Down to Earth

[Smoqman]

Cow tongue tacos - Raw kibbe

 

[Zigarro]

^^^ Yer a freak! (I like that!)

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

Cow tongue tacos - Raw kibbe

Two of my favorite things! My mother makes the raw kibbie at least once a year. During the other times when I crave it, there is a restaurant right up the road that serves it.

As for the lingua, most Mexican restaurants have it in their menus...

 

[danmdevries]

I've only picked up an earth/dirt mineral like quality in some CCs.

Just kinda a tastes like the smell of a fertile field freshly plowed, or a spring rain.

Not usually among the flavors I think about when having a cigar, but occasionally it's there, and have only noticed in some milder Cubans

 

[Mr. Guy]

I've only picked up an earth/dirt mineral like quality in some CCs.

Just kinda a tastes like the smell of a fertile field freshly plowed, or a spring rain.

Not usually among the flavors I think about when having a cigar, but occasionally it's there, and have only noticed in some milder Cubans

Thanks for your input! I like the analogies.

Holy crap, Are we back on track again?

 

[Zigarro]

^^^ Had to go and mention it din't ya!

 

[TraderCigarCo.]

I struggle with identifying anything other than good and bad. I've been recently researching more about the palate and the different areas on the tongue that are responsible for the different tastes. But I'm right there with you, I don't get it.

 

[Lezanstar]

I struggle with identifying anything other than good and bad. I've been recently researching more about the palate and the different areas on the tongue that are responsible for the different tastes. But I'm right there with you, I don't get it.

There are a couple of tricks to being able to distinguish flavors in a cigar. Not sure if you were saying you wanted to try, but these are the things that helped me.
1.) First and foremost you have to retro hale. Your sense of smell picks up infinitely more flavors than just your mouth alone. Ever eat something when your sinuses are clogged and can't taste it? This is basically the same thing as puffing a cigar without retro hale.
2.) Limit outside stimulus. Music, conversation, TV and the likes. I'm not saying to lock yourself in an isolation chamber every time you smoke a cigar, but if you really want to experience flavors for the first time, you have to give it your undivided attention.
3.) Try to relate what you are experiencing to something you have smelled or tasted in the past. For instance, there are things you smell that remind you of things that have happened in your past. Maybe when you smell chocolate chip cookies it reminds you of grandmas house. You are trying to trigger that sensory recall mechanism. It is a powerful thing. Everyone has had the experience of a smell reminding them of something. After you can pick up the basics, you can start to break it down further. A chocolate chip cookie smells like; toast, sweetness and cocoa. And when you really get good you will be able to break it down further. My palate is not this refined yet.
4.) There are NO wrong flavors. I picked up celery twice when I smoked and Illusione Rothchilde. I tasted it. Maybe no one else did or ever will. Maybe it was a circumstantial incident. That's what I tasted.
5.) When you are starting out use other reviews to help you distinguish flavors. I know I just said everyone's experience is different, but there are similarities and these can be a useful tool.
This got a bit long winded but I hope it helps someone that may be interested in trying to distinguish flavors in a cigar for the first time. It definitely adds a new dimension to the hobby and is something I have enjoyed for the last few months.

 

[TraderCigarCo.]

There are a couple of tricks to being able to distinguish flavors in a cigar. Not sure if you were saying you wanted to try, but these are the things that helped me.
1.) First and foremost you have to retro hale. Your sense of smell picks up infinitely more flavors than just your mouth alone. Ever eat something when your sinuses are clogged and can't taste it? This is basically the same thing as puffing a cigar without retro hale.
2.) Limit outside stimulus. Music, conversation, TV and the likes. I'm not saying to lock yourself in an isolation chamber every time you smoke a cigar, but if you really want to experience flavors for the first time, you have to give it your undivided attention.
3.) Try to relate what you are experiencing to something you have smelled or tasted in the past. For instance, there are things you smell that remind you of things that have happened in your past. Maybe when you smell chocolate chip cookies it reminds you of grandmas house. You are trying to trigger that sensory recall mechanism. It is a powerful thing. Everyone has had the experience of a smell reminding them of something. After you can pick up the basics, you can start to break it down further. A chocolate chip cookie smells like; toast, sweetness and cocoa. And when you really get good you will be able to break it down further. My palate is not this refined yet.
4.) There are NO wrong flavors. I picked up celery twice when I smoked and Illusione Rothchilde. I tasted it. Maybe no one else did or ever will. Maybe it was a circumstantial incident. That's what I tasted.
5.) When you are starting out use other reviews to help you distinguish flavors. I know I just said everyone's experience is different, but there are similarities and these can be a useful tool.
This got a bit long winded but I hope it helps someone that may be interested in trying to distinguish flavors in a cigar for the first time. It definitely adds a new dimension to the hobby and is something I have enjoyed for the last few months.

Perfect man! Thanks for taking the time to write that.

 

[eeven73]

I am smoking a Rothchildes right now and I can understand Celery.

I would describe it as a minerally sweetness.

 

[sofc]

There are a couple of tricks to being able to distinguish flavors in a cigar. Not sure if you were saying you wanted to try, but these are the things that helped me.
1.) First and foremost you have to retro hale. Your sense of smell picks up infinitely more flavors than just your mouth alone. Ever eat something when your sinuses are clogged and can't taste it? This is basically the same thing as puffing a cigar without retro hale.
2.) Limit outside stimulus. Music, conversation, TV and the likes. I'm not saying to lock yourself in an isolation chamber every time you smoke a cigar, but if you really want to experience flavors for the first time, you have to give it your undivided attention.
3.) Try to relate what you are experiencing to something you have smelled or tasted in the past. For instance, there are things you smell that remind you of things that have happened in your past. Maybe when you smell chocolate chip cookies it reminds you of grandmas house. You are trying to trigger that sensory recall mechanism. It is a powerful thing. Everyone has had the experience of a smell reminding them of something. After you can pick up the basics, you can start to break it down further. A chocolate chip cookie smells like; toast, sweetness and cocoa. And when you really get good you will be able to break it down further. My palate is not this refined yet.
4.) There are NO wrong flavors. I picked up celery twice when I smoked and Illusione Rothchilde. I tasted it. Maybe no one else did or ever will. Maybe it was a circumstantial incident. That's what I tasted.
5.) When you are starting out use other reviews to help you distinguish flavors. I know I just said everyone's experience is different, but there are similarities and these can be a useful tool.
This got a bit long winded but I hope it helps someone that may be interested in trying to distinguish flavors in a cigar for the first time. It definitely adds a new dimension to the hobby and is something I have enjoyed for the last few months.

Very detailed post. Just seems like so much work.

 

[eeven73]

Oh and flavors for me really jump out when you SLOW DOWN. Interval and puff velocity hugly effect what I get out of a cigar.

 

[Le Buzz]

Used to smoke a ton of Padron 2000 maddys. This was before they switched to San Andreas wrappers (I cant prove this but its my strong opinion). Those things were EARTHY. I loved them.

It is a flavor that not many cigars have, and personally I have never described anything as earthy other than Padrons. Exception being a J21 that I let sit for like 5 years, it had a superb earthy note to it.

Earthiness is dry, really dry. Like a dry martini or a really tannic and oaky cabernet. It's not in your face but you know its there. It has a lot to do with mouthfeel too. Just a really rich soil kind of flavor, very pleasant. When you taste it, you'll get it. You just kinda have to be on the lookout for it so to speak.

 

[Mr. Guy]

4.) There are NO wrong flavors. I picked up celery twice when I smoked and Illusione Rothchilde. I tasted it. Maybe no one else did or ever will. Maybe it was a circumstantial incident. That's what I tasted.

Very nice! I swear I got my wife's pea salad from a few sticks. Peas, mayo, and some onion and cheese. Call me crazy

Again, one of the most frustrating things is how individual the flavors can be, but then again it's also one of the best things! Who cares about what others taste, the smoker is the only one enjoying it.