Hints of pepper, notes of spice....

Sweetleaf69

As a newbie to ciger smoking, this is something I would really like to understand. I have searched it out but haven't quite seemed to put it to rest. When we refer to pepper I assume we are refering to black pepper. Something with the taste of pepper that can leave a slight burning sensation on the tip or down the center of the tongue. Spice, however, seems a little more confusing. Aside from the obvious, burning the sides of tongue and the back of the throat like a good chile, does it not also refer to flavors such as cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg and such? This would also lead me to ask how much of this spice is appropriate? I know certain tobaccos can inherently add to this experience, but too much spice seems (to me) to lesson the overall experience. This leaves me to feel (in my very limited exposure) to consider the overall condition of the cigar itself. Is it too dry? Have I smoked it too fast? Is the pull too hard? Is it burning too hot? Sometimes I can set a cigar down for a bit and the next pull will be absent the spicey hit. To me this is a very confusing aspect to the smoke. If any longtimers here wish to wane poetic on this subject, I am all ears and ready to learn..

james40

This might help.
http://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/11121.aspx

catfishbluezz

In regard to pepper, I find four types. Black pepper is one, then you have white pepper which if you try the too are significantly different in taste. I cook with white pepper all the time, and black pepper as well, so am well versed on the difference. Red pepper is another, and it is very distinct in the heat of the burn, likened to the red pepper flakes you'd put on a pizza. Green pepper can be one of two things, mild heat such as an anaheim, or sweet grassy heat like a green bell.

Most of the times these pepper and spicy cigars are going to be Nicaraguan as opposed to Dominican. I agree too much spice lessons the experience, which is why I lean towards Dominican profiles and prefer very little Nicaraguan cigars without a year or so down. As far as the spice coming in and out, that happens, and provides to the complexity of a cigar IMO, or it means you might be smoking it too fast and once it cools the spice is subsiding.

As far as the spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cumin, etc..., these can all be present in the profile. The way I note them when smoking a cigar, is I wait for what i think is a note, drink ice water, and determine over several draws if the note is defined or randomly reminding my brain of something. I cook all the time, and have a diverse spice rack, so I grasp the tastes and smells that are familiar to my kitchen, and many times have come inside to smell a spice, liquor, flavor, etc... Hope this helps

Sweetleaf69

Excellent reply, sir! I think the 'flavorwheel' in the link James provided offered a distinction between 'pungency' and 'pepper', catagorically (assuming both are hot to the tongue). Also very interesting...

kuzi16

james40:

This might help.
http://www.cigar.com/cs/forums/thread/11121.aspx

awe thanks....