Looking for some help from seasoned smokers.

[tom44]

Little back story...former cigarette and light cigar smoker that quit both 4 years ago. Recently started to get back into smoking cigars. So far, I have smoked the following cigars with very little satisfaction:

5 Vegas Gold, Centenario Classic Liga B, El Mejor Emarald Rubusto, Gurkha Sherpa Cafe Toro.

I read the post on here about smoking slow, breathing in through your nose, etc., but I am not experiencing anything but tobacco. So my question is do I need to try a fuller or more expensive(presumably better made) cigar to satisfy my pallette or am I expecting too much?

I liken the experience to drinking beer...Bud Light is fine but lacks the full taste and complexity of a micro brew or a fuller bodied beer. Does this analogy make sense?

I have a Oliva G Maduro, Oliva V, Padron Delicias Maduro, Tierra del Sol by Perdomo Corona Maduro, Slow-Aged by Perdomo Churchill, and Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Corona Maduro on the way. Are any of these more likely to do the trick? Sorry to be long winded.

All of the cigars I have smoked have been paired with Makers Mark and Coke Zero as that is the drink that I drink a lot. Thanks for all of your input.

[madurolover]

Seems to me that you may be expecting to taste the things that you see talked about. It actually takes some time to pick up the nuances of a cigars flavors. Basically you need to "train" your palate.

I would suggest forgetting about the MM and Coke Zero and try drinking cool water (Cold will numb your palate to a certain extent) with some lemon squeezed in since this will help to cleanse your palate while you smoke and won't mask the flavors you are trying to recognize.

Also, I hate to say it but could it be that you just don't really like the taste of cigars?

Good luck!

[SCS]

I liken the experience to drinking beer...Bud Light is fine but lacks the full taste and complexity of a micro brew or a fuller bodied beer. Does this analogy make sense?

That's an excellent analogy. I agree with MaduroLover though, try cool water. I'm a single malt scotch fan, and I know the flavor profile well of a few favorite brands. i still get a better tasting experience when I drink cool water with the cigar.

So my question is do I need to try a fuller or more expensive(presumably better made) cigar to satisfy my pallette or am I expecting too much?

The cigar brands you listed (except the El Mejor which may be very well made, but I have no first hand experience), are all well made, high quality cigars. They are milder though. You don't need to spend more money, but you may want to try something with fuller body.

I have a Oliva G Maduro, Oliva V, Padron Delicias Maduro, Tierra del Sol by Perdomo Corona Maduro, Slow-Aged by Perdomo Churchill, and Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Corona Maduro on the way. Are any of these more likely to do the trick? Sorry to be long winded.

All of them should provide a fuller flavor profile. Try them, and take your time. See what you like.

[Herf N Turf]

Originally Posted by madurolover

I would suggest forgetting about the MM and Coke Zero and try drinking cool water (Cold will numb your palate to a certain extent) with some lemon squeezed in since this will help to cleanse your palate while you smoke and won't mask the flavors you are trying to recognize.

+1 on the water.

Also remember, what youre smoking -is- tobacco. Some of ye olde guarde with whom Ive "trained" and smoke, are actually somewhat flumoxed by some of the adjectives and analogies used to describe cigars. They billigerentlty maintain that all they taste is fine tobacco. All the chocolate, leather, earth, nuts, wood, cinnamon, etc, descriptors, are abhorent to them.

I think we here tend to toss around terms that are familiar to us, in an effort to compare and give some reference to the nuances delivered by the tobacco. I (guilty as any) like to cook and I am also a chocolate fiend. These are flavors most familiar to me, so when tobacco tastes even remotely like them, that's where my brain goes.

If all you get is "tobacco" flavors, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Finally, I personally dont care for any of the cigars you listed that youve smoked. I really like some that you have coming. Give it time.

[Cigary]

x2 on the water and lemon. If you truly want to taste the nuances of the tobacco smoke you need to cleanse your palate repeatedly and nothing cleans it better than water and lemon. After so many years of smoking cigars for me I just drink those drinks that I like,,,I already know how it tastes and just sit back and enjoy.

[tx_tuff]

Give the Oliva Serie V a shot, if all you pick up is tobacco from that then you may be dead in the water LOL. Joking a little. Sounds to me like you need to do two things, "train" your palate, and find some fuller flavor smokes. Like I said the V should have more flavor then the others you have smoked so far. If you smoke some Nicaraguan tobacco cigars they tend to have more flavor to me. The Esteban Carreras Habano you can find in the 5 to 6 dollar range a stick, it has good flavor but will not over power a young smoker like a Pepin may do. Good luck!

[Snomoskier]

If you are looking for some in your face type flavors I suggest the following:

Padron X000 series, 601 Green, Don Pepin Black in the Perla size, Tatuaje VI Hermosos.

These are some of the most flavorful cigars I have tried. I hope that Slow Aged you have coming is a maduro. I love the maduros but the naturals that I got did not seem like it had the same quality filler and were pretty flat in flavor.

[Arnie]

You have a couple choices here. One is to continue to drink Maker's Mark and Coke with your cigars and move to stronger cigars. There are now about a billion strong smokes out there to choose from. However, if you are looking for nuances in your cigar remember that stronger cigars have a tendency to be less nuanced and more earthy/leathery in taste. Also, your drink of choice will change the taste of any cigar no matter the power level, so you would do well to experiment by smoking a few WITH your drink and trying a few with just cool, not cold, water. Also, I agree about a little lemon or lime in the water, but too much will alter the taste of the cigar, be careful.

Your other choice is to change your smoking habit so that you are able to taste the mild medium or strong cigars. This will mean that you no longer pair MM and Coke while smoking. Also, I find that smoking immediately after eating is a waste of time. The cigar just tastes like cardboard. I prefer to smoke before eating sometime in the afternoon or at night before bedtime.

Your third option is to combine all of the above. For instance: at times I like to smoke a maduro with a strong cup of coffee con leche. That alters the taste of the cigar AND the coffee. They both morph into a delicious mocha/smoky taste that I love. Sometimes I sip a shot of Anejo Tequila with a strong cigar. Sometimes I'll have a cup of sweet milky tea. All these things change the flavor of both the cigar and the beverage but they are both enhanced.

I've also found that fine chocolate and cigars don't mix for me. Or wine and cigars----YUCK!! Any spicy or acidic meals seem to ruin the taste of the cigars. Key Lime Pie???? Fuggettaboudit!! But Flan is pretty good. It takes a lot of experimentation to determine what combos you like.

Have fun with it, it's part of the great cigar experience!!!

[kansashat]

Exhale some smoke through your nose. I also French inhale cigar smoke without getting it into my lungs, but many do not seem to be able to do this, so just try waving the cigar under your nose & "taste" it that way.

If you aren't nose smoking, you aren't getting the full monte. Of course, some may disagree with my assessment.

I would also recommend that you try some better cigars. Perhaps Arturo Fuente, La Aurora, La Flor Dominicana, Don Pepin (the Vegas Cubana is a lighter Pepin), Cusano, Padilla...Cubans are nice too, of course. Oh yeah! Olivas too.

Good luck.

[ca21455]

1. It takes time.
2. Everyones tastes are different.

Get a feel for what a majority of reviewers are tasting in a cigar. Work on different those flavors until you find one you pick up. The first one that really struck me was green apples in the Ashton Aged Maduro.

Once you've been smoking awhile find some reviewers with similar taste to yours, you will find their reviews and advice valuable.

[baba]

I have smoked most of the cigars in your first list - and, I had the same reaction. The second list has better cigars - better flavor.