Cigar ratings etc

[OLBG464]

Cleanse the palate! Many prefer a swig of good brandy. Personally I like a shot of Padron or Tres Amigos.
What you eat or drink before a smoke can drastically change the flavors and scents. Some foods and drinks "wake up" your taste buds.
Also, I always eat or drink something before a smoke. Rarely does a cigar taste really good when I'm hungry. But then thats just me. I think a good order of indulgence would be: Sex, drink, food, cigar.

Agree. I prefer a nice scotch with my cigar, usually Johnnie Walker
If you don't want to drink alcohol you could always drink water, helps clean the palate without changing the flavors of your mouth.
Another good order would be: drink, sex, food, drink, cigar.

[derivation]

I would definitely take any review of a cigar from most of the major online cigar shops with a grain of salt, if you believe everything they say about the cigars you'd think each was rolled personally by Jesus in heaven. I've found most new cigars I like through word of mouth... most times when someone here suggested a cigar as being good it has been.

The topic of the way a cigar tastes is a pretty hot one, so you'll likely get different responses from different people.

My opinion is that 90-95% of a cigar tastes like tobacco, and in the rest you'll get subtle hints of other flavors like leather, chocolate, coffee, cream, grass (the kind you cut, not smoke), nuts, etc. But most of those flavors are very subtle and require time to discriminate. Certain cigars have distinct tastes to me (punch as being peppery/spicy for example), but they've only gotten that way after I've smoked a lot. Some cigars I smoke and don't get anything. In short, you're not missing anything if you don't pick up the tastes. There are a lot more people who have smoked a lot more than me who think the whole flavor/taste think is a load of crap.

Blowing some smoke through your nose can help to pick up flavors, but I smoke to relax and enjoy the cigar so that's not really the thing for me. If you're really interested in picking up some of these flavors you could try that. Doing some searches on the forum could help too, as the topic has been discussed before.

[ashauler]

http://www.cigarsmokers.com/t6276-hi...r-palette.html
this is a good thread with some good discussion.

[ralford]

Agree. I prefer a nice scotch with my cigar, usually Johnnie Walker
If you don't want to drink alcohol you could always drink water, helps clean the palate without changing the flavors of your mouth.
Another good order would be: drink, sex, food, drink, cigar.

OK, I see the problem - shirking my whoring responsibilities Unfortunately, my better 2/3rd has put the kibosh on that and if sex is a prerequisite to smoking a cigar I have WAY too many cigars already!

No problem with a bit of scootch though.

Perhaps I can divide my confusion into two areas: strength and flavor. They are, of course coupled, however, I have little to no idea about the strength. Perhaps I need to find a representative of (very) mild and (very) strong to attempt some sort of calibration? Suggestions would be helpful and welcome.

So many things effect one's enjoyment of a cigar it may be difficult: had a 5 Vegas Gold huddled on the deck and found it basically unpleasant (only taste on back roof of mouth?), had a 5 Vegas Classic while mucking the horses and found it delightful - slight taste of processed grass?

At any rate, thanks for the replies, the link to palate was quite useful, can provide all the "processed grass" for you wine glasses you would like

Cheers to all,

Rusty

p.s. just won my first cbid ... let the trouble begin...

[cigar no baka]

OK, I see the problem - shirking my whoring responsibilities Unfortunately, my better 2/3rd has put the kibosh on that and if sex is a prerequisite to smoking a cigar I have WAY too many cigars already!

No problem with a bit of scootch though.

Perhaps I can divide my confusion into two areas: strength and flavor. They are, of course coupled, however, I have little to no idea about the strength. Perhaps I need to find a representative of (very) mild and (very) strong to attempt some sort of calibration? Suggestions would be helpful and welcome.

So many things effect one's enjoyment of a cigar it may be difficult: had a 5 Vegas Gold huddled on the deck and found it basically unpleasant (only taste on back roof of mouth?), had a 5 Vegas Classic while mucking the horses and found it delightful - slight taste of processed grass?

At any rate, thanks for the replies, the link to palate was quite useful, can provide all the "processed grass" for you wine glasses you would like

Cheers to all,

Rusty

p.s. just won my first cbid ... let the trouble begin...

I smoked several 5 Vegas when I first started, and now, well, bleh, I won't touch them. They are the private label of Cigars International and I think they overhype them. They are just boring plain cigars to me.

[spiffykyle]

I almost always have something to drink with my cigar. My usual is a glass of Bourbon or Scotch, but sometimes I have a Mt. Dew. There is a thread on here somewhere just about drinking soda with your cigar.

I don't normally pay attention to ratings. These are given by people who (hopefully) have way more experience than me. I put more stake in word of mouth from friends and the BOTLs here.

Honestly, if someone puts hints of leather and nuts in a review, it doesn't sway my desire to try that stick. If they say, "This cigar was so awesome I nubbed it. You have to try one!" then I'll probably go for it.

As far as your experience with the 5 Vegas, I am the same way. I enjoy all of the 5 Vegas offerings except for the Gold.

spiffy