It’s important to find the right cigar to start off with because some cigars have a distinct taste that makes them a favorite. Before you pick your cigar of choice, you should try it with a mix of other cigars. It is also important to try different wrappers, fillers, binder/filler and flavor. Finding a cigar that you enjoy using as a foundation is the best way to figure out whether or not you like the cigar or not. If you enjoy them, chances are, you will love them. With all the different flavors, wrappers and juices out there, choosing the right smoke is the key to getting the best flavor from your cigar. Here are some things to try before choosing your cigars:
“Everyone thinks you need to have a cedar tree in your humidor to create good full-bodied cigars. That’s the easiest way to get a bland cigar, but it’s wrong. When it comes to the best smoke, the most natural ingredients are the most rewarding. Three kinds of leaves are used to make these cigars: a Cuban leaf, a Dominican leaf and a Brazilian leaf. Each has an entirely different flavor, and it’s the combination of them that make a special tobacco. Cigars made from Cuban or Dominican leaf are mellow, creamy and smooth.”
Picking the right cigar is key to smoking your first cigar. If you have a favorite blend at your favorite store, it is likely going to be the same cigar from the same company. Getting the right flavor profile is also important to the success of your cigar.
To help me identify a good smoke, I decided to create a checklist of three key factors. These factors should be in your cigar box, and your taste buds are too AJ Fernandez Cigars!
- Color
- Texture/smell
- Flavor
Color – Cigars with a rich reddish hue are inherently good. Stronger tobaccos often fall into this category. If you’re looking for a red.
The most reliable way to make the perfect cigar is to develop a blend that produces similar taste and aroma to a piece of fine wine. Many people develop a set of cigar making techniques that allows them to achieve these objectives (crafters being some of the best at blending).
At a minimum, you want to start with the same base wrapper leaf that you intend to use in the cigar. This can be an original Habano Cuba, a Dominican leaf from La Gloria Cubana, or a filler cigar. Again, the decision of what wrapper you use should be primarily based on your personal taste and preference. You will never have the exact same blend that you will get with any of the others; all of them will taste different.
The trick is to find the perfect balance between these three factors, which by necessity must work together in your tasting notes.
If you’re a smooth operator, you may take it for granted that in order to taste a cigar’s characteristics correctly, you must observe as many aspects of the cigar as possible, which would certainly include viewing the base leaf to be cut by cutting and slicing as many different shapes as possible.
The differences in leaf color, aroma, taste and softness and firmness of the wrapper become obvious and immediately noticeable. I personally prefer to look for the primary color of the wrapper to be between gold and red/orange. The edge of the wrapper will also show a hue of between gold and red AJ Fernandez Cigars.
You may be like me and think you’ve discovered your smoking talent over the years. After all, most guys out there have learned to hit that first few notes of their favored blend, while you tend to crack open a Corona and think of those mellow times spent in the driveway playing their harmonica, or maybe they just smoked that green stuff as a kid. What’s the matter with you?