House Blends - Identifying Flavors

Rain

I purchased one each of all the CCom house blends, minus the Corojo. I plan to keep very detailed notes so that I can get an idea of what binders/wrappers I like, how they affect each other and to form a baseline.With that being said, what flavors should I keep an eye out for...IE blue label should give you a nutty flavor. I'm not the best at picking out flavors, but I've read countless times that it's a good idea to read a review beforehand IOT help identify flavors you might not be able to detect on your own.So if you've had a house blend, help a brother out.

Gray4lines

I actually have not had ANY of the house blends but I want to.

Are these long or short filler?

Amos Umwhat

It's been awhile since I had any of them, they are mostly short filler, I believe. I think it's a good way to familiarize oneself with the various tastes of types of wrappers etc.

beatnic

That's a good place to start. I did the same. In fact, I'd lite more than one cigar at a time just so I could compare them. They're cheap enough. You'll find the biggest differences between the blue label and the red (maduro). The Cameroon wrapper isn't bad and the wrapper used in the cuban label is AJ's Ecuador/Sumatra hybrid, same one used in the Morrow Castle and La Herencia Cubana original.

Bob Luken

I'm glad you brought this up. I too have been wanting to educate myself to identify the different flavors that others use to describe a cigar's flavor. I'm not sure if I know how to discern spice or leather or whatever. I’m a relative newbie so I’ll ask the rest of you, has anyone ever held cigar smoking/tasting events specifically designed to educate smokers on the differences in flavor profiles?

Rain

Bob Luken:

I'm glad you brought this up. I too have been wanting to educate myself to identify the different flavors that others use to describe all these different flavors. Has there ever been a crash course offered? I'm not sure if I know how to discern spice or leather or whatever. I’m a relative newbie so I’ll ask the rest of you, has anyone ever held cigar smoking/tasting events specifically designed to educate smokers on the differences in flavor profiles?

Well, Kuzi has a thread somewhere that explains your palate in great detail. Not an event, I guess, but I read it about twice a month.

madurofan

Henke Kelner has a tasting "class" that if you ever get a chance to do its phenomenal.
I was priveleged enought to do it. He basically breaks your pallete into 4 areas that taste 4 different things and blends based on that. You are provided with 3 cigars that are wrapped in a different leaf then you are provided with a 4th cigar that is blended with the 3 tobaccos used as the wrappers on the other 3. It's a unique experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Years ago a certain Chief Merchant for a certain cigar website was batting around the idea of a cigar "sommelier" school. I was sad that never came to fruition.