How to Taste Cigars - Developing the palate?

[QWKDTSN]

Hi guys. As a newbie smoker (about to turn 25 in a couple of months and only really picked up cigar smoking in the past few months, aside from a very occasional Swisher Sweet in my wild teens) I am curious what methods more experienced cigar smokers use to taste their stogies.

So far the best method I have found is to draw in a mouthful of smoke and then make a very small opening with my lips, and (stop me if this sounds odd) very gently inhale through that opening at the same time as I push the smoke out of my mouth by collapsing my cheeks - similar to the way wine snobs aerate the wine on their palate by drawing in a little air and mixing it with the wine in their mouth. (all in fun on the snobs bit - I appreciate that culture but am more of a beer geek )

I know the smell of smoke in the nose plays a part and I do appreciate the extra flavors I pick up through my nose while taking a draw. I have seen some recommendations to blow smoke out through the nose in a controlled way - I have only managed this on accident and didn't find the experience very pleasant. Do you do this as a part of your tasting or smoking experience?

Thanks for any tips you can provide!

[golfermd]

Most all of our "taste" is actually in the nose. Our taste buds can discern very few tastes on their own. I don't go through any rituals when discerning flavors. I might, on occasion, keep the puff in my mouth for a brief period to enjoy it...

[jledou]

Retro-hailing (blowing smoke back out your nose) is a good way to taste the cigar. Try it and you will find there are some where this is not pleasant and some that are fine. Another thing that I find myself doing is not breathing in through my nose at all once I start a cigar. Set it down for a little while breath in/out through your nose and then pick the cigar back up. You might find flavors that you have been missing.

[Cypress]

[madurolover]

A lot of non-Cuban cigars will burn your nose when you nose exhale. I think it is essential to do when smoking Cubans though. If you only exhale through the mouth you are missing many nuances of the cigar. I do it on both. Sometimes with the non-Cubans it is pleasant and sometimes not. If not then I cease doing it for that cigar. I usually nose exhale about every 5th puff.

I will draw the smoke into my mouth and let it linger in there for just a bit. I then let some of it just linger out by barely pushing it out with my tongue. I then exhale about 1/3 of the remaining smoke through my nose and then expell the rest through my mouth.

Here are some very good threads dealing with the nose exhale.

Nose Smoking

Tasting through the nose

Viva la Snorking! Also...how to nose smoke.

[Rubix^3]

Good advice on "retro-hailing" and "snorking".
I am still practicing my technique for olfactory maximization as well. If you are sensitive to nicotine, I would use those techniques sparingly though. I was encouraged to try this too a while back and I experimented with my nose exhaling form with a Tatuaje. It was an amazingly aromatic cigar that I was exploring for all its worth. I was probably pullin' on that thing too much, but with the addition of all the nose tasting, I got a serious nicotine buzz that almost put me over the edge. Just a warning; moderation. (Even a seasoned vet like ML here waits till every 5th puff...)

[SMOKE20]

Originally Posted by madurolover

A lot of non-Cuban cigars will burn your nose when you nose exhale. I think it is essential to do when smoking Cubans though. If you only exhale through the mouth you are missing many nuances of the cigar. I do it on both. Sometimes with the non-Cubans it is pleasant and sometimes not. If not then I cease doing it for that cigar. I usually nose exhale about every 5th puff.

I will draw the smoke into my mouth and let it linger in there for just a bit. I then let some of it just linger out by barely pushing it out with my tongue. I then exhale about 1/3 of the remaining smoke through my nose and then expell the rest through my mouth.

Here are some very good threads dealing with the nose exhale.

Nose Smoking

Tasting through the nose

Viva la Snorking! Also...how to nose smoke.

BINGO!!!!!!!!

[LightsOut]

Retrohaling will burn the crap out of those nose hairs. Careful with it. As mentioned throughout the thread, the amount of retrohaling you can do depends on the cigar and your tolerance.

[DSturg369]

Let's face it, some people just have bad or little-to-no taste buds left in 'em, but for everyone else, and fortunately most of us, as time passes and you smoke more and more cigars, you will begin to pick up the subtle nuances and differences in a quality cigar. My belief is that as this time passes, your tastes will automatically begin doing this. Very few (if any) can do this when starting out.

[ghost]

I feel the same way as Dsturg.

You may also want to check out this thread:

Refining Your Pallette

[Cigary]

Just from the sampling of the answers I think you will get the idea. Taste, like beauty is in the eye or nose of the beholder. If you like it then that is all you need.

[6clicks]

I've almost given up trying to discern some flavors in cigars. I just smoke what I enjoy. Some flavors are more than "hints" in certain smokes, but many are really subtle. Give it time. I'm getting better.

[jfserama]

I am horrible at discerning flavors, and really only get a "true" taste of the flavor 3-4 times a cigar. I find that I taste it best when I exhale a very little bit through my nose, then slowly exhale through my mouth while pushing the smoke out with my tongue. This seems to work best when it has sat in my mouth for a moment first. I also taste small puffs better, especially when I quickly exhale them (ie dont leave them in my mouth too long)

[DBCcigar]

Experience, Experience, Experience

[Arnie]

Patience is the key. When I first started smoking cigars I smoked a lot of Connecticut Shade wrapped cigars because I liked smoothness above most other qualities in a 'gar. When I started on maduros I noticed a big difference and I started to take note of what the flavors were like compared to one another. Little by little you find all of a sudden , hey! that tastes like coffee a little bit! Then I noticed, wow! cedar! After a while and with a little imagination you find you can identify different flavors in cigars. Nutmeg, orange, mint, anise, cherries, jasmine, on and on and on. Cubans are the best for that, all kinds of different tastes in a good Cuban sometimes.
Some cigars are one-trick ponies; they have one dominant taste. Others are more complex. Also, there will be times and under certain conditions you will not have a good experience tasting your cigar, don't worry.

Look, if you like beer, you probably can tell the difference between the taste of the malt and the hops; and can tell that lager, pilsner and ale all have different hops and malt styles and you will over time be able to identify one hop from another, and have a preference for some malt over another. Same with cigars.

Take your time, read some reviews and try the different nose exhales and inhales. You'll find a whole world of flavor will emerge.