How to distinguish the different flavors of cigars?

[thinhouse]

I’ve only been smoking for 3 months and I have a hard time finding the taste of cigars. I can tell earthiness, creamy, and spices. What is the best way to distinguish the different flavors? I currently like medium cigars.

[Stogiefanatic182]

smoke different types of cigars to find ones you like, relax and concentrate on the cigar when you smoke it, and dont rush it. Let the smoke stay on your palate for a few seconds before exhaling. Trying to pick up flavors is really hard and it comes from practice.

[TheSmokingHiker]

Smoke plenty of cigars, and make sure you are taking the time to enjoy it.

[RJT]

In one word..experience. It takes time and alot of cigars to start to get individual flavors out of a cigar. Even then after all the ones I have smoked I still dont taste, pencil lead, cashews, olive brine, and all the other things that some "tasters" will say they taste. RJT

[Hoppy]

Give it time. When you first start, most cigars just taste like smoke, but as your palate becomes more developed you start picking out different nuances of flavor. That being said you don't have to define the taste...if you like it, you like it!! Just have fun!!

[12stones]

Not to mention that such subtle nuances of flavor will change with every person because of the differences in taste buds. What's sour to me may not be sour to you, etc. My earthiness may be your oak. So, as the others said, relax, enjoy your cigar, figure out what you like in taste and don't, and smoke lots!

[WetExit]

I am in the same place you are, relatively speaking. Have been smoking for just over a year, half of that was "blind" as I had noone to share, talk to. I was given this recommendation several months ago:

smoke a cigar without reading a flavor description. While smoking, jot down some things that stand out to you. It may be something like the following:
-nice looking wrapper
-tastes similar to the (such and such a cigar) I had two days ago
-first half went by fast, last half took longer to smoke

Doing this helped me differentiate between cigars and after a while you can look back, see how your tastes have changed or developed or even compare a certain cigar to the first time you smoked one. I smoked a Maria Guerrero a couple weeks ago, wrote a little thing about it when I finished and discovered that I had smoked the same thing about six months earlier (and forgot I tried it) I read what I wrote six months ago, and was surprised to see that I wrote a nearly identical review...I don't know, it's fun.

When you feel yourself relax into the smoke, and the stress of the day or whatever begins to fade you can start to pay close attention to the cigar.
It is at this point, personally, that I'm able to pick up hints of things--- I still can't define them, couldn't tell you if its Oak or cedar, or five year old blackberry currant fermented in the sweat of virgins, BUT I can tell its different and that makes it a more interesting smoke for me.

Get your other senses involved as well. I come close to molesting the poor things. I gently carress the wrapper, sniff it, look at it real close, taste it before I light it, etc. I continue this for the whole smoke...for what it's worth.

Just my

[Rituxumab]

Excellent question.

Being a newbie myself, I too have invested much thought and practice concerning this topic. However, unlike your self, I have been afraid to come forward and ask.

I know I should not hesitate to ask because the folks on this board are benevolent towards newbie inquiries, and often seem happy to help.

I'll enjoy reading the responses and would like to thank you for being brave enough to pose the question.



Regards,
Shawn