Silly Cigar Taste Spectrum Hypothetical

[Doctorossi]

You're trying to convince a non-cigar-person buddy of the range and breadth of flavors that can be found in cigars. Your friend has agreed to try three cigars of your choosing in order to give your thesis a hearing.

Which three cigars do you bring your cigar-newbie pal to best express the variety of tastes available in the entire cigar category?

[Puros Y Vino]

All palates are different. You can bring him 3 very different cigars and he could not make out much of a difference, thereby vindicating his position.    But, for the sake of "science". I'd suggest the following.

• Trinidad Reyes. Very soft, sweet bready flavours.
• H Upmann Mag 50. Medium bodied.  Baking spice.  Cinnamon. Cedar.
• RyJ Cazadores.  Full bodied.  Dark cherry. Cedar. Earth. 

If you do this in one sitting.  I'd go with the order above.

[99call]

I think the key is dependability.  i.e. which cigars ring starkly profiled flavour bells, but do it day in day out.    It would be sad if you were describing something, and that individual cigar on the day, just didn't show it. 

I would go:

Partagas Presidente, BBF, Party 898= to show case the unusual side of cigars,  the earthy, the Umami, the power etc

QDO Coronas Claro = Just a fabulous cigar, but also shows off how a cigar can present flavour notes you just wouldn't expect from a smoking experience. i.e.  Porridge oats, buttery pastry, cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar, orange peel.        For people who think smoking is a filthy smelly habit, cigars like this are a real eye opener to how refined the experience can be. 

Monte Petit Edmundo/ Especial No 2  =    Chocolate, coffee and cream.    I would pick these cigars, as the flavours really do present themselves.   It's not a touch of this, or a hint of that.   The flavours are starkly present, and it may be a good starting point. 

I think R&J is actually the most impressive, (when you get a proper Turkish delight rosewater bomb)  but just happens far too infrequently for me. 

 

 

[Meesterjojo]

Cohiba Nicaragua- laugh all you want, but I've had very decent experiences with these. If warm had a taste or smell it would be this. I have none on hand currently, and only smoked them like once or twice a year until I took smoking back up in the last year. There's something about these that surprise me. I'm curious, though, how my impression may have changed now that I'm mostly all CC.

Trinidad Coloniales- these are my favorite at the moment next to upmann offerings. I can't describe the flavors properly as it mostly smell for me, but they're absolutely wonderful and make the synapses in my brain shoot multiple directions. 

RyJ short Churchill- there's something light and fruity about these at times. Again, it's mostly smell for me since taste is almost gone, but as the closest thing with something citrus I find it a novelty.

 

Runners up would have been PG petite corona but all I taste in every pg now is mildew, barring my issue with that they're a perfect cigar in my opinion. Upmann mag 50 because they're just so good. Whereas I believe a Trinidad can be appreciated right off, I'm not certain an upmann can without some ground work. Just about any AVO- always flawless construction, tasty, makes me think of an upgraded davidoff.

[Doctorossi]

1 hour ago, Meesterjojo said:

laugh all you want, but I've had very decent experiences with these

They don't have to be good, though. Remember, we're not trying to sell this friend on cigars, just show the variety of flavors.

1 hour ago, Meesterjojo said:

all I taste in every pg now is mildew

That's Kelner for you.  😄

[Thirdcoastwatch]

Most of the people who are interested in trying cigars often complain of the horrible taste in their mouths the next morning (or two).   99.99% of the time they have only had ligero-heavy strong AF (or cheap) Non-CC sticks that are prevalent in the stores in the US.   But hey, the names and bands are shiny and cool.  For this reason, I’d start with:

-Epicure No 2 or Hoyo Double Corona to demonstrate light can still be flavorful.  Barely a whisper on the palate the next day. 

-Next, I’d show them the shortbread/Upmann side of things:   HUHC or Sir Winston 

-Third, I’d give them an aroma bomb in Cohiba.    Coronas Especiales or Esplendidos.    

-Last, I’d stage an intervention because they will be spending all of their children’s inheritances on 24:24    

Hopefully these three would blow their minds.  I usually get people excited about Cubans with Epi 2 and proceed from there.  
 

 

[Meklown]

On 8/19/2021 at 1:43 AM, 99call said:

QDO Coronas Claro  

Monte Petit Edmundo/ Especial No 2 

Monte and QD were both that popped in my mind immediately too. 

Maybe a Hoyo to highlight the cream and spice

[Chas.Alpha]

Bolivar PC- Cocoa/coffee

R&J Cazadores- Cherry and wood

RASS- Earth, mushroom and tobacco.

Of course, if he doesn’t like a good smoke anyways, just pick something up at the local gas station...

[cigcars]

     *I'm not going to waste my beloved Cubans on a novice who doesn't know jack. I'll give him some reasonable quality  NC's.  And I've experienced some cigar smokers who've had more regard and enjoyment out of NC Hondurans and such rather than the really premium more expensive smokes I've been aging.