Smelling Cigars

Jedi283

Hi, my friends and I are just getting into cigars. I'm just wondering, what do you look for when you smell a cigar?

betasynn

I don't look for anything; I generally smell.

Haha, just kidding. It depends on the cigar, really. I try to see what I can identify as far as flavors go; it's like smelling food. If you smell pepper, you'll taste pepper. You're trying to sync up the smells and tastes.

phobicsquirrel

My sniffer isn't the most precise thing so a lot of cigars smell the same to me. I mean there is a difference between a maduro wrapper vs a natural or other types of wrappers. don't be fooled though, some cigars have a strong almost pepper smell but once lit they are very enjoyable and not as strong as the smell of the wrapper suggested. I used pepper as an example. Some cigars I have smelled almost had a cocoa smell or a nut smell. Alex did a great job on talking about how cigars are made and about how the taste of them works out in two other threads. It's very subjective. I find the best way to judge a cigar before I buy it is, either talk to another about it and get their impression or just pick it up. I never really buy new cigars unless I read up on them or someone says what they like.

j0z3r

Sometimes smelling a cigar doesn't give you much of an idea of what it will taste like, though if it smells like nothing or is very bland, I wouldn't hold out much hope for the flavor. A better indicator, in my opinion, is the pre-light draw, that is to say after you cut the cigar you give it a few test draws before lighting, this will not only give you a preliminary flavor sample, but also serve well to let you know how the cigar will draw once lit. Of course, doing a pre-light draw means you are committed to the cigar, so obviously it wouldn't serve you well browsing your B&M for something to smoke. So yeah, on the smell I don't necessarily look for much, I just like to make sure it does indeed smell like something...though some scents to look for would be tobacco first and foremost, maybe a light hay scent or a heavy and musty hay scent (not mold musty) reminiscent of a barnyard, that barnyard scent is sometimes a good indicator of a flavor bomb.

Luko

j0z3r:

Sometimes smelling a cigar doesn't give you much of an idea of what it will taste like, though if it smells like nothing or is very bland, I wouldn't hold out much hope for the flavor. A better indicator, in my opinion, is the pre-light draw, that is to say after you cut the cigar you give it a few test draws before lighting, this will not only give you a preliminary flavor sample, but also serve well to let you know how the cigar will draw once lit. Of course, doing a pre-light draw means you are committed to the cigar, so obviously it wouldn't serve you well browsing your B&M for something to smoke. So yeah, on the smell I don't necessarily look for much, I just like to make sure it does indeed smell like something...though some scents to look for would be tobacco first and foremost, maybe a light hay scent or a heavy and musty hay scent (not mold musty) reminiscent of a barnyard, that barnyard scent is sometimes a good indicator of a flavor bomb.

I love me some barnyard.

One cigar that had a strong pre-light aroma that really seems to have stood out to me was the AF hemingway...loved the smell and loved the smoke.

kaspera79

Hey Jedi.. First of all welcome.. I like a wide variety of cigars, some have very little pre-light smell, while others reek of chocolate, wood, grass or many other fragrances. If it smells good to you, give it a try. No chemical or ammonia smells are good by the way. If it smells moldy or unpleasant pass on it. Your nose will know.

Krieg

I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.

phobicsquirrel

Krieg:

I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.

very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.

gmill880

phobicsquirrel:

Krieg:

I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.

very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.

not even a nice bag of acorns ...;)

phobicsquirrel

gmill880:

phobicsquirrel:

Krieg:

I like to smell cigars just because I like the smell. I don't try to pick out flavors or anything. I just smell to smell! There's nothing like opening up my humi and the smell of cedar and cigars.

very true, there aren't many things I would enjoy more in smelling.

not even a nice bag of acorns ...;)

haha, you so funny...

Russ55

Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.

Jetmech_63

Russ55:

Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.

LOL, welcome to the board! You'll fit in well!

Krieg

Jetmech_63:

Russ55:

Bacon. I enjoy the smell of bacon more. But that's it.

LOL, welcome to the board! You'll fit in well!

LoL, nothing like the smell of a pork butt that's been smoking for 15hrs on my smoker...