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How do you taste cigars?

Basically the title says it. How do you guys pick up on the flavor of cigars? Is there anything that you guys do that helps you pick up on flavors? For instance i have a friend that like to take a puff and like swish it around in her mouth before letting it out. I have another friend that like to blow just a little through the nose. So what do you guys do? hopefully reading some of your answers will help some of us newer people out too.

Comments

  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I puff the cigar, allow just enough to flow out my mouth and up into my nose without reaching throat or lungs. This gives me the different background aromas and flavors. A lot of guys do the blow out the nose thing, but every time I try that it burns like hell and I miss all the good stuff.
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  • sightunseensightunseen Posts: 2,130 ✭✭
    Diamondog:
    It's a very informative post. When I taste, I rely on both my palate and my nose. The palate captures the "feeling" of the flavors (e.g. sweet, sour, salty, bitter). When you cycle the smoke through the nose, the olfactory senses helps you identify the flavors (e.g. coffee, leather, nuts, etc). One thing I want to note is that you are not tasting those actual flavors, but rather it strongly reminds you of them.
  • cycling through the nose definitely helps you pick up different flavors that the tongue isn't tuned to. It does take practice though. I also roll the tongue around to make sure the smoke is engaging every part of the palate and try to pick up different nuances on every puff.
  • KCWKCW Posts: 1,334 ✭✭✭
    A lot of the time I "taste" the cigar when I'm all done. I find myself exhaling through my nose a lot (after I've been done with the actual cigar itself) & I can still taste it. (I love that)....
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    Amos Umwhat:
    I puff the cigar, allow just enough to flow out my mouth and up into my nose without reaching throat or lungs. This gives me the different background aromas and flavors. A lot of guys do the blow out the nose thing, but every time I try that it burns like hell and I miss all the good stuff.
    It takes some practice. I found when you let it out through your nose you want t let it sit some in your mouth to cool and only allow a small amount through your nose at a time. When you start to feel it stop. You can do this several times or just allow the rest to go out through the mouth.

    You definately pick up more flavors through the nose, but need to work it up a little at a time.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    Diamondog:
    thats what i was gunna say.
  • docbp87docbp87 Posts: 3,521
    Practice, practice, focus, practice, and having a well rounded palette.
  • The CankThe Cank Posts: 799
    I blow about 30-40 percent of the smoke out of my nose and the rest out of my mouth
  • ellinasellinas Posts: 329
    Diamondog:


    i've read that before. im not asking for help. i'm asking what do you guys like to do that helps YOU get flavors from cigars. I've read some people like water. is there anything in particular that you like to do because you think it helps..
  • ellinasellinas Posts: 329
    Diamondog:


    i've read that before. im not asking for help. i'm asking what do you guys like to do that helps YOU get flavors from cigars. I've read some people like water. is there anything in particular that you like to do because you think it helps..
  • denniskingdennisking Posts: 3,703 ✭✭✭
    I enjoy putting the last part of the puff thru my nose which gives me the well rounded experience. I also gotta ask, what cigars are you smoking? Mild, medium, or full will all give a different experience.
  • docbp87docbp87 Posts: 3,521
    ellinas:
    Diamondog:
    i've read that before. im not asking for help. i'm asking what do you guys like to do that helps YOU get flavors from cigars. I've read some people like water. is there anything in particular that you like to do because you think it helps..
    In this case... When reviewing a cigar, or smoking it for the first time, I always use a soft flame, a guillotine cutter (9 times out of 10, my Palio), and only drink water with it.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    ellinas:
    Basically the title says it. How do you guys pick up on the flavor of cigars? Is there anything that you guys do that helps you pick up on flavors? For instance i have a friend that like to take a puff and like swish it around in her mouth before letting it out. I have another friend that like to blow just a little through the nose. So what do you guys do? hopefully reading some of your answers will help some of us newer people out too.
    This is one of Alex's blogs about tasting cigars, it's a good read: link

    lots of good info there too.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • First i like to cleanse my pallet with something along the lines of a slurpee or like sorbet. not alot, just enough to get any other taste out of my mouth.When i pull on the cigar i close my eyes and roll the smoke around the mouth a little and slowly exhale through the nose a little and out the mouth a little.Also the french inhale out the mouth into the nose like these other gentlemen had suggested.Hope i helped......
  • I also like the water approach...when I'm checking out a cigar for the first time I make sure I'm in a calm environment with no other aromas around that can interfere. I think water is a great beverage because it cools the tongue, keeps the throat hydrated, and does not impart any flavor. I normally taste most of the cigar via the smoke in the mouth, and periodically exhale a small amount through the nose to pick up on smaller taste details. As for picking out flavors, in the beginning I would read cigar reviews and I made a list of each flavor someone mentioned, then divided those into various common categories like sweet, sour, salty, or acidic. After compiling a nice list I would set it in front of me while smoking different cigars to jog my brain into thinking about what flavors it was tasting.
  • JCizzleJCizzle Posts: 1,913 ✭✭✭
    danger350:
    As for picking out flavors, in the beginning I would read cigar reviews and I made a list of each flavor someone mentioned, then divided those into various common categories like sweet, sour, salty, or acidic. After compiling a nice list I would set it in front of me while smoking different cigars to jog my brain into thinking about what flavors it was tasting.
    I've been doing this to help myself with terms. Sometimes I taste something that I can't quite describe, then when I read the review there is a term I was llooking for such as "pepper" or "leather" et al. Great tip and great idea.
    Light 'em up.
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