What flavours can you NOT taste?

[khomeinist]

Bahnyahd

[Ghabanos]

Curry. Never had curry.

[brazoseagle]

Never tasted Cow patty (not that I want to), smelled it on a cold cigar, but never tasted it.

I retro-hale almost every single draw, and then I annoyingly chomp and chew and smack the taste and oils in my mouth on every draw as well. I seem to always pick up very defined and strong flavor profiles. The most enjoyable to me are the chocolate, sweet creamy caramel, milky cigars, but by far the one that stands out to be the most unique and almost addictive, and now is the most elusive, is from an aged Diplo. #2 I had a year ago, that was so unique. I have not tasted it in any other Diplo #2 since then, but the floral, lavender and violet notes in this cigar were epic!

[jazzbass]

I think we are all surprised that people do NOT taste some of the flavors that we get every day...... This is a tricky one because for a few years I used to get toasted coconut with many puffs and I'm sure someone else is probably tasting it but simply labeling it differently....

For me it's MINT.. I NEVER get Mint yet I hear people say that they taste it ..... To be perfectly honest, I'm glad I DON'T get it! A minty cigar?? Isn't that like a menthol cigarette ?? No thanks!

[Rushman]

I've heard stone fruit many times. I assume it's a fruit with a pit of some kind, which I'm not a fan and maybe even have never tasted, so I can't say I've tasted that.

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631709,-87.070670

[fingerburner]

Here is a great article entitled "Taste and the Construction of the Mouth" - which has been expertly put together by my great friends at Nicks Wine Merchants here in Melbourne.

Well worth a read if you want to better understand your palate.

http://www.nicks.com.au/index.aspx?link_id=76.1354

[dicko]

I struggle to distinguish between sweeter flavours. I've always had a savoury tooth (for example, when I was a child I always would prefer a jar of olives over a bag of lollies) and I think this has tied into my cigar tasting

[dB69]

Old ladie handbag...never got that flavor

That's a good one, Riazp! Me neither.

I have tasted very many of the flavours mentioned above, but not green tea. Actually, I haven't had green tea except once many years ago and I remember it tasted like soil. So, if I taste soil (or moss perhaps) it may appear as green tea in someone else's mind.

I haven't tasted iron and aluminium in any cigar, but copper yes, if talking about metals.

I am happy to say that I haven't tasted cow manure in CCs, but in one NC yes and that was awful. Never tried the real cow manure though...

Strangest flavours I've got from a cigar are fish and swimming pool.

In my opinion many flavours in cigars are sensed in nose only, not in tongue/mouth. That's maybe because I use my nose a lot when smoking.

[mk05]

Surprisingly for me as well, but maybe salt. Yoruba and i were hanging out smoking a sancho panza beli 01. He said this cigar was just pure salt. I was getting Weetabix with ginger.

Anyone know a cigar other than this that i can find some salt? We should create a master flavor database.

[jjdolphin]

I am in somewhat of a year long funk. More precisely since Nov. 2010. I've been battling sinus issues and as a result I cannot taste pretty much anything. Cherry sweet cigars I enjoyed before, no more. No sweetness on the pallet anymore. No caramel, cocoa, chocolate etc.

My sinuses are still congested, no longer have infections, however my sense of cigar taste is gone. I do not know if it is temporary, but I am in a panic mode. If any member out there has gone through what I am going through please PM me.

The only thing I can taste is a bit of wood and leather if at all, and that is on certain days, not all the time.

All other taste sensation via food and drink are fine, except for cigars.

[ramon_cojones]

^get a neti pot, cleared up my sinus infection a couple years ago where all I could smell was old mucus deep in my cavity and I use it 3x a week now

[Styler]

Of the flavours mentioned I think the only one that stands out is licorice, never even had a hint. Also, I seem to remember the guys mentioning apple in their SLRSA review and I've never had that either although I do get dark fruits.

I know of several smokers who don't pass much smoke if any through their nose (I hate the term retrohale!)and I wonder if that may be to do with a lack of certain flavours as I find certain cigars benefit more from it than others. For example I find that the flavour from a RASS is fairly mouth based where as I can't enjoy a BPC at all without letting some smoke exit nasally.

[ptrthgr8]

I've never really understood how people can taste smoke... I don't really. I can taste the tobacco as it touches my lips and I can certainly smell the smoke... but tasting it? I dunno... maybe it's because I smoked ciagarettes for 15 years? (Quit 4 years ago now.) I've definitely tasted spiciness on my lips - but not from a CC. I've had plenty of NCs that were spicy - LFD Double Ligeros, Cain Habano 660s, My Father... forget which vitola. I've also tasted some cigar tobacco that's had an almost minerally quality to it... sorta like licking a rock (but a fairly pleasant rock - salt lick maybe?). I've also definitely smelled chocolate and coffee aromas (especially from some of the better NC maduro wrappers), but I've never really smelled/tasted anything from a CC that I could pinpoint and say "Aha! That smells/tastes like X!" Well, actually, most CCs definitely seem to have a stronger cedar smell than most NCs I smoke... so I guess that's about the only thing that really stands out for me. But I don't go around gnawing on cedar planks, so I couldn't tell you what it tastes like.

I can distinguish between different tastes/smells of various types/brands of cigars. Even the wifey is getting pretty good at knowing when I'm smoking a CC without seeing the band. (The fact that she can identify bands with a quick glance is pretty cool.) She can also identify the Siglo VI by smell alone 9 times out 10.

Lemongrass? Leather? Cherries? Caramel? Hmm... methinks the mind is a powerful tool.

I can smell and taste good tobacco. And I like it. That's about all I know. I'm also not a wine ponce... perhaps if I were I'd be more able to really seperate the smells/tastes of cigars, too.

~ Greg ~

[ramon_cojones]

Excellent deduction! Because you can't taste them must mean they are not there. Perhaps you should send all your CCs to me and I will send you some nice jose piedras in their place.

Retrohale is also a stupid term as mentioned above, sounds like somebody who was bored tried to think of a fancy term for exhaling through the nose unless in fact it is a legitimate term? I duno...

Once I got a very meaty element in an lgc regional I think it was, I can't remember the stick but was like an overcooked steak. I passed it to the homies to see if I was crazy and they both tasted it as well, quite bizarre indeed. Not a profile I'd seek.

I had an lgc skinny forget the number but it was from 02 I believe, pure nutmeg it was rather enjoyable but I grew bored of the taste. I believe I got some floral maybe even honeysuckle from a pl asia pacific robusto. Leather still eludes me, perhaps bc I eat so much of it trace amounts go undetected.

[CaptainQuintero]

I've always prefered plain food even since a child which may explain that I've been able to pick out most mentioned flavours easily ie some foods overwhelm me. I've found the below (From my notes) :

Sweet spice-Partagas

Sweet wood - RYJ, Quintero

Cherry, black cherry - RYJ

Expresso - Maduro 5

Salt - SLR Serie A

Sweet Caramel -PL RDL, BHK 52

Sticky nectar caramel -QDO

Sour Honey - Cohiba, BHKs

Sugar Cane - Boli PC, LFDC SR

Milk Chocolate - Monte 3, Monte Sublimes, Monte especial #2, Mag 46

Milk Choc Biscuit - Mag 46

Cow Pat - Monte 2, Monte Especial #1

Old woman's perfume - Juan Lopez PC, Trinidad Colonials, mag 46

Toast - Partagas 898v

Tea- Trinidad, Dip 3, cohiba siglo 2

Jasmine tea - Trinidad Colonials, Dip 3, Padron 1964 anni seies exclusivo

Hay - Cohiba, Juan Lopez

Newspaper- NC Davidoff

Sweet grass - Cohiba, QDO

Peanut (raw) - VR Familiares, '08 Cuaba EL

Peanut (roast, unsalted) 08 Cuaba EL

Peanutbutter - Cuaba 08 LE

Stone fruit (Peach) - ERDM Lonsdale, SLR DC, SLR Churchill

Stone Fruit (Plum) - ERDM Lonsdale, Punch PC

Melon- HDM Epi 2

Raisin/Dried fruits -Monte 3, Punch, Epi #2

Apricot - Cohiba, Trini Reyes

Cream -Upmann, cohiba, HDM etc..

Strong leather -Boli, Edmundos

Mild sweet leather - Monte especial #1, Boli

Buttery rich leather- Mag 46, Bolis

Dark Choc - boli

Cocoa Powder - Grand Edmundo

Rosemary - PLPC

Bonfire Toffee - Maduro 5

Blood Oranges/Grapefruit - Padron 1964 anii series exclusivo

Butterscotch/fudge -Parti shorts/lusis

Almond -RYJ SC, Sir Winnie

Bread and butter pudding- BHK 52, LFDC SR

Herbs- Punch, Cohiba

Lemon Grass- Cohiba siglo

citrus/citrus peel - monte 5

Floral - LFDC SR, Cohiba Siglo 4

Grape sking (red) - LDFC SR

Xmas Pudding - Roman Allones - LFDC SR

Nutmeg -Dip 2

Sour Cream - Upmann Connie

Creme Brule -Trini Reyes

Coffee Creme - Monte 3, Monte sublimes

Walnut/Cashew - Trini Robusto T, Robusto Extra

Steamed Fruit- Roman Allones Extra, Punch DC/PC

Malt/Barley -Boli PC

Coffee Bean- Boli

Shortcake-Sir Winnie/Mag 48

So in a very long and roundabout way.... the only ones I have not picked up so far which seem popular are mint and meat although I have have few of the discontinued Punches and LGC.

[Rushman]

Of the flavours mentioned I think the only one that stands out is licorice, never even had a hint. Also, I seem to remember the guys mentioning apple in their SLRSA review and I've never had that either although I do get dark fruits.

I know of several smokers who don't pass much smoke if any through their nose (I hate the term retrohale!)and I wonder if that may be to do with a lack of certain flavours as I find certain cigars benefit more from it than others. For example I find that the flavour from a RASS is fairly mouth based where as I can't enjoy a BPC at all without letting some smoke exit nasally.

agreed. Retrohale never worked as a term for me. Some cigars are more mouthy and others more nasally and most a combo of the two.

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631740,-87.070644

[ptrthgr8]

Excellent deduction! Because you can't taste them must mean they are not there. Perhaps you should send all your CCs to me and I will send you some nice jose piedras in their place.

That's a goofy thing to say - just because I don't or can't differentiate the various tastes that others can distinguish doesn't mean I don't like smoking good cigars. To me it's all tobacco - there's crap tobacco, there's good tobacco, and there's great tobacco (with levels of each). I do think that the general ponceness of cigar smoking is very similar to the general ponceness of wine drinking. If someone tells me I should taste whatever in something... well... I bet there's a good chance I'll taste it. Because someone else did. And they told me. But left to my own devices, I'll come up with something else. I can't possibly be the only person here who doesn't get all of the flavors that so many folks talk about.

Now, in all fairness, it could easily be a matter of physiology - as others have stated, tastebuds do different things for different folks. Or, as I stated previously, perhaps I killed my smelling/tasting senses due to being a cigarette smoker for so long... though I honestly doubt that since I can pick out individual tastes/spices, etc in different sorts of foods.

Maybe the most likely reason is experience? I'd be willing to agree to that. I'm definitely newer to CCs, but have a lot of experience with NCs... and I still can't pick our lemongrass or leather in NCs. Or, maybe, because I've never smoked a hunk of leather or smokes a patch of lemongrass, maybe I am actually smelling/tasting those flavors, but don't know what to call it... so I just call it "tobacco." I dunno.

I will definitely try exhaling through my nose, though. I never - or very, very, very rarely - did that as a cigarette smoker because I never liked the sensation of smoke going out through my nose. But perhaps it's different with cigars. Worth a try anyhow.

But, no... you can't have my cigars. I've been waiting a few months for my first two orders to be completed...and we're almost there. No way in blazes I'm giving them up now!

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[TankerT]

I was going to say stonefruit... as I figured that was something excotic that I had never tasted before... until I was reading this thread...

I've never been able to really describe many flavors well... (I'd make a terrible food critic...) so it's hard to say.

I don't think I've ever encountered citrus flavors in a cigar. Or pepper.

[brazoseagle]

^get a neti pot, cleared up my sinus infection a couple years ago where all I could smell was old mucus deep in my cavity and I use it 3x a week now

My old man swears by the neti pot!

[brazoseagle]

That's a goofy thing to say - just because I don't or can't differentiate the various tastes that others can distinguish doesn't mean I don't like smoking good cigars. To me it's all tobacco - there's crap tobacco, there's good tobacco, and there's great tobacco (with levels of each). I do think that the general ponceness of cigar smoking is very similar to the general ponceness of wine drinking. If someone tells me I should taste whatever in something... well... I bet there's a good chance I'll taste it. Because someone else did. And they told me. But left to my own devices, I'll come up with something else. I can't possibly be the only person here who doesn't get all of the flavors that so many folks talk about.

Now, in all fairness, it could easily be a matter of physiology - as others have stated, tastebuds do different things for different folks. Or, as I stated previously, perhaps I killed my smelling/tasting senses due to being a cigarette smoker for so long... though I honestly doubt that since I can pick out individual tastes/spices, etc in different sorts of foods.

Maybe the most likely reason is experience? I'd be willing to agree to that. I'm definitely newer to CCs, but have a lot of experience with NCs... and I still can't pick our lemongrass or leather in NCs. Or, maybe, because I've never smoked a hunk of leather or smokes a patch of lemongrass, maybe I am actually smelling/tasting those flavors, but don't know what to call it... so I just call it "tobacco." I dunno.

I will definitely try exhaling through my nose, though. I never - or very, very, very rarely - did that as a cigarette smoker because I never liked the sensation of smoke going out through my nose. But perhaps it's different with cigars. Worth a try anyhow.

But, no... you can't have my cigars. I've been waiting a few months for my first two orders to be completed...and we're almost there. No way in blazes I'm giving them up now!

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

This is a good article, there are many more out there. I strongly believe that it contributes to the sensory of tasting the cigar. I only use the term retrohale, becuase I don't know what in the hell else to call it.

http://www.stogiefresh.info/edu-cigars/articles/retrospect.html

[jjdolphin]

My old man swears by the neti pot!

The thing that saved me is the NeilMed Nasal rinse. Went on 4 different antibiotic treatments over 6 months before doing the rinse. Life saver.

My sinuses are still somewhat congested at times, and even when clear still cannot enjoy a cigar. I think that my sense of cigar taste is broken permanently. It has helped my wallet though, since I have not bought a box of cigars in over a year. I live vicariously through everyone's posts and el Presidente's reviews. Pretty pathetic actually.

[aavkk]

I am in somewhat of a year long funk. More precisely since Nov. 2010. I've been battling sinus issues and as a result I cannot taste pretty much anything. Cherry sweet cigars I enjoyed before, no more. No sweetness on the pallet anymore. No caramel, cocoa, chocolate etc.

My sinuses are still congested, no longer have infections, however my sense of cigar taste is gone. I do not know if it is temporary, but I am in a panic mode. If any member out there has gone through what I am going through please PM me.

The only thing I can taste is a bit of wood and leather if at all, and that is on certain days, not all the time.

All other taste sensation via food and drink are fine, except for cigars.

PM coming...

[CanuckSARTech]

I'll reserve judgement on self-assessing my tastes until after the blind-tasting competition....

[almudawi]

Caramel, Cedar, Coffee, Dark\Milk Chocolate, Dried Fruits, Stone Fruit, Espresso, Honey, Cream Cocoa Powder, Marshmallows, Salt, Green Tea, Mushrooms,Citrus, Thyme, Lentisk, Herbs, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, cloves, floral notes, Cashews, Almonds, Leather and Earth are Flavors I regularly encounter while smoking.

Umami and Wasabi are the flavors that I find difficult to taste.. And crushed ANTS of course!!!