How to enjoy your cigar

[Ben Brand]

I was reading this on a cigar website, the writer is a girl and this is what she suggests for us to enjoy our cigars more. I for one will give the permeate one a go!!! ENJOY!!!

Permeate Your Mouth

There is no better way to really relish in all the notes of a cigar then to really let the smoke of it wash all over your palate. Letting the smoke cover the entirety of your mouth will let you pick up on all of the qualities of the cigar, most of which you might have missed had you simply puffed it in and exhaled. For the first timer, you might want to try this one out by yourself as it can produce some pretty strange glances from anyone around you.
To start, cut your cigar, light it up and inhale it. With the smoke in your mouth, swirl it around and let it touch every part of the inside of your mouth. To really accomplish this, you might need to move your cheeks in and out and force the smoke around in your mouth. While you might look like a deranged frog, the movements with your cheek will allow you to really experience every nuance of the cigar.
Rather than breathing the smoke out right away, let it sit a little longer in your mouth. By keeping the smoke in your mouth just a few moments longer, you will hopefully begin to experience new flavors and hints of other notes that needed an additional few seconds to develop.
Attention to Aesthetics

Remember the old adage, “never judge a book by its cover?” While this may ring true to the world of literature, you can throw this notion out the window when it comes to shopping for a cigar. A lot can be said about the quality, taste and value of a cigar just by taking a few moments to really look it over. The first thing you should be taking a close look at is the wrapper that the cigar comes in. Before you decide to buy, pick up the cigar in question and really inspect the wrapper that comes around it. Closely look at the veins of the wrapper. If these veins are small, there is a pretty good chance that the quality of the cigar will be much higher than a cigar with large, rough veins.
Next, look at how well the outer leaves are wrapped and applied to the cigar. Are they tight or does it seems to be exhibiting small signs of unraveling? After this, take a look at the cap of the cigar and then navigate down to the foot of the cigar. What do the filler tobacco leaves look like? Are these leaves folded or are the rolled? Do they exhibit variations in color (meaning several different tobacco leaves went into the production). Does the cigar have enough space on the end for a really nice, even burn?
A lot goes into the creation and manufacturing of cigars, taking a few extra moments to PAY attention to these fine details will really deepen your appreciation for the culture of cigar smoking.
Pick up on the Flavors

Perhaps the best way to ensure that your smoking experience will be top notch is to do a little research on what is on the MARKET , what is scoring well with reviewers and which cigars offer the best experience per price. Before you place an order online or head on down to your local cigar shop, take a moment to educate yourself.
Not only will a quality cigar review give you the most knowledge about what you should be keeping an eye out for, it will also set you up to PAY attention to certain notes, flavors and aromas that a certain cigar will elicit.
If you have been smoking a lot of the same cigars lately, go outside of your comfort zone and try something new, you might be pleasantly surprised. We can often become acclimated to what we use time and again, switching your cigar varietals up here and there will keep your palate on edge and your senses refined.
Happy smoking!

 

[LewZephyr]

I will agree on the permeate your mouth, and add the retrohale.
I would also say i always do a pre-light draw.
Not only to check on the draw itself, but to get the initial taste, and see where it migrates to when lit.

Thanks for the share.

 

[buck]

Slowly blowing smoke rings can also achieve similar results to keeping the smoke in your mouth longer and you don't look quite as silly.

 

[Raodwarior]

Some great ideas for as we use to say when blend tasting "Chewing the Smoke". The last 2/3's however IMHO is unmitigated BS, although construction is pretty to look at, as long as the cigar isn't plugged or undrawable its the leaf that matters. As far as what the reviewers think...come on really, pay for advertising get nice reviews.

Always remember, Smoke what YOU like and like what YOU smoke.

Rant off

 

[deluxestogie]

The last 2/3's however IMHO is unmitigated BS...

I would suggest that it is mitigated by the obvious sincerity of the author. Way past 99% of all "tobacco professionals" have never touched a green leaf, never noted the subtle and slow alteration of aroma as tobacco cures, never smoked a freshly rolled cigar, and certainly never rolled one. (Image the delight on a 4 year old child's face when he/she discovers that blueberries grow on a bush!) Taken in that light, the author provides usable information for a purchasers of industrial cigars at a retail outlet. If those cigars look bad--cigar products that depends entirely on presentation and hype to maintain sales--then they probably have issues.

On further thought, I can't come up with any mitigation of the assertion that a cigar smoker should give a rat's ass about market trends or reviews.

That's just my opinion, but it's rated a 94.

Bob

 

[Raodwarior]

99% I believe is quite an overstatement, IMO I would say it is closer to 30% depending on your definition of "professional". If you are including employees of tobacco shops and mail order house employees I would venture the number would be closer to 50%. You would probably be amazed at the depth that the majority of us in the industry go to learn about everything that goes into our profession. Now I do not doubt the sincerity of the author at all, however, this is still in my mind perpetuating mis-information. I still remember when Maduro cigars such as Padron were shunned because they had a course looking wrapper.

 

[Smokin Harley]

appearance ,taste and smell...thats about all that matters. or does it? Give someone a chance to pick through a selection of cigars with no labels ...most likely the ones picked first would be the ones that look best, smell good and lastly after a light , taste good. Now, put a few high dollar labels on the worst ones and those will go first. its all about perception. Think back to your first ...lets say 50 cigars ...you had no idea what was going to taste like what . Probably had no idea of where the leaf came from or construction. Didnt know the difference between entubado ,book or accordion , or even cuban sandwich. Long filler , short filler , cheroot, Wrapper , sun grown, shade grown...whaaaaaaat??? Sensory overload. Only those who take the time to study the geography,the people, the growing conditions , the priming , the whole fermenting and casing , the whole viso , seco and volado thing...the process,only those in the know will actually appreciate what they hold in their hand, take that first whiff of married tobacco leaves rolled in such a way that it gives the smoker that hour of enjoyable relaxing tasty smoke. I would love to take a trip to a tobacco plantation field and actually see how it is grown , talk to the workers who plant , nurture and harvest these giant brown pungent leaves and of course watch, talk to and learn from the rollers who spend their lives seated in a room ,working piecemeal turning these leaves into these luxurious sticks of rolled tobacco we burn for enjoyment. To the "other" people , its just a cigar. Light it , burn it , suck on it , toss it in the bushes when its done...and never think of the tobaccos journey or the many people that brought it to you.

 

[Raodwarior]

And that is the reason we have professional Tobacconist

 

[DGBAMA]

appearance ,taste and smell...thats about all that matters. or does it? Give someone a chance to pick through a selection of cigars with no labels ...most likely the ones picked first would be the ones that look best, smell good and lastly after a light , taste good. Now, put a few high dollar labels on the worst ones and those will go first. its all about perception. Think back to your first ...lets say 50 cigars ...you had no idea what was going to taste like what . Probably had no idea of where the leaf came from or construction. Didnt know the difference between entubado ,book or accordion , or even cuban sandwich. Long filler , short filler , cheroot, Wrapper , sun grown, shade grown...whaaaaaaat??? Sensory overload. Only those who take the time to study the geography,the people, the growing conditions , the priming , the whole fermenting and casing , the whole viso , seco and volado thing...the process,only those in the know will actually appreciate what they hold in their hand, take that first whiff of married tobacco leaves rolled in such a way that it gives the smoker that hour of enjoyable relaxing tasty smoke. I would love to take a trip to a tobacco plantation field and actually see how it is grown , talk to the workers who plant , nurture and harvest these giant brown pungent leaves and of course watch, talk to and learn from the rollers who spend their lives seated in a room ,working piecemeal turning these leaves into these luxurious sticks of rolled tobacco we burn for enjoyment. To the "other" people , its just a cigar. Light it , burn it , suck on it , toss it in the bushes when its done...and never think of the tobaccos journey or the many people that brought it to you.

Nice post.

 

[BarG]

It's probably me but, I only have smoked freshly homerolled cigars, and it seems they get better about a 1/3 way down than upon initial firing up. And sometimes toward the end I might burn my fingers hanging onto it it gets so good.

 

[Ben Brand]

Ditto BarG.
And the last bit is where the nicotine rush come from!!!!!

 

[deluxestogie]

Zino Davidoff, in his wonderful, pompous little 1967 book, The Connoisseur's Book of the Cigar, suggested that a smoker allow his cigar to reach "cruising speed," before passing any judgment on its quality and characteristics.

Bob

 

[webmost]

Zino Davidoff, in his wonderful, pompous little 1967 book, The Connoisseur's Book of the Cigar, suggested that a smoker allow his cigar to reach "cruising speed," before passing any judgment on its quality and characteristics.

Bob

I agree with that. I usually light one up and immediately set it down for three minutes or so. They have to burn in before I get much good out of them. The middle third is the best. Many get all stinky toward the nub, and you need to let go. It's a rare cigar that's good from beginning to wee nub.

 

[webmost]

That's just my opinion, but it's rated a 94.

Bob

at least

 

[Ben Brand]

I think my cigar pallet is getting sophisticated. I had a cigar this morning under my wild fig tree with a nice sweet cup of tea, just relaxing before I have to go to work, and I tasted apricot, a nice sweet after taste. Wife thought I was imagining things, but what does she as a non cigar smoker know?
I like to blow out 3/4 of the smoke through my mouth and the last bit through my nose, that's when I taste the niceties of the cigar.
Everybody enjoy the week end. Iv`e got lots to do, plant my tobacco next week end, lots to get ready, at least my patch is prepared and ready, seedling waiting, me waiting all rearing to go!!!!