CA Report: Top New Cigars (March 4, 2024)
Reading Time: 2 minutes Spring is just around the corner—be ready for smoking season with our top new cigar picks. See the latest reviews on blends from Asylum, Aganorsa Leaf, and Flores y Rodriguez to discover which of these gems is destined for your humidor!
[…] far as the flavor notes, well I made it pretty clear in my previous article The Flavor Profile Debate that there are definitely basic things you’ll get the taste of, and organically cultivated […]
Great write up, Zman. I usually shy away from anything described as “earthy” because I assume it will taste like dirt. Best reviews, IMO, are the ones that simply tell me if it pairs well with a good steak or my favorite scotch.
When Starbucks initially expanded from the west coast I had my first cup of coffee, I thought it was awful, just couldn’t understand why anyone would drink it. With the popularity of the brand you could not help but going back in with friends. I had another cup, it was incredible. I finally realized that there really was no Starbucks coffee, they brew different beans daily or weekly. The franchise was expanding quickly, people were discussing it. What had been found was that only 15% of coffee drinkers who tried their coffee liked it. The other 85% thought it was awful. What they also found was that the 15% would drive miles for a cup of the $1.50 a cup of coffee, the 85% would be happy and satisfied with a home brew or a cup from the local gas station.
Tasting is a science that is controlled by how many taste buds per square inch you have on your tongue. Lots of taste buds defines what is described as a Super Taster.
I agree, the amount of horseshit terminology used to describe a good cigar or a dry red wine for that matter pretty much means that they don’t have a clue. To say that a cigar has a rich, complex pleasant flavor that is either mild, medium or bold would be more than adequate for this individual to make a decision.
I read an article about 15 years ago. A scientist went to a mall and set up a stand. She would stop people and tell them they had created a new flavor and were searching for opinions and impressions of the new flavor. Each person was handed a small piece of paper which had been treated with the flavor. Each individual was instructed to place the paper on their tongue and suck on it. They would then be asked to describe the flavor. Some said strawberry, others banana, pineapple, banana, watermelon and some would say they tasted nothing. Some would spit it out in their hand and look for something to clear the horrid taste from their mouth, these were the Supertasters.
Clearly it would seem that the taste profile of the reviewer would have a direct effect on what they would taste and describe.
Someone wanna help me get Juan Valdez outta my litter box?
My categorizations have always been simple:
A) A great, complex smoke
B) A good simple smoke
C) A budget “yardgar”
D) A Kingsdford brickette
E) A total dog-rocket.
Amen. Wines suffers from the same issue
Well said Z!
thanks well said
i agree and that is why we do honest cigar reviiews on Stogiepress.com explaining what we taste and how it burns and smells. We dont put numbers on a review either as that is subjective also.
Ratings are meaningless. Reviews are subjective. My palate changes due to what I have had to eat. drink etc. If I have a bad head cold, I stop smoking because I can’t taste anything at all. As for cigars, they tend to range from mild with some sweetness, creaminess or nuttiness to very bold with flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, lot’s of spice. That’s about it.
nicely put….
A FREAKIN MEN
Thanks for this! Just smoke and enjoy.
This review makes perfect sense. It smells of a ripe berry, out of a freshly douched vagina.
I know the smell exactly, from experience.
Good job Tommy.
It’s funny but after 30 years of cigar and pipe smoking, I know what I like and what I don’t but all I can say of taste is sweet or spicy and harsh bite or smooth. And body means nothing to bite. I’ve had medium’ that were too harsh to my taste and full bodied cigars that were nice and smooth.
I know if it is a Cameroon or sun grown, I’ll likely enjoy it and if it has the name Rocky Patel, it’s only really good for lawnmowing where I need something to cut through the grass in the throat after two hours out on the back acreage.
Spot on.
My favorite was a review that said the cigar had the finish of gun metal? WTF does that taste like.
Personally I share your sentiments on the rather outlandish reviews that appear out there. However, if every review of a cigar focused solely on it being mild medium or full bodied it would certainly be doing a great disservice to the master blenders, the aging process, seed varietals, country of origin, etc. I am not claiming that I can detect a hint of sandalwood in a cigar but by being exposed to the occasional bloating turd does at least differentiate the cigar and perhaps lead to more of us contemplating the masterful and incredibly complex process that occurs for our benefit. I will never argue that certain flavors can legitimately be detected in a cigar. But I like that even if it is half bullshit I have something that already differentiates a cigar. I can tell you with 98% certainty that I could identify a Kellner blend, I am relatively sure I could tell an illusione, I believe Oliva’s have a fairly identifiable quality, Liga Privada especially T52, Anejo’s, anyway, without knowing a single flower, spice, wood, metal, or anything else there is more to these cigars than purely body, which you did acknowledge. I could go on for much longer because this topic has always interested me. When do you become experienced enough for your palate to be trusted? There is no universal taste testing system that I am aware of. Does everyone have water or nothing, retro hale each time or not, actually take time to focus on and observe the second hand smoke, how are they cutting the cigar, how often are they drawing, what humidity, did they dry box……..and on and on. Sorry to thread jack but you wrote an interesting and thought provoking article. Thanks
I screwed up started inhaling boys don’t inhale you lose your sense of taste good cigars just become raspy or soft don’t inhale
Well.. we all know taste of coffe , chocolate, caramel, pepper , tones of ceder, nuts, spice, and smooth harsh charcoal burt, leather. These are caractetostics we destinct know about if they did not meen a thing they would not need their own name. But they are diferent and if i say i like coffe and you do to then we both knpw flavors of coffe. I like capuchino but you like americano. Ita a difference and we know. Based on this a review is not to ofend anyone but to guve guides and refrence to taste pallets. So if you cant taste the difference dont be offended by those who are lucky to do so vice versa.
I was quite amused by your treatment of the topic.
Zman the man #smokegood…great job read for the next article bro!
I’d much rather someone take the time to list out the details they are tasting than simply say ‘its really good”. I can really do with reviews that say nothing more than “I really like it” or “its got a great ash”. That said, I agree that actually scoring a cigar is too subjective but list what you’re tasting… More info is always welcome in my book.
Well, thanks, Zman, for NOT being a snob about it.Not only is whether one enjoys a cigar totally subjective, but WHY they like it (or not) is as well. As one new to the world of cigars, the reviews I like most are those in which the reviewer explains what he/she likes and doesn’t like and why, and they provide some subjective information about taste, etc, so over time, as my palate develops, I’ll be able to relate their descriptions to my own experience.
I’ve created a database in which I store information relevant to me as well as personal ratings of various aspects of cigars I try, but this is to help me narrow down what I like as I try different ones. Other than that numerical ratings mean very little.