How to ruin a perfectly good Dip4

[headstand]

First off, a disclaimer: The following was fueled by an excess of rum and a sad lack of good judgement. I accept all jibes with the humility of the sincere repentant.

Yesterday, after a long day on the road, I indulged in a one man herf. First up was a Boli CJ. Wise choice to get things started. Paired with rum(s) and coke(s). Yum. Next up was a Macanudo Maduro. Why you ask? Don't know, but see pairing comment. What follows is my tale of woes: After the tedium of the Mac I decided that I had to up my game and fished out a Dip 4 from the travel stash. The 'mild' Mac had so coated my pallet with its 'distinctive' taste that it not only overwhelmed the Dip 4 but actually made every draw taste exactly like the Mac. Mea culpa. Now where did I leave my rosary?

So Piggy, fellow FoH and I hope friend, beware the Bi.

I don't recall ever having this experience following up one CC with another. Sure I get the idea that you should follow mild with strong, but this was unexpected. I would be interested to hear if others have taken a similar misstep, or had a similar experience with CCs.

Alan

[dicko]

I actually don't mind starting with an NC, it blows the senses out a bit (wakes up the taste buds) and I appreciate the slow paced class of the cuban after. I remember making a thread about this sometime last year, I was alone in this approach :-p

[Smallclub]

You might as well blame the coke. Hyper-sweetened drinks are incompatible with analytical/extensive tasting of cigars.

[riazp]

I dont know about that small club, I reguarly pair my cigars with a coke/root beer/dr. pepper and I find it helps the cigar out alot. my opinion though.

[Colt45]

On the rare occasions that I've smoked multiple cigars in succession, I tend to feel that I lose the ability to differentiate nuances.

And as those occasions have always been indoors, it has made it tougher (I've come to believe that how I perceive the taste of

a cigar indoors differs from the same cigar outdoors).

Possible the Dip4 was lacking to begin with.....

[headstand]

You might as well blame the coke.

Smallclub,

I find that it takes the spice edge off cigars which is good when you get a spice bomb. Also, I don't go heavy on the coke - sugar is bad for you.

I will reserve judgement on that one until I can conduct further tests.

I've come to believe that how I perceive the taste of

a cigar indoors differs from the same cigar outdoors.

Colt,

I was indoors! You may have a point there. When I put my wine tasting hat on, I know that much of what I call taste is actually acquired by retrohaling. So in a room full of Mac smoke it might not be a stretch to say I was tasting Mac.

Possible the Dip4 was lacking to begin with.....

[Colt45]

I was indoors! You may have a point there. When I put my wine tasting hat on, I know that much of what I call taste is actually acquired by retrohaling. So in a room full of Mac smoke it might not be a stretch to say I was tasting Mac.

I think a roomful of smoke could definitely affect perception. We had a short discuusion on the topic a while back -

here's a link in case you're interested:

Link

[Ghabanos]

I dont know about that small club, I reguarly pair my cigars with a coke/root beer/dr. pepper and I find it helps the cigar out alot. my opinion though.

Nice. - I must try with those. Fav sodas listed...

[Smallclub]

Nice. - I must try with those. Fav sodas listed...

Go for it. This is the way forward if you want to miss out on the natural sugary flavors of fine habanos.

[Matt Day]

Go for it. This is the way forward if you want to miss out on the natural sugary flavors of fine habanos.

I would say that is a matter of taste and personal preference. Which is similar to the whole do I drink single malt whisky straight debate. I personally feel coke, Pepsi or rum and coke bring out the flavours in certain brands I certainly do not feel I am missing out when I pair an r and j with Havana club and Pepsi I feel in fact it brings out the sweetness to some extent but each to there own