B&M vs Online Taste Test

[FH Finster]

Perhaps it's perception, a figment of my imagination, influenced by the allure of NYC's high end tobacconists filled with fashionably attired businessmen and trust fund babies each enjoying a daily smoke that rivals my monthly car payment. Perhaps it's a fact, cold and hard, based on science, based on the face to face accountability of the B&M to care for and age their smokes for immediate enjoyment in one of their large leather chairs.

Regardless, in my experience, a smoke from my local B&M (I only frequent Nat Sherman & Davidoff B&M near my office) could take me to levels of pleasure akin to that of a college aged side-thing, yet that same smoke delivered to my home from one of several well regarded online purveyors, falls just as short on flavor as it does on price.

Please help me delineate fact from fiction. Share your thoughts.

 

[eastcoast paul]

I can't help with this as there are no real B&M's anywhere near me but i would be interested in the group concenses on this.

 

[sofc]

I find that most b&ms I've been to over humidify their sticks. Had no problem smoking sticks speed to me.

 

[JuzCallMeDee]

either way i like to "acclimate" my sticks for a couple weeks, sometimes longer before i light them.

 

[Craig Mac]

I think the environment can greatly influence the perception of a cigar. Even an average stick can be better when among good company.

 

[javelin377]

I think the environment can greatly influence the perception of a cigar. Even an average stick can be better when among good company.

And the other way around too

 

[Craig Mac]

And the other way around too

True, a great cigar makes average company more tolerable, lol.

 

[Cigarth Vader]

Agree with Craig. From what I remember from tobacconist u and my science classes all those years ago, your visual receptors, smell receptors, taste etc all work together in cataloging pleasant experiences.

Here's my theory, and that's all it is. No proof, no testing, just throwing it out there:

This goes back into how we, as humans, have developed our understanding of safe/not safe, fight or flight, etc. if you have a very pleasant experience with specific flavors, aromas, sights, and smells it all gets catalogued by your brain. This, in turn creates a sort of "priming" (think Pavlov's dogs), we expect a better experience in a specific set of circumstances based on previous experiences. For instance, the lounge and well aged cigars are your baseline, when you smoke one ROTT that was sent from a distributor it is lacking several characteristics of your baseline, however your mind is still expecting it to meet the previously set expectations. It then falls short, you're disappointed, and then the next time your start priming yourself for being "disappointed" with your cigars from outside the lounge.

My other theory is that you're just not getting good cigars from your source that you're ordering from and they need time to rest.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Timothy Leary referred to this as "set and setting".

 

[3/5King]

Timothy Leary referred to this as "set and setting".

What do you know about Timothy Leary.... (Shines bright light on Jame's beading forehead)

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

What do you know about Timothy Leary.... (Shines bright light on Jame's beading forehead)

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

I find that most b&ms I've been to over humidify their sticks. Had no problem smoking sticks speed to me.

Mine over humidifies theirs also, I always bring something to smoke and but something for later