I dont know my own strength

[TheCoach]

I'm fairly new to smoking cigars (3 years), and I started out with what I could get my hands on at my local B&M. For about the first year, the spectrum of cigars I smoked was all over the place with no rhyme or reason. In my mind I wanted to find that "perfect cigar" that fit me and that I loved. After being shoved my last "bargain 5 pack" I was at the end of my rope. And then it happened, I found FOH, I've learned a ton on here and developed my palate, but one thing I still cant differentiate to save my life is the strength or body of the cigar. I watch reviews and there seems to be a criteria for "just under medium", "medium bodied", "full bodied", "medium to full bodied" and I haven't picked up on the indicators of smoking a cigar that give that information (almost immediately it seems) to most of you guys on here when you give reviews. What am I missing?

[StingMeadery]

Your first dose of nicotine poisioning maybe...?

Quickly defines what "fuller bodied cigars" entail, especially where improperly approached...ie on an empty stomache etc

When your head starts spinning you will know what I mean !

[alloy]

Coach, smoke a Camacho at Shelly's with a nice scotch. You'll see what "full-bodied" means If you can finish it. Then you may be able to judge the different body-ness (?). HTTR!!!

[TheCoach]

Coach, smoke a Camacho at Shelly's with a nice scotch. You'll see what "full-bodied" means If you can finish it. Then you may be able to judge the different body-ness (?). HTTR!!!

Will Do! As long as you meet me there when I do, I might need a wingman for when I keel over.... HTTR BABY!!!

[potpest]

Compare chalk and cheese one day. Smoke a Hoyo DC and youll get a light bodied creamy smoke. Then compare it to something like a Partagas D4 which is full bodied spicy and rich. Once you've recognised the difference between full and light smoke something medium like a Punch Punch which fits in between, it will start out lighter in body than a D4 (medium) and gravitate towards medium full at the finish.

Generally brands can be categorised by body:

Full: Partagas, Bolivar, Ramon Allones

Medium Full: Montes, Juan Lopez, Cohiba

Medium: Punch, RYJ

Medium to Light: Upmann, ERDM, San Cristobal

Light: Hoyo, Rafael Gonzalez, Quai D'orsay

Of course there are different vitolas within those brands which span across different categories of body. Individual palates will also give different opinions on the body of a cigar; as it's all objective at the end of the day.

[mikek]

One thing full body and full flavour are two seprate things! A med. body cigar can be full flavour,as in say A Monte #2,if you like the nicotene kick, A Camacho tripple Maduro,comes to mind,alot of Nicaraguans have strong ligaro leaf which amps up the body.Alot of people get sick on these cigars,especialy on A empty stomach!

[Smallclub]

I know it will sound funny and bizarre to some of you but, seriously, listen to your body!

Compare the impact on your body of a BIG puff taken from a Quai d'Orsay corona or a Fonseca No.1, to that from a PSD4, young RASS, or RyJ Cazadore.

Then, drink a shot of scotch or bourbon or rum, and follow it immediately with a puff from your light cigar – try to detect any flavor from the smoke

Do the same thing with your strong cigar – the smoke is much less altered…

etc. etc.

[ogus]

I would say smoke three HDM Epi 2 or some other milder smoke one day and

smoke three Partagas SD4 in one sitting and then tell me the difference after recovery.

[earthson]

Body to me has always been a term relating to the "density" of the flavors - i.e.: do the flavors taste "thick" or "thin." (Has nothing to do with the amount/complexity of flavors. That would be medium-flavored, full-flavored, etc.)

And then there's the strength level. And the whole NC rush to produce the strongest cigar with the fattest RG.

[madmarvcr]

I still remember my first camacho corojo. I really liked it, finished it in 45 mins. I was dizzy as heck

[Colt45]

For me, body is the feeling of the weight / density of the smoke on the palate. Strength more the feeling I get in the stomach or head. Of course, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and intensity of flavor can vary across the spectrum.

[MrGTO]

I started smoking cigars with Camachos and loved them. Still have a few in the cooler. I thought good cigars were suppose to be strong and have a full body. I then figured out ( when I discovers CC's) that a cigar could be tasty at either end of the spectrum! What a revelation!

I'm in the boat with you, I just know from experience now what to stay away from when I have an empty stomach.

Dizzy = full!

[Stogieninja]

Problem is, most publications/cigar catalogues seem to use the terms interchangeably, which drives me crazy.

There should be three terms:

1. Body - how thick, deep is the flavor. Like an iced mocha, when you first start vs later when it's watered down

2. Strength - how much nic kick, like how much caffeine is in the mocha.

3. Flavor - how strong is the flavor; like how many pumps of chocolate are in the mocha

Unfortunately, everyone uses "full-bodied" to describe any of those three characteristics, which is just lazy if you ask me!

[TheCoach]

Problem is, most publications/cigar catalogues seem to use the terms interchangeably, which drives me crazy.

There should be three terms:

1. Body - how thick, deep is the flavor. Like an iced mocha, when you first start vs later when it's watered down

2. Strength - how much nic kick, like how much caffeine is in the mocha.

3. Flavor - how strong is the flavor; like how many pumps of chocolate are in the mocha

Unfortunately, everyone uses "full-bodied" to describe any of those three characteristics, which is just lazy if you ask me!

Hence my confusion...

[Firebender]

Like comparing Pinot Noir vs. Merlot..

Light body flavors/notes are subtle and feels light.

Full body flavors/notes are strong, feels heavy and linger on you palatte.

I can pair Partagas, Bolivar, Ramon Allones with different drinks, and most of the time I can pick up the signature flavors/notes, but depending on which drinks I pair, I may/may not pick-up some flavors/notes from Hoyo, H. Upmann..