I hear the term Floral

[El Presidente]

This is part of an e-mail I received this morning and would love to have your input. While I have responded I will shoot him a link to this thread in order that he receives a broader set of opinions.

"........the term "floral" I hear used to describe a feature of a cigar. You and ken have used it occasionally in your own reviews. I am confused as to whether it relates to aroma or flavor or both?

If it relates to flavor, how is "floral" defined...what does it taste like? Which cigars have this feature on a consistent basis? Are they only aged cigars or can you get this feature in young cigars? "

[Ken Gargett]

i saw the headline. i assumed this was about your shirts.

[alloy]

The Cohiba Pirimides Extra that I have smoked tastes floral. Like if you were smoking a flower. Quite different than the rest of the marca.

[mk05]

'02 LGC #3

pre '98 Partagas D4

RyJ Prince of Wales (and Clemenceau apparently) and several other Briones Montoto brands that I can't think of

pre '98 Upmann #2

pre '98 Monte #2

'13 Monte Double Edmundo

All different types of floral/perfume.

[...]

I've had it in a few psd4 over the years. Sometimes near the middle, sometimes right at the nub. Never consistently. It can be a definite taste, an aroma through the nose or a mix of both. I might be weird but I love it when it is combined with a spicy flavor

[Lant63]

For me floral and perfume is different. Te taste of floral is what I picture eating flowers would be like. The marca I think of is ERDM. ERDM is my least favorite marca and I own exactly 0 cigars of them. Usually I try and stay clear of cigars that are known to be floral in this way. I am a big fan of the perfume/honey flavor found in LGC though.

[Colt45]

All different types of floral/perfume.

Perfume was what came immediately to mind. For me it can be aromatic, but most often that would be pre-light. As for the taste aspect, I can only describe it as tasting as flowers might smell. Perfumey. No particular cigar comes to mind, at least any which exhibit the trait regularly.

[DWC]

I have a box of LHdM du Depute that maybe one out of 4 cigars tastes of strong perfume. Almost like the roller freshened up her perfume while mid roll. It's a bit random but I figured I'd mention it.

Not at all like what I consider floral.

[mncz]

Couldn't really characterize it much better than has been done already. Any aroma or taste that is reminiscent of a flower (to you) can be called floral. It doesn't quite matter what type of flower – "floral" is a rather blanketing term. (A florist deals in many types of flowers.) You can be more specific than that and say "floral on the nose – predominantly rose".

Often when a tasting boasts floral characteristics not specific to one single flower, I will use the term "floral bouquet" (much like the literal term, this describes the smell of a collection of flowers in the aroma or taste).

These are not just cigar terms. In defining your language for scent and flavor, you are writing the dictionary of your palate.

edit: For me, perfume differs from floral. There are floral perfumes. These often bring me back to memories of older women throughout my life and especially childhood and yet they are distinctly "floral perfume" – not floral. Perfume has a slightly intoxicating quality to it. What attests to this assertion is that although the terms "floral" and "perfume" are not mutually exclusive, they can stand alone as productive descriptors. There are plenty of perfumes that have no floral aspect to them.

[Habana Mike]

For me it's Granny purse!

Typically do get more floral/perfume notes in cigars with a few years on them. Aroma, bouquet, cold draw more so than the smoke itself.

[MIKA27]

Some R&J cigars such as short Churchill come to mind for floral as do some Punch such as Royal selection lines.

There are more but in essence, I agree with all who have posted above.

[SaintLuis]

Agree perfume would be a different description for me.

I would call it a brighter, more intersting organic aroma/taste than grass but more one dimensional than herbal (though it wouldnt be unusual to experience both together).

On an aside, im concerned with the percentage of FOH posters who are actively smelling old ladies.

-Saint

[khamy]

La flor de cano Regional AP and por larranaga petit corona have been described to me as having strong floral notes.

When i smoke these cigars, what i get is hints of sherbet in terms of taste and the aroma is that of musk (or granny purse as someone mentioned above) so consequently when i get these sensory responses that's my go to adjective.

Reading what i have just written, i guess its possible to say the blind has led the blind in this mini search for truth.

[Skyfall]

I am constantly on a mission in search of the "floral" taste. The 2 main cigars that are stuck in my head that will forevermore be the biggest floral bombs I've had are:
2009 Dip 2's the whole box
2013 Cohiba PE's

When I taste floral as the defining flavor profile it is always predominantly lavender and violets. I have compared it before to the way high end English shaving cream smells and lingers on your senses, taking me back to sitting in my grandad's lap after he just shaved. There are a few lavender and violet scented creams currently out of London that are spot on for this. I love it. I can't get enough of it!!!

[Laynard]

For me, it's what my uncle's flower warehouse smelled like. It's slightly pungent and dank, but not in a moldy basement sense. There is also a sweetness to it. I think it's hard to explain the specifics, this being it's own term. But yeah, a flower warehouse. Not the shop but rather where the flowers are grown, harvested and stored.

[Laynard]

This double post is brought to you courtesy of Tapatalk.

[polarbear]

When people ask me about "floral" notes I often use the same description as I do when talking about "leather" notes

I describe floral as tasing like pot puree smells like. I know thats not a grea description but its how leather was described to me early in my smoking days

"In a cigar, Leather tastes like what a new pair of leather shoes smell like"

[Smallclub]

These are not just cigar terms. In defining your language for scent and flavor, you are writing the dictionary of your palate.

edit: For me, perfume differs from floral.

Agreed with both entries. A wine can have "flowery notes" ("des notes florales" in french). With cigars it's often a reminder of pot-pourri.

Perfume notes are a completely different issue, in a cigar they're more often a defect rather than a feature.

[BlueDevil07]

Floral flavors come across like beer hops when I taste them.

[Habana Mike]

Based on how perfumes are generally classified: Citrus, Floral, Fruity, Green, Musky, Oceanic, Oriental, Spicy and Woody I'd say that certain smells/tastes associated with cigars that are floral (or citrusy, musky, woody, etc.) could be considered also perfumy....not always as a defect though I have had cigars with an off-putting perfume note to them.

[maxcjs0101]

I get floral tasting cigars on 2013 Juan Lopez No.2s quite consistently.

[Andrew11]

For me I get floral from mild cigars where the pepper and spice are none existent. HdM DC threw the retro hale is where I've noticed it the most. Like everyone says tastes like what a flower might be like.

[earthson]

"Floral" to me represents the aroma (and sometimes flavor) that I associate with a bunch of dried flowers - specifically the smell from a bunch of dried wild azaleas (which the mid-Tennessee hills are rife with in May).

I find it reliably in well-aged Nicaraguan tobacco, although it seems to pop up as well as a background note in some of the more complex CCs

[ImTripN2]

Perfume notes are a completely different issue, in a cigar they're more often a defect rather than a feature.

I can relate to that. I have had several cigars over the years that tasted like cheap hand lotion.

[stigmata]

For me Qd'O have floral notes in aroma and taste