How long did it take for you to develop your "nose"?

[WIP]

I have to disagree with the folks that say "tobacco tastes like tobacco".

I have spent well over a decade developing my palate into what it is. I can pull hints of different flavors out of cigars easily. This ability mainly comes from my work in coffee. I would venture to say that coffee and cigars are similar. What you are tasting is the flavor after the plant material is burned or roasted.

Some people think "coffee tastes like coffee" as well, but that isn't true to a large community of coffee drinkers either.

Each palate is different, BUT each palate also has the ability to grow and develop into a discerning one. If you are struggling to pull flavors from your cigars, I would suggest sitting down with someone that can pull those flavors and smoke one with them. See if you can grasp what they are describing. Eventually, you will get it.

Another thing that tasters do is describe their feeling of what they are tasting. I had a friend that once said "This coffee tastes like San Luis Obispo". We found that what he was describing wasn't what he tasted, but what the shops smelled like and what it reminded him of. A combo of a candy shop and a bakery next to the ocean. Maybe you can start by describing what it reminds you of. After all, scent is most closely linked to memory.

[buzz]

If you are struggling to pull flavors from your cigars, I would suggest sitting down with someone that can pull those flavors and smoke one with them.

I've found that if I look at someone else's tasting notes while smoking a cigar I am able to pick out some of the flavors they describe. The mega reviews are great for this in my (biased) opinion. I've also smoked cigars and read through my notes where I describe tastes from the first time I smoked them that I don't find the second time. Pairing with different drinks (or food) has some impact too.

We used this for a guide in the last mega review and it helped me a little:
http://www.aspiringgentleman.com/wp-...igarwheel1.jpg

I've yet to experience the "horsey" taste though...

[WIP]

I would describe "horsey" as Hay or straw.


Some might say "My horse tastes like raisins"

[buzz]

I would describe "horsey" as Hay or straw.


Some might say "My horse tastes like raisins"

ashauler knows all about how horsey tastes.

[ashauler]

ashauler knows all about how horsey tastes.

Yummmmmmmy.

[badwhale]

I really, really like horsey sauce on my curly fries from Arby's.