Five Steps to Blind Tasting a Cigar

For cigar aficionados at the dawn of the 21st century,pay particular attention to the draw. Does the smoke
it's difficult to find anything but greatness in thepull through on its own? Does the cigar appear to burn
increasing availability of quality, handmade cigarsevenly with little effort? Take a look at the ash. Note
throughout the world. Where once there was a small,the color and the texture. Use adjectives like flaky,
Cuban-centric industry controlled by an elusive elite,solid and messy. Take notes on all of these
there is now a blossoming global trade that ischaracteristics both before and after you light the
supporting the addition of fresh new players eager tocigar. Rate your ultimate impression on a scale of one
highlight not only the high art of handmade cigars, butto ten.
also the technology that is making them more4. Flavor and Strength
affordable than ever. However, the websites,
magazines and general media that are helping to rateOne of the easiest observations for a blind taster to
cigars and keep quality in check are inadvertentlymake is whether the cigar is full-bodied or mild. Look
producing a downside: how can cigar hobbyistsfor undertones that seem musty, sweet, harsh, floral,
objectively find the cigars that suit their tastes whenrobust, green or salty. Write them down along with if
price, ratings and brand-reputation weigh in to taint theirthey were pleasing or not. As the cigar is smoked,
opinion before the first draw is even taken? Thedoes the flavor increase or decrease? Did it steer
solution lies in mastering the art of the blind tasting.Bytowards more complex flavors or end in bitterness?
following the five easy steps outlined here, cigarAs with wine, the after-taste is key: the sensation that
hobbyists, store owners and even professional tastersremains in your mouth after each puff is an important
can be sure that they are influenced only by thereflection of quality. Spend a few moments thinking
inherent quality of the cigar they are smoking at anyabout how the after-taste makes you feel. Are you
given moment.eager to take another puff to get rid of it, or is it
1. Preparationsomething that you want to linger? Take notes on the
overall aroma of the cigar as you smoke it. Use
Naturally, a blind tasting relies on the taster notadjectives like grassy, harsh, woodsy, overpowering,
knowing which cigar he or she is sampling. Give aunpleasant and floral. Rate your observations on a
friend or family member a sampling of five to ten ofscale of one to ten.
the cigars you are eager to sample. Have them5. General Comments
replace the labels on the cigar with a piece of paper
marked only with a number. Have your accompliceThis element is important for context. Some cigars
match the number to the name of the cigar and keepare repulsive early in the day but absolute perfection in
the list out of your site until the tasting is finished.the evening after a meal. If the cigar you are sampling
For each cigar, prepare an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paperseems like it has potential but doesn't create synergy
divided into four sections. At the top of the sheet,with the mood you are in at that moment, have your
place the number of the cigar you are sampling. Placeaccomplice set another one aside for tasting at a
headings at each of the four sections labeleddifferent time. Cigars can reflect on seasons, times of
Aesthetics, Construction, Flavor and Strength andday and moods just like anything else. Use this
General Comments, respectively. These will be thecategory to make notes on what mood would fit the
four elements you score the cigar on.cigar and whether it's something you would like to
2. Aestheticsenjoy often or rarely. Feel free to use this area to
make overall observations such as, "All in all it was
As is the case when enjoying food or wine, theboring," or, "This cigar changed my life and it will yours
aesthetic of the item you are sampling is half of thetoo." Rate this category on a scale of one to ten.
appeal and half of the fun. For cigars, this largelyAverage your four scores at the end of your sheet
pertains to the wrapper and the overall facade. Lookand record the ultimate rating. If you are feeling
for veins in the wrapper leaf. Is the wrapper smooth,particularly motivated, you can create an excel
dry and brittle, dark, light, silky, gritty, oily or coarse?spreadsheet that organizes your ratings so you can
Make observations on whatever comes to your mind.observe not only the highest average rating for all of
Remember: the idea is to capture your initial impression.the cigars you have tasted, but the highest rating for
At heart, did you like the look and feel of the cigar?each individual category. In this way, you will free
Was it attractive to you? Or was it beat-up, brittle andyourself from the confines of a mass cigar media that
worn-out? Rate your impression of the aesthetics onencourages biasing and pushes the idea that you
a scale of one to ten, pretending that you were judgingshould like this. Cigars, like art, wine, or food, are all
an Olympic event. Don't be shy about withholding orabout individual personality. One cigar's demeanor may
offering decimal points for minor details.or may not jive with your own, and that, after all, is the
3. Constructionmost important information you need to have.Tynan
Szvetecz is an editor for an online cigar boutique that
As you prepare to light the cigar, roll it between youris helping bring the feel of your local cigar shop to the
fingers. Does it have soft spots? What is the weightinternet. It features a unique cigar collection as well as
like? Does it feel dense or light? Take in the aromacigar tips, cigar culture advice and cigar accessories.
before you light it. Is it pleasing? As you light the cigar,