So you have your cigar cut and lit (more about that in a different post). Now what? Just puffing away until the beautiful cigar in your hand is all turned to ash is not the best way to fully enjoy your experience. Cigars are meant to be TASTED. Otherwise, what's the point?
Think about the way we eat. Food is typically cooked, and served hot, right? What you may not realize is that our taste receptors do not function correctly, or at all, when our food or drink is too hot. In fact, our taste is maximized within a certain temperature range, 59 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. So cool smoke is, well, cool.
Why Can't we Taste Hot Stuff?
Smoking quickly with too much heat has multiple downsides.
A cigar burning too hot evaporates the sugars and oils before reaching your tastebuds.
Overheated tobacco takes on a bitter flavor or even a burnt taste.
No sugars+burnt flavor = YUCK
Understanding Combustion
As a young man, I camped a lot. My good friend was and is an expert at making fires. He even earned the respect of some locals who quipped more than once, "When you was a boy, you'd get right down there and make a fire outta nothin." The man can make a fire. I've become somewhat of a successful pyro myself and one thing I've learned is that in order to burn, you need three things: oxygen, heat, fuel. In this case, oxygen, torch lighter/match, cigar. You might have seen someone using a bellows, think Looney Tunes. Bellows are used to add air, or oxygen, to a fire. You pump a set near the bottom of a fire and the fire gets hotter and burns brighter. Your lungs are like bellows. The more you puff, the hotter the cigar burns.
Slow Down
Besides a poor cut and inadequate light, smoking too fast is the best way to ruin your experience. Shoot for at least one minute between puffs. Get an ashtray, and put the cigar down in a horizontal position. Breathe. Sip on a drink. Let the cigar cool down. Then puff again. You will begin to taste flavors you have only read about. I promise.
Happy Smoking.
コメント