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Smelling Cigars

Hi, my friends and I are just getting into cigars. I'm just wondering, what do you look for when you smell a cigar?

Comments

  • betasynnbetasynn Posts: 1,249
    I don't look for anything; I generally smell.


    Haha, just kidding. It depends on the cigar, really. I try to see what I can identify as far as flavors go; it's like smelling food. If you smell pepper, you'll taste pepper. You're trying to sync up the smells and tastes.

  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    My sniffer isn't the most precise thing so a lot of cigars smell the same to me. I mean there is a difference between a maduro wrapper vs a natural or other types of wrappers. don't be fooled though, some cigars have a strong almost pepper smell but once lit they are very enjoyable and not as strong as the smell of the wrapper suggested. I used pepper as an example. Some cigars I have smelled almost had a cocoa smell or a nut smell. Alex did a great job on talking about how cigars are made and about how the taste of them works out in two other threads. It's very subjective. I find the best way to judge a cigar before I buy it is, either talk to another about it and get their impression or just pick it up. I never really buy new cigars unless I read up on them or someone says what they like.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Sometimes smelling a cigar doesn't give you much of an idea of what it will taste like, though if it smells like nothing or is very bland, I wouldn't hold out much hope for the flavor. A better indicator, in my opinion, is the pre-light draw, that is to say after you cut the cigar you give it a few test draws before lighting, this will not only give you a preliminary flavor sample, but also serve well to let you know how the cigar will draw once lit. Of course, doing a pre-light draw means you are committed to the cigar, so obviously it wouldn't serve you well browsing your B&M for something to smoke. So yeah, on the smell I don't necessarily look for much, I just like to make sure it does indeed smell like something...though some scents to look for would be tobacco first and foremost, maybe a light hay scent or a heavy and musty hay scent (not mold musty) reminiscent of a barnyard, that barnyard scent is sometimes a good indicator of a flavor bomb.
  • LukoLuko Posts: 2,003 ✭✭
    j0z3r:
    Sometimes smelling a cigar doesn't give you much of an idea of what it will taste like, though if it smells like nothing or is very bland, I wouldn't hold out much hope for the flavor. A better indicator, in my opinion, is the pre-light draw, that is to say after you cut the cigar you give it a few test draws before lighting, this will not only give you a preliminary flavor sample, but also serve well to let you know how the cigar will draw once lit. Of course, doing a pre-light draw means you are committed to the cigar, so obviously it wouldn't serve you well browsing your B&M for something to smoke. So yeah, on the smell I don't necessarily look for much, I just like to make sure it does indeed smell like something...though some scents to look for would be tobacco first and foremost, maybe a light hay scent or a heavy and musty hay scent (not mold musty) reminiscent of a barnyard, that barnyard scent is sometimes a good indicator of a flavor bomb.
    I love me some barnyard.

    One cigar that had a strong pre-light aroma that really seems to have stood out to me was the AF hemingway...loved the smell and loved the smoke.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Hey Jedi.. First of all welcome.. I like a wide variety of cigars, some have very little pre-light smell, while others reek of chocolate, wood, grass or many other fragrances. If it smells good to you, give it a try. No chemical or ammonia smells are good by the way. If it smells moldy or unpleasant pass on it. Your nose will know.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    Krieg:
    I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.
    very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.
  • gmill880gmill880 Posts: 5,947
    phobicsquirrel:
    Krieg:
    I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.
    very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.

    not even a nice bag of acorns ...;)
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    gmill880:
    phobicsquirrel:
    Krieg:
    I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.
    very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.

    not even a nice bag of acorns ...;)
    haha, you so funny...
  • Russ55Russ55 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭
    Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    Russ55:
    Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.


    LOL, welcome to the board! You'll fit in well!
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    Jetmech_63:
    Russ55:
    Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.


    LOL, welcome to the board! You'll fit in well!
    LoL, nothing like the smell of a pork butt that's been smoking for 15hrs on my smoker...

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,534 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Barnyard. If it smells like a barnyard, it's going to be good.

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

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  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,534 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Deep cuts

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

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  • TNBigfoot68TNBigfoot68 Posts: 2,742 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Yakster said:
    Barnyard. If it smells like a barnyard, it's going to be good.

    I once told the wife that a cigar had a barnyard smell and taste, she commented something like I didn't realize you were into manure. Lol. So I now say I smell or taste hay instead of saying barnyard lol.

    I was born a fool, and just got bigger!
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