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Omerta

Omerta

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So how did you guys get a strong pallet. I'd like to improve mine to taste more out of my cigars and to be able try better cigars without wasting the hell out of them :banghead:. I don't smoke for the nicotine at all, it's the flavor and relaxation for me so I'd like to be able to taste more.

So far iv just been trying to smoke a few cigars a week and try to pick things out and compare to reviews....rarely do my taste match up :bucktooth:.

Any advice. I was also considering buying a sampler of some kind off famous smoke shop any recommendations for a newb that would be a bit easier to pick out flavors?
 
Omerta

Omerta

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Senor Perfecto said:
^this.

It takes time. I consider it to be a mix of really trying hard to recognize flavors and assign a label to them (writing down/reviewing helps a lot -- keep a flavor wheel handy!), and natural ability. My GF has this in scads, more than me.
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Thanks I'll try retrohaling a bit more. If had a few were it was very easy and some that burn like hell. That's funny I bet my wife would too, when it comes to wine and beer she can pick out the smallest thing but she doesn't smoke
 
Senor Perfecto

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Yep, my GF is a wine expert.

Not every stick can be *fully* retohaled (i.e. blowing all the smoke out your nose) but you don't need to do that in order to engage your nose. Small, cool puffs, and just letting a bit of it slip up into your sinus is all that's really needed.

Also, don't forget that your tongue identifies different flavors on different parts. Try puffing the smoke so that it hits different parts of your tongue. The tip of your tongue and the back of the tongue especially.
 
samb

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Itll take awhile, i still have trouble picking individual flavors, but i have the same problem with alcohol.
 
danmdevries

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It just takes time. I like to think I've got a very sensitive taster because I've always been able to notice subtle flavor in food and drink.

But when I first got into cigars, every damn one tasted the same as the one before it. I thought all them cigar snobs are full of shit talking about flavor and finish like they were tasting Scotch. I tried the retrohale, I tried drinking different things with my cigar. Nothing. All you jackholes are full of it...

I don't really know why I pressed on, guess it was just a new hobby and I tend to jump two feet in on new things im interested in.

Anyhow, after burning through about 30-50 cigars over 6 months or so from cheap samplers, a handful of them started to stand out. Maybe not for the flavors so much but the texture, the mouthfeel. That was really the thing that made me start thinking maybe these cigar snobs aren't full of shit all the time, there might be something to this.

So in enjoying cigars for their texture and general burn performance I started to notice a creamy texture with a sweet nutty flavor started to rear its head in some cigars I really enjoyed. ...its been a well-lubricated slope ever since.

Just keep on keeping on, try different smokes. Another thing I learned was not to fear the price tag. There's few I truly enjoy in the budget category. And im a cheapass... There's a few gems, but a lot more turds. Not saying go buy a GoF or Opus to see if you taste anything, but if you're stuck on CI Gurkha samplers and house blends and General/Altadis entry level smokes, you probably won't pick up much.

I'm rambling at this point....

Tl;dr smoke more.
 
danmdevries

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One thing I'll ask as I had a similar conversation recently.

Are you finding some cigars you like more than others? If so, why? Might help you dissect what you're enjoying and start to find descriptors to the thing you like.
 
sdbassman

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Buy some five packs. Think crowned heads, doesn't matter which ones, some Padrons maybe, 601s and perhaps a new world. Variety is the spice of life my friend. The cfed mystery sampler is good clean fun and a great value.
 
Lomey

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Senor Perfecto said:
^this.

It takes time. I consider it to be a mix of really trying hard to recognize flavors and assign a label to them (writing down/reviewing helps a lot -- keep a flavor wheel handy!), and natural ability. My GF has this in scads, more than me.
Click to expand...
Where can I get a flavor wheel? I can appreciate the different flavors of cigars and even recognize some flavors, but a flavor wheel sounds like it would help a lot.
 
Omerta

Omerta

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Lomey said:
Where can I get a flavor wheel? I can appreciate the different flavors of cigars and even recognize some flavors, but a flavor wheel sounds like it would help a lot.
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The hell is a flavor wheel...newb question. And also where to find?

I try to pick out ok priced cigars but my local b&m overpriced the popular cigars in my opinion....and the internets. Being in college, and married, and having to pay bills without a full time job I don't have a lot of money to blow on pricy cigars though I'll go for one for a good occasion. I havent done much ordering online....well any at all. But I plan on ordering a few samplers over the next few months to try just need to figure out which. The online prices are a lot better than the single or even packs at my b&m
 
Lomey

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StogieNinja said:
Here is a great comparison of the different types of pallets available, and their strengths:

http://www.aalhysterforklifts.com.au/index.php/about/blog-post/a_comparison_of_different_pallet_types


:D
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I didn't see metal, wood or plastic on Wickets flavor wheel. It must be bogus .
StogieNinja said:
Here is a great comparison of the different types of pallets available, and their strengths:

http://www.aalhysterforklifts.com.au/index.php/about/blog-post/a_comparison_of_different_pallet_types


:D
Click to expand...
 
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