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Complexities of taste

SalemSalem Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 717
I've smoked 3 cigars so far. They really did taste similar to each other. I mainly tasted tobacco flavor. I know in some descriptions of cigars, that there are many more tastes to fine cigars, like leather, or cocoa, and a vast array of other tastes. I want that. I want to taste all the flavors. Is this acquired or am I taste bud deficient? :)

Comments

  • jlmartajlmarta Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,440
    Salem:
    I've smoked 3 cigars so far. They really did taste similar to each other. I mainly tasted tobacco flavor. I know in some descriptions of cigars, that there are many more tastes to fine cigars, like leather, or cocoa, and a vast array of other tastes. I want that. I want to taste all the flavors. Is this acquired or am I taste bud deficient? :)


    I've been smoking cigars for a few years, now, and I don't taste those things, either. I'm told one must develop their palate but I think mine must be developmentally disabled.

    Give it time. It'll come to you. At least that's what they say.
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 908
    Salem:
    I've smoked 3 cigars so far. They really did taste similar to each other. I mainly tasted tobacco flavor. I know in some descriptions of cigars, that there are many more tastes to fine cigars, like leather, or cocoa, and a vast array of other tastes. I want that. I want to taste all the flavors. Is this acquired or am I taste bud deficient? :)
    "Taste" is a very individualized phenomena
    Read Kuzi's piece on developing your palette
    Those cigars may in fact have been alike??
    It takes time, even if you do have a refined palette.

    My palette is a bit rough (multiple broken noses, nose surgery, 40 years of cold water surfing, etc.) - I don't detect nearly all the flavors that some do, but I can detect coffee, leather, chocolate, "sweetness", sometimes a nutty flavor of sorts, and GOOD tobacco flavor.....there's plenty of tobacco that's not good, and I tell the difference.
    As Kuzi will say.......keep practicing......

  • DirewolfDirewolf Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,493
    The tastes are a subjective thing. My experience being a home brewer helps me pull different influences on beers. I can use that to help me seperate the different flavor parts in a smoke. I also use the reviews from the guys here and see what they are saying and if I can decern that flavor.
  • lcpleellcpleel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,447
    I think it takes time to figure out the flavors. I would try drinking milk while smoking and take it really slow with puffs every minute or so. At first its hard to tell whats what. As you smoke more and more youll get a taste that hits you and makes you think of something. Youve tried 3 cigars so far so try 3 others and compare with each other. I read a lot of Kuzi's posts and try to compare with him. Dont be stressed about it and keep in mind as long as your relaxed and enjoying your time nothing matters.
  • camgfscamgfs Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 967
    It does take time. I find that I've always been able to "retrohale" or however you spell that. It's the method of blowing just some of the smoke out of the nose as well as the mouth at the same time, without inhaling the smoke. This brings out sensations that you will not get by blowing the smoke out of your mouth. Too much smoke out the nose is not a good thing either....you'll see!

    I have been able to pick up on things from orange peel (citrus kind of notes) to apple, pepper and such. The nose will pick up on spice, earth, leather, wood (cedar and oak are the most common for me). It helps if you've been exposed to the smells of wood and earth and leather to know what they are.

    I also find that when a review refers to "sweet", they don't always mean sugar. Coffee notes are not sweet at all, but not bitter either.

    You can let the smoke sit in your mouth for a bit, even push it around with your tongue and cheeks before blowing it out. This will also help cool the smoke when blowing some of it out your nose (start with only a little bit out the nose to get used to it if you can). Different foods eaten before a cigar may or may not help in detecting flavours (pardon my Canadian spelling). A rich steak will compliment a strong cigar while fish and whine may compliment lighter bodied sticks. In time you will get to know the difference. Just a few cigars is a starting point, and it will develop over time

  • Shaun.Harrison87Shaun.Harrison87 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,971
    camgfs:
    It does take time. I find that I've always been able to "retrohale" or however you spell that. It's the method of blowing just some of the smoke out of the nose as well as the mouth at the same time, without inhaling the smoke. This brings out sensations that you will not get by blowing the smoke out of your mouth. Too much smoke out the nose is not a good thing either....you'll see!

    I have been able to pick up on things from orange peel (citrus kind of notes) to apple, pepper and such. The nose will pick up on spice, earth, leather, wood (cedar and oak are the most common for me). It helps if you've been exposed to the smells of wood and earth and leather to know what they are.

    I also find that when a review refers to "sweet", they don't always mean sugar. Coffee notes are not sweet at all, but not bitter either.

    You can let the smoke sit in your mouth for a bit, even push it around with your tongue and cheeks before blowing it out. This will also help cool the smoke when blowing some of it out your nose (start with only a little bit out the nose to get used to it if you can). Different foods eaten before a cigar may or may not help in detecting flavours (pardon my Canadian spelling). A rich steak will compliment a strong cigar while fish and whine may compliment lighter bodied sticks. In time you will get to know the difference. Just a few cigars is a starting point, and it will develop over time

    I had heard that fish will ruin your palate for smoking, up until 36hours after...unless you eat almonds after the meal I have heard horror stories of the fish oils staying in your mouth and mixing with the smoke and being extremely unpleasant.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Takes time and the only flavors I can really pick out are cocoa, coffee and pepper. Even then it's usually just a hint. But I don't dwell on trying to destinguish flavors. I either like the cigar or I don't.
  • camgfscamgfs Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 967
    Shaun.Harrison87:
    I had heard that fish will ruin your palate for smoking, up until 36hours after...unless you eat almonds after the meal I have heard horror stories of the fish oils staying in your mouth and mixing with the smoke and being extremely unpleasant.
    Really? I'm a big fish eater (cause I catch 'em I guess) and I've never had a problem. Before I enjoyed my PSD4 I'd actually snacked on some smoked whitefish and smoked rainbow trout and it gave me no issues whatsoever with my cigar. I actually thought it was quite nice.
    I've eaten Norther Pike, Speckle trout, Walleye (We call it Pickerel up here), Lake trout and others when out camping and always have a cigar/day or more (out camping). That's the first time I hear of fish ruining the palate for a cigar.

    For me, I'd have to say it's not true. For others, maybe so.

  • dbeckomdbeckom Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,807
    KingoftheCove:
    Salem:
    I've smoked 3 cigars so far. They really did taste similar to each other. I mainly tasted tobacco flavor. I know in some descriptions of cigars, that there are many more tastes to fine cigars, like leather, or cocoa, and a vast array of other tastes. I want that. I want to taste all the flavors. Is this acquired or am I taste bud deficient? :)
    "Taste" is a very individualized phenomena
    Read Kuzi's piece on developing your palette
    Those cigars may in fact have been alike??
    It takes time, even if you do have a refined palette.

    My palette is a bit rough (multiple broken noses, nose surgery, 40 years of cold water surfing, etc.) - I don't detect nearly all the flavors that some do, but I can detect coffee, leather, chocolate, "sweetness", sometimes a nutty flavor of sorts, and GOOD tobacco flavor.....there's plenty of tobacco that's not good, and I tell the difference.
    As Kuzi will say.......keep practicing......

    Here's the link to kuzi's thread on Developing Your Palate
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,144
    Something that I found, Cigars don't like a "clean mouth". I have smoked cigars in the morning after brushing and mouthwash, the cigars tasted awful.
  • lcpleellcpleel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,447
    kaspera79:
    Something that I found, Cigars don't like a "clean mouth". I have smoked cigars in the morning after brushing and mouthwash, the cigars tasted awful.
    blame that on your toothpaste. when you use toothpaste and smoke right after its really not a clean palate is it?
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,144
    lcpleel:
    kaspera79:
    Something that I found, Cigars don't like a "clean mouth". I have smoked cigars in the morning after brushing and mouthwash, the cigars tasted awful.
    blame that on your toothpaste. when you use toothpaste and smoke right after its really not a clean palate is it?
    I know what you mean, maybe some serious rinsing with club soda would do the trick.
  • JDHJDH Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,107
    Salem:
    I've smoked 3 cigars so far. They really did taste similar to each other. I mainly tasted tobacco flavor. I know in some descriptions of cigars, that there are many more tastes to fine cigars, like leather, or cocoa, and a vast array of other tastes. I want that. I want to taste all the flavors. Is this acquired or am I taste bud deficient? :)
    Wine connoisseurs don't just wake up one day and know all about the flavors found in well made wine - it takes practice. Learning to appreciate premium cigars is much the same. I've been enjoying cigars now for about 6 years, and I'm just begining to develop the ability to discern some of the more predominant flavors (other than just "tobacco") - coffee, chocolate, cedar, ect, so I guess it's an acquired, or learned ability that requires practice, and a devotion to good, well cured and aged tobacco.

    You might want to keep a journal - some cigars smokers do that - and jot down their impressions while smoking, or just after. I've never done that, but lots of guys do, and my guess is that those with the more perceptive palates have done it at one time or another.
  • DirewolfDirewolf Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,493
    Remember saurkraut is not a recommended palate cleanser
  • JDHJDH Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,107
    Direwolf:
    Remember saurkraut is not a recommended palate cleanser
    No, but it sure tastes good with a well made nut brown ale and bratwurst.
  • DirewolfDirewolf Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,493
    JDH:
    Direwolf:
    Remember saurkraut is not a recommended palate cleanser
    No, but it sure tastes good with a well made nut brown ale and bratwurst.
    oh damn...you had to go there..i know what lunch is tomorrow
  • JDHJDH Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,107
    Direwolf:
    JDH:
    Direwolf:
    Remember saurkraut is not a recommended palate cleanser
    No, but it sure tastes good with a well made nut brown ale and bratwurst.
    oh damn...you had to go there..i know what lunch is tomorrow
    On Christmas Eve? Well, here's to the best nut brown ale you can find, then! Too bad it isn't one of mine, 'cause once you've had my nut brown ale you're ruined for all others.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    im pretty sure you guys got it all covered.

    i would like to stress one more time that keeping a journal is HUGE in palate development.

    ...and remember when you eat food, drink beverages, smell the air around you, to actively smell and taste them. always do your best to identify flavors and smells in your daily life.
  • dowjr1dowjr1 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 600
    Lets be honest here though...doesn't almost everything go well with a good Brat? Yeah the old clean mouth bc I just brushed thing was funny. That would be like trying to taste wine after rinsing with mouthwash. Yeah I like reading about what others think about a specific smoke to see if I find them in the stick. Other times I just fire one up and then see what others thought AFTER I smoke it. Both are fun.
  • SalemSalem Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 717
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