Cigar Tasting

At this point, we have the cigar ready for tasting in front of us. We will systematically address all the most important points for the proper classification of your cigar.

Technical Information

The first step is to note down the specific technical information of the cigar:

Name

Brand

Country of Production

Price

Size

Vitola

Manufacturing

Color

The manufacturing can be:

Totally handmade TL → “Tripa Larga” (Long Filler)

Totally handmade TC → “Tripa Corta” (Short Filler)

Partially handmade

Totally machine-made

Now we can move on to the actual tasting phase.

Visual and Tactile Examination

The first analysis to be conducted is the visual and tactile examination. It begins with the visual analysis of the outer wrapper, followed by the tactile analysis of the same. This examination is important as it highlights the constructive and physical characteristics, the appearance of the wrapper, its color, tone, and brightness, the aesthetics of the construction, and the correctness of the torcedor's work.

Wrapper Appearance

The outer covering should be pleasing to the eye, the coloration should be uniform, and the leaf should have a certain shine. The wrapper's appearance should take into account the tone, brightness, overall construction, and color. It can therefore be:

Veined

Non-Uniform

Fairly Uniform

Uniform

Visual Considerations

There should be no breaks, holes, or defects in the wrapper

There should be no lumps or roughness, which are signs of suboptimal storage

The foot of the cigar should be uniform and complete

The presence of a light white dust is the result of the micro-fermentation process of the tobacco, which enhances its aromatic characteristics. This is therefore a positive factor. This dust should be gently removed with a dry cloth.

Tactile Examination

Gently compress the cigar between your thumb and index finger. It should feel firm yet elastic to the touch. A cigar that is too hard has been overfilled, while one that is too soft has been underfilled. When cutting it, check that there are no overly pronounced ribs or veins.

Our cigar can therefore be:

Friable

Dry

Soft

Optimal

Mechanical Examination

The mechanical analysis (draw, burn, ash) does not concern the qualitative properties of the cigar but is nevertheless important in evaluating the cigar.

Draw

A cigar has an optimal draw when the smoke arrives consistently with each puff, without special effort. Remember that each cigar, depending on its size, has a specific smoking time. Based on these considerations, the draw can be:

Excessive

Difficult

Normal

Excellent

Burn

The aspects related to burn are evaluated by analyzing the ember along the body of the cigar while smoking it. The burn will be optimal if the cigar burns evenly and the ring of fire is slightly conical or parallel to the sides. The burn can be:

Uneven

Even

Regular

Excellent

Ash

The ash is an indicator of quality. It will be optimal if solid and compact, but will present issues if friable or not solid. Its color (from very light gray to matte black) can also provide information on the chemical composition of the leaves.

Friable

Fairly Compact

Compact

Solid

Types of Ash

Below are the different types of ash that can form during our tasting:

Flat Ash: It does not pose particular problems in terms of combustion, but the ligero should burn more slowly than the other leaves. Typical of short filler cigars.

Conical Ash: In this case, the burn is optimal, the combustion ring is regular, and the smoke reaches the mouth in a uniform and controlled manner.

Conical Crater Ash: The burn is correct and does not cause issues. We can determine that the ligero was correctly placed and burns uniformly, generating a correct advancement of the ring of fire.

Irregular Ash: The burn occurs faster on one side. This may be due to the incorrect placement of the ligero in the cigar. In fact, the burn of the ligero is slower than that of other types of leaves and must be optimally positioned.

Spoon Ash: This is a fairly common defect and can be identified by the cavity positioned centrally in the ember. It is often due to the placement of volado leaves in the central part, with the consequent slow advancement of the ring of fire compared to the inner part of the cigar.

Tasting Examination and Rule of Thirds

This is the heart of the tasting. The taster must identify which basic flavors, palate sensations, and aromas are perceived. At the same time, their intensity must also be determined. It is also important to identify the strength, which is perceived in the larynx.

A good cigar must respect the “rule of thirds”:

At the beginning (during the first third), the predominant sensation will be the strength of the cigar, while all the aromas and potential flavors will be subdued.

In the middle of the cigar (second third), there will be a predominance of a wide variety of aromas and abundant gustatory expressiveness.

In the final part (last third), the strength of the cigar returns, with higher combustion and a great aromatic presence in the case of important cigars.

Intensity

It is characterized by a layering of flavorful, tactile (for the palate), and retronasal olfactory sensations. It gives us indications of the quantity and intensity of the variety of flavor-aromatic range.

It can be:

Nonexistent

Not Intense

Intense

Excellent

Persistence

Persistence is an indicative measurement given by the combination of gustatory and olfactory components perceived for a more or less extended duration. It constitutes the greater or lesser permanence of flavorful, tactile (for the palate), and retronasal olfactory sensations.

It can be:

Nonexistent

Not Persistent

Persistent

Excellent

Quality

It is calculated from the synthesis of the two previously evaluated parameters: intensity and persistence. It allows us to evaluate the aroma and final sensations, which are very important for assessing the final pleasantness of the cigar.

It can be:

Poor

Common

Fine

Excellent

Strength

The strength is identified by the degree of nicotine perceptibility. It is a fairly subjective measurement, but one of fundamental importance for assessing the cigar. The strength is perceived primarily at the pharyngeal level. It can be:

Light

Medium

Full-bodied

Harmony

Harmony is the sum of all the qualitative elements and allows us to determine if our cigar has been pleasant to smoke. It is the synthesis of the gustatory-tactile-retronasal intensity and persistence. It is also subjective, as it is the result of a subjective smoking experience. It can be:

Nonexistent

Not Harmonious

Harmonious

Excellent

Evolution

Evolution is the most difficult aspect to evaluate because it takes into account all the different phases of the smoke. A good cigar must change, or evolve, to avoid monotony, but must do so by maintaining a good balance. The evaluation of evolution is fundamental to the final score of the cigar. It can be:

Linear

Complex

Final Considerations

In this section, it is important to keep track of observations that are only applicable at the end of the tasting, such as:

Smoking Duration

Recommended for: Experts, Enthusiasts, Everyone, Beginners

Quality/Price Ratio: Poor, Good, Excellent, Outstanding

Additional Notes: In this section, you can add anything that could not be classified in the previous sections.

Final Judgment: The taster should finally give a personal assessment of the tasting by assigning a score from 1 to 100.

The informative section on the art of Cigar Tasting is now complete.

Remember that the purpose of this section is to introduce you to the art of Tasting, but it can never replace a course organized by a certified and professional institution. All information provided here is freely interpreted with the sole purpose of introducing you to the world of Tasting.

Happy Tasting!