Aroma at Cold

[Geaux]

Does pungent aroma at cold mean great flavors are sure to follow? Conversely, does weak aroma at cold mean weak flavored cigar? Is it a rule with exceptions? Is it rarely true? Is it a good or poor indicator of quality tobacco?

 

What amount of aroma influences your buying decision?

[TheGipper]

Is this pretentious phrase referring to the pre-light draw, or the full box aroma?

[El Presidente]

Aroma at cold is important to me when it comes to new boxes. 

If the aroma at cold is ammonia, I avoid at all cost.  

I like Montecristo, Partagas, Ramon Allones to have a rich aroma at cold . Along with barnyard I would want to see present aspects of  cocoa, sharp spice, coffee, fruit. dry grass. Not  all of these characteristics will be present in each box. Cohiba has a unique aroma a cold. To some extent they each do.  

Faced to choose between two boxes of roughly equal appearance, i would make the decision based on aroma at cold. 

 

 

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, TheGipper said:

Is this pretentious phrase referring to the pre-light draw, or the full box aroma?

My answer was referring to full box aroma. 

May I ask why "pretentious phrase?"  

[TheGipper]

Could be I think it's pretentious because I'm not Australian.

'Round here we say "full box aroma".

[TheGipper]

And actually, taking the denotation of this phrase seriously for just a second...

Often in the winter when I pull a newly landed delivery out of the mailbox, it's literally cold, being typically rainy Oregon.  When I smell a box immediately in that state, it will often be pretty subdued, aroma-wise.  But once it's up to room temperature, it can have a much more impressively strong aroma.

So I guess I'm confused by the word "cold" and if there's a denotative significance to that, or if this is just a term of art.

[El Presidente]

Just now, TheGipper said:

So I guess I'm confused by the word "cold" and if there's a denotative significance to that, or if this is just a term of art.

Cold to me denotes pre light.  

Draw at cold is just that.  Aroma at cold is when the box is opened in natural circumstances.  I am not aware of any definitions however. 

[Geaux]

Dude - "Full box aroma"? What kinda elitest snoby crap is that? Obviously from the Left Coast.... Down south we just say "Oooowie - dat right der is a dem fine smell through my breath holes outta dat box" 

 

Yeah, soory I wasn't overly clear. I was meaning the smell of full box. And I wonder if the aroma of the full box can really tell you anything about the flavor of the smoke to come... and how frequently it is a proper indicator.

[TheGipper]

17 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Aroma at cold is when the box is opened in natural circumstances.

This is good, I understand it now!  I am doing my best to learn this strange language spoken in the former British Commonwealth nations. 

I don't dare ask what the "unnatural circumstances" would be. 

 

Okay, giving my personal opinion on the question asked...a strong aroma usually doesn't disappoint in the quality of the smoke.  However, lack of strong aroma is no guarantee of a poor box, either.  Some of the best boxes I've ever had were completely underwhelming in aroma.

I recall one 2003 Montecristo No 1 box that was so flat smelling I almost sent it back.  Just no smell at all, it seemed like the paper in the box had a stronger smell.  And yet it turned out to be one of the top 5 all time boxes for me.  So you never know.

I think our host also hits upon a key point...an ammonia note is a pretty reliable indicator of a box not to dip into at the moment.

[CTMATL]

I haven't noticed a difference in actual smoke quality between them, but I definitely enjoy the entire experience as a whole more when the cold aroma is fantastic. Nothing better than a strong cold aroma, followed by a great cold draw before a long relaxing smoke!

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Instead of using the term "aroma at cold", others (including yours truly) say bouquet.  When my cigars have a bouquet of New Zealand bush honey, I am usually in for a treat, taste- and aroma-wise.  Even Havanas with a subdued bouquet can deliver a fantastic smoking experience.  Most NCCs I've come across lack that distinctive Cuban-style bouquet, once again demonstrating that they are poor cousins of the real thing.

[dicko]

I personally haven't found a huge connection between aroma at cold and smoking flavour.

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[Hurltim]

The wifey ends up opening most of the boxes I get delivered when I work out of town. I love it when she sends me a text saying “I can smell these through the package wrapper!” 

[awkwardPause]

I often wonder if a pungent cold aroma has anything to do with an initial high moisture content in the stick, which then dissipates during acclimatization to a relatively lower humidity level of many's home storage conditions (compared to supplier/distributor/producers aging room or humidor). I find that even very recent (2017) boxes lose quite a bit of that powerful aroma after a couple of weeks in my 62% RH storage containers, compared to when I receive them from a vendor, which seems to be the case nearly across the board. Maybe those aromas initially come "along for the ride" when the cigar is losing moisture content when going to lower RH environment? My *guess* is that cold aroma doesn't affect taste much one way or another, since the flavors of a cigar may not be directly linked (or at least not significantly) to volatile compounds coming off a cold cigar, but more with oils/organic matter contained within the leaf that becomes volatile when set to fire. Maybe this explains why there seems to be a lack of consensus on cold aroma contributing to overall smoking experience. I honestly have no idea, though, but have considered this before and I'm certain there are many others more qualified to discuss this on the forum.

 

Regardless, I love the ritual of opening up a box for the first time and everything that comes along with that, but especially that barnyard/fresh cut hay aroma. Ahhh...

Cheers.