Stogie Commentary: Searching for Satisfaction

After recently smoking a few different cigars and finding most of them to be so-so, I began to seriously wonder just what it is that makes a smoke enjoyable to me.

Of course, the list of possibilities to consider is almost endless. Taste, flavor, strength, size, smoke, burn. And on and on.

I generally think of myself as leaning toward medium- to full-flavored sticks. But I also find myself frequently enjoying mild cigars. So it isn’t strength that determines my smoking pleasure. For starters, I examined a few of those I’d recently smoked.

A Punch Gran Puro Sierra (six and 1/2 inches by 48 ring gauge), for example, wasn’t bad. It produced tons of smoke, had an evolving taste, and burned just fine. My primary complaint was a bitterness throughout much of the stick.

Then there was a Henry Clay Rothchilde, a five inch by 50 ring gauge rough looking cigar with a couple of large veins. While the smoke volume wasn’t up to the Gran Puro level, it was certainly adequate. The aroma was light and the head had an almost sweetness before the light. While it was burning,I notieced tastes of nuts and leather. Overall, the Henry Clay had a harshness from beginning to end.

I wouldn’t call either of these cigars bad. But I also wouldn’t smoke them very often. Why not, compared to, say, some of my favorites such as the Excalibur, Partagas Black, Toraño 1959 Silver, or Hemingway? Those are all very different cigars. What is the common thread?

As I smoked an Excalibur maduro, I began to understand. It really came down to just one word: smoothness. When a cigar is rough or harsh, I have a hard time enjoying whatever other positive attributes it possesses.

Understanding why we like certain cigars, as well as find ourselves indifferent or negative toward others, can increase the likelihood of success in picking new sticks. I know that from now on, when I’m reading others’ reviews and impressions of cigars I haven’t tried, I’ll pay particular attention to the whether the smoker found them smooth or not.

–George E

Tags: cigars