first. Meditate on the cigar. I used to write a lot of reviews. Really think about each puff; and relax. I’ve been into cigars for 16 years and feel like each new smoke presents the opportunity to learn, and to feel a bit of freedom from all the crap that life throws at you. Learn to give love to each draw. Don’t think of the cigar as a whole; with each draw the cigar presents itself to you, give yourself back to it.

This is romance

 

[Blaze02]

my time hasn’t been long at least not smoking cigars on a regular basis!! I’ve only had one cc in my time smoking!! I seem to enjoy Maduro wrappers they seem easier to taste the different flavors but that could just be me! My biggest problem so far seems to be figuring out the type of pepper in each cigar! I’m also realizing I’m not a huge pepper head but I seem to be drawn to cigars with pepper profiles!!

 

[multi-useless]

I'm in the camp that says overthinking a cigar is too much work, that it's better to just smoke it and enjoy it - therefore, I have little to offer on this thread.

However, I've also participated in enough dog rocket challenges of one sort or another, to say that shitty flavors are often much easier to detect than good ones. Not that I expect anyone to smoke crappy cigars to test this theory, but it was worth a mention.

 

[Blaze02]

I'm in the camp that says overthinking a cigar is too much work, that it's better to just smoke it and enjoy it - therefore, I have little to offer on this thread.

However, I've also participated in enough dog rocket challenges of one sort or another, to say that shitty flavors are often much easier to detect than good ones. Not that I expect anyone to smoke crappy cigars to test this theory, but it was worth a mention.

Unfortunately in my hunt for less expensive daily smokes I’ve found way to many poor tasting smokes!! But I’ve also noticed what others are okay with I can’t stand

 

[VeLoRoK]

I've learned that I am (and I suspect most people are, as well) very susceptible to the powers of suggestion regarding flavor. It helps a lot to look at reviews of cigars and get an idea of what I might experience. This allows me to identify flavors, or name them. I won't necessarily taste what someone else does, but it might put me in the ballpark. As time goes on, the palate gets more adept at recognizing flavors. If I want to stay away from the power of (other people's) suggestion, I like to sit with a flavor wheel. What seems like simple earth on one puff may lead down to the flavor path of coffee or chocolate or something. It takes focus and patience and time and practice. Most of the time I just want to chill and enjoy without thinking too much.

 

[mpomario]

One of the most curious things to me is the differences in people's palates.
Some people will taste and perceive flavors completely differently from others.

Yes. I have found it helpful when you find a smoke that someone else likes to try to find as much Blend info as possible before I make a purchase to see if it aligns in some way that another smoke that I personally like.
I have also found that you have to keep a cigar “up to temp” too. Either smoking too hot or too cool makes a difference to me as far as transitions go.


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[Patrickh44231]

I've learned that I am (and I suspect most people are, as well) very susceptible to the powers of suggestion regarding flavor. It helps a lot to look at reviews of cigars and get an idea of what I might experience. This allows me to identify flavors, or name them. I won't necessarily taste what someone else does, but it might put me in the ballpark. As time goes on, the palate gets more adept at recognizing flavors. If I want to stay away from the power of (other people's) suggestion, I like to sit with a flavor wheel. What seems like simple earth on one puff may lead down to the flavor path of coffee or chocolate or something. It takes focus and patience and time and practice. Most of the time I just want to chill and enjoy without thinking too much.

Sometimes I'll be casually smoking and get stuck on a flavor I cant put my tongue on then I'll look up reviews of it for that aha answer.