Welcome from WA!
As for the being able to taste a cigar. You are tasting it. So far all your able to ID is the burning tobacco and thats fine. Some people have a palate that can pick up every nuance, some don't. I personally fall in between closer to the tobacco side. Keep smoking and one day something will catch and you'll be able to relate a flavor to what you are smoking. It will blow your mind.
What you smoke and what you drink when smoking not to mention what you ate before you smoked or the condition of your body (if you're getting sick or are sick) all plays into it.
Retrohaling can help... its when you blow smoke out your nose and mouth. Look it up before you do it. The first time can be painful.
Right now Im smoking a stick that should be awesome and Im getting nothing more than a little bitter taste off the wrapper. Its disappointing. Last night I smoked a stick that was giving me a toasted marshmallow flavor.