I NEED HELP!

[rdb6]

I have been smoking cigars on and off for about 35 years. Living in the states the first cigars made available were things such as Garcia Vega and the like. I kept evolving and finally was smoking cigars like Fuente. After a 10 year hiatus from smoking I now smoke CC's almost exclusively. My dilemma is how have you guys deveoped yout taste buds? You talk about complexity, strength, cocoa and such. I don't taste all of these things. Am I missing something? How have you developed your pallettes? I read the forum and these terms just roll off your tongues like nothing. PLEASE HELP!

[CigarmanTim]

I do not taste things like stone fruit or molasses....rather general things like sweet or bitter....My buds are dead also

[MIKA27]

I do not taste things like stone fruit or molasses....rather general things like sweet or bitter....My buds are dead also

I'm led to believe that Ken almost always tastes stone fruit!

EDIT: Prez, wheres the Cigar flavour wheel when you need it?

[Guest rob]

I'm led to believe that Ken is a stoned fruit!

FYP.

[perfectform]

For me, sometimes it's more of what a flavor or taste reminds me of than anything, rather than a specific defined tasting note. But there are exceptions.

[LeafLover]

For years I've been wanting to develop a palate that can pick up on subtle flavors. Many times I have tried to be cerebral with my cigars.. Then, I find out that I just get frustrated doing it, distracting me from the experience.

Hell, I like it or I don't. I like the profile or I don't. Mainly it's the, as Prez coined the phrase "sweet milk", sweet bread, honey notes that I like over some earthiness and expresso/coffee base.

[Kangaroo495]

I've only been smoking for a few years, but I can detect the odd flavour now and again. For me cocoa is an obvious flavour, leather is easy to pick up in the aroma, complexity is something I highly value.

But it would all mean nothing to me if I didn't register on this site. Having studied many reviews (video and written), and smoking those same cigars myself, I taught myself the individual flavours.

But it is, of course, very subjective. And I don't smoke a cigar in order to taste white pepper or clove. But sometimes I do want something "creamy" or something "chocolatey"

[rock]

I believe that the most important part of smoking and detecting flavor is blowing the smoke through your nose. As a child when we didn't want to taste a bad vegetable we would pinch our noses to block the smell and bland the taste. I used to be a cigar smoker who puffed through the mouth, but that was it. To truly taste a cigar you need all your senses.

[Colt45]

I believe that the most important part of smoking and detecting flavor is blowing the smoke through your nose.

We had a disussion relating to this not too long ago - if you haven't seen it, here's a link:

Link

In particular, check the last half dozen or so posts.

To RDB's question, as others have mentioned, I think it comes down to smoking and making comparisons of cigars over a period of time. Eventually,

I think we all start to make correlations to things we know by their tastes and smells. For example, you take a draw that's a bit sour at first and

before exhaling you get a light sense of sweetness and cream. At first, it doesn't register, but then it hits you - condensed milk. Perhaps the taste is

not exactly of condensed milk, but that's what it reminds you of, and so on.

Enjoy the journey!

[SethLG]

Exhaling through your nose, if you don't do that already, really can help to get the flavors, your tongue only picks up around 10 to 20% of the actual flavors, and the nose the rest. If you haven't done it before it is a little complex but it will come to you, and once you do that you have finally smoke a cigar properly. Start off with milder cigars and work your way up in strength.

I actually was introduced to this right when I started smoking cigars by Christian Eiroa of Camacho cigars, and it really got me going on the right foot and have been able to pick up lots of distinct flavors since then.

As too stone fruits, technically almond is a stone fruit, so I pick up hints of almonds sometimes, and when I am drinking red wines I am definitely picking up stone fruit notes, but that could also be from the wine.

If that doesn't make sense I can lead you in a couple directions to explain how to do so, I know I felt like an idiot that first time, but now it is just an every time thing.

[rdb6]

Thanks for the advice. I will do the nose exhale thing and see if I can develop my palete. I am going to watch the NBA final and light one up. It could be a Cohiba Robusto or a Bolivar BF. Will let you know how well I do with analyzing the tastes. Hate the Celtics, hate the Lakers, hate the Celts more. GO LAKERS!

[Jimmy2]

For me i have had great luck with picking many flavors with my taste buds as many here know .I think you have what God gave you at birth and really cant make your taste buds any better than they are all ready.

For me blowing cigar smoke through your nose is a big no no i know many here do it but you are just hurting your sinuses i think .The cigar smoke will burn them and dry them out over time for me it hurts my tasting the flavors big time.But if it works for some more power to you ..

I guess i am just lucky....

[rdb6]

When it comes down to it does it really matter if I taste fruit or chocolate or whatever. What is important is I love smoking cigars.

[MrGlass]

I find when you focus completely on a cigar you pick up so much more of what it has to offer. Try writing a review on one and see if that makes a difference.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Some might have such a developed palate that they can detect hints of cat's pee, traces of cow dung and essence of mother-in-law's snot, but I'm limited to the basics of mild, strong, grassy, spicy, woody and such like. They suit me fine. If anyone comes across a Cuban cigar with delicate subtleties of krupnik, could you let me know?

[Warren]

Some might have such a developed palate that they can detect hints of cat's pee, traces of cow dung and essence of mother-in-law's snot, but I'm limited to the basics of mild, strong, grassy, spicy, woody and such like. They suit me fine. If anyone comes across a Cuban cigar with delicate subtleties of krupnik, could you let me know?

If I ever find out what Mother in law snot tastes like.

Shoot me.

Just shoot me.

[sandholm]

If I ever find out what Mother in law snot tastes like.

Shoot me.

Just shoot me.

if I ever find out what Mother in law snot taste like... I shoot myself...

[Padrino]

You talk about complexity, strength, cocoa and such. I don't taste all of these things. Am I missing something?

Are you enjoying your CC's ? can you tell the difference between a crap tasting one and a good one ? sometimes that's all you need. If it moves your soul then is it really that important that you can't taste subtle hints of stonefruit or 7yr old aged Madagascar vanilla ?

Just enjoy the ride.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Are you enjoying your CC's ? can you tell the difference between a crap tasting one and a good one ? sometimes that's all you need. If it moves your soul then is it really that important that you can't taste subtle hints of stonefruit or 7yr old aged Madagascar vanilla ?

Just enjoy the ride.

Well expressed, Padrino. Rdb6: some cigar reviewers have a way with words. Just because they appear to be very articulate (and may even appreciate a tad of mother-in-law's snot in their Havanas) and seemingly have super-developed palates, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your cigars as much as they do. Whether or not you can detect all the exotic hints and nuances they claim to find, their dissertations still make for interesting, informative, and even amusing, reading. Look, I've been enjoying Cuban cigars since the mid-1980's, and I don't need a reviewer to tell me what to expect in a particular vitola. If his impressions agree with mine, fine; if not, I don't lose any sleep over it.