Have an Open Mind when Smoking Cigars
Personally, I like stronger cigars with a lot of spice and bold flavors. I’m the same way with what I drink (Wild Turkey). If the cigar or the bourbon, whichever the case may be, has a bight to it I’m all the more impressed.
But just because a cigar doesn’t bring big, bold flavors to the table doesn’t mean it is a bad cigar. In fact, the exact opposite may very well be the case. You just have to try it.
This is actually one of the main factors that differentiates a connoisseur from the average guy. You need to try as many different cigars as possible. That is part of the fun of smoking cigars.
For example, my favorite cigar is the Arturo Fuente Churchill. While it isn’t the most full bodied cigar out there it has a great balance of spicy and earthy notes. And, since it’s a churchill, it takes a while to smoke it.
On the other hand there are a number of medium and mild bodied cigars that I have smoked that I liked just as much. Two brands that come to mind are the Graycliff 1666 and La Aurora. Both are great smokes but they are nowhere near as strong as Fuentes.
If I would have just stuck to the Fuentes and other stronger cigars I would have missed out on these great cigars. Well, I almost did miss out on them. If it weren’t for a friend of my dad’s I would never have smoked a La Aurora cigar. He gave me one of those special Emerald La Aurora Preferidos. It was just an amazing smoke and it is responsible for my giving medium and even mild bodied smokes a second look.
Another thing is that when many people start smoking cigars they aren’t that good at it. They are not able to differentiate between leathery and earthy flavors or many other flavors for that matter. To be honest, I probably miss some of the more nuanced flavors as well. But, as you smoke more cigars you get a better handle on what flavors you are tasting.
Actually that’s not quite true. You have to smoke a variety of cigars to get good at it. You have to smoke mild, medium, and full bodied cigars. Churchills, robustos, panatellas, and coronas. Connecticut, Dominican, and Nicaraguan wrappers. Maduro and Colorado, long and short, box pressed and hand rolled. You need to try as many different kinds of cigars as you can before you can really appreciate the fine craftsmanship behind each cigar you smoke.
There are tons of flavors in cigars. However, if you are a one-dimensional smoker who only smokes one brand or one style of cigar you will be cutting yourself off from a great world of flavors out there. If you only ate chicken could you be a foodie?
The world of cigars is truly a great thing. You can smoke cigars for a decade and still have many other things to discover about your favorite pastime. Just keep an open mind and actively search out different cigars and you will be continuously surprised and rewarded. Trust me.
Related posts:
- Smoking Cigars at CSUF
- Building up your Stockpile of Cigars
- When to Buy a Box of Cigars
- Exploding Cigars – How to Cut a Dry Cigar (If you Have to)
- Walking Dogs While Smoking a Cigar
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I know this is an old post, but I just found it. And man, did you hit this one dead on! Trying new cigars all the time is the greatest joy of smoking for me, and is what keeps me in. Sure, I’ve hit some real duds, and worse, but not knowing what the next cigar may hold for me – the tastes, the aromas, the feel, the look, the experience – that brings me back every time.