Cigar Characteristics

We each have a different set of taste buds and a different palette. We each like different tastes or flavors, and each of us will experience a cigar differently. Is it any wonder that everyone describes cigars differently? When trying to help a customer select a cigar, though, we need some consistency.

Different magazines and podcasts use various numerical systems, and there are some basic terms that are widely used. At Bailey's we describe cigars based on six different characteristics.

These characteristics come from a panel discussion held during the ProCigar Festival 2022. Definitions come from our experience, Cigar Aficionado, Tobacconist University, and various cigar blogs. In this post, we'll introduce the six characteristics, and then spend a separate post going into each one in detail.

These characteristics refer only to taste and the actual smoking experience. There are other characteristics and terms used to describe cigar construction and size. Our six characteristics for describing a cigar are:

• Aroma,

• Balance,

• Body,

• Complexity,

• Flavor,

• Finish.