Cigars/Cigar Fragrance
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Question
I have noticed (in about 5 out of 50 or 100 sticks) a peculiar fragrance/taste in cuban cigars (usually cohiba or LE of other marks) that appears immediately after lighting. The best term I can use to describe it is like a cheap perfume taste. The cigar burns normally and looks (and has normal pre-light bouquet) ok but it tastes awful and ruins the cigar. I asked a dealer and all he would say is that some cigars have "different blends" which I doubt is the correct answer. Is there some kind of contaminant that can find its way into these cigars. I have never noticed this in a non-cuban. Thanks very much.
Charlie Moore
Sacramento, CA
Hi Charlie,
It's hard to pin-point the exact cause of this peculiar taste/smell but the most common causes is that the tobacco is either not fully fermented or the tobacco is just from a bad batch. In a box of 25 cigars, it's possible that the 25 cigars are made from 25 different batches of tobacco and rolled by 25 different rollers so not all the cigars will be identical in flavour and construction. As a result, it's possible that a cigar rolled from a bad batch of tobacco can make its way into the box during sorting.
As you mentioned, it is possible that the cigars may have picked up some type of contaminant during cultivation, fermentation or production but there's no way to be sure what exactly that contaminant is.
Hopes this helps. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.
Regards,
James
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| Comment | Thanks very much. It sounds like something that would be hard to track down. | ||
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James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
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