Perfumy cigars

[jacksfull]

Several cigars from a box of Monte #4's I've been smoking on have been extremely perfumy tasting. I mean WAY beyond simple floral notes... so strong it's hard to believe it's due to natural flavor variations in the tobacco.

Any chance this could be caused by the roller using hand lotion or such?

Montecristo No. 4 twang is delightful... Doused in Chanel No. 5, not so much!

[oliverdst]

I dont know. But if it has something to do with someone touching the cigars maybe not in Cuba but the vendor.

[jacksfull]

I dont know. But if it has something to do with someone touching the cigars maybe not in Cuba but the vendor.

Doubtful. I've gotten perfumy ones off both top & bottom rows of this particular box. Box was inspected, but the cigars did not appear to be handled (you know how box-pressed cigars ofter stick together until you break them loose?). And, it's only 3 or 4 out of just over half a box smoked that have been this way.

I can imagine a torcedora using hand lotion on dry hands to give her better grip without thinking about it getting into the cigars (or maybe just not caring). Possible?

[Maplepie]

Maybe they found another batch of the Montecristo 520 leaf. (or they snuck in some 420 leaf )

Sent from the Enigma via Tapatalk for BlackBerry Classic.

[Smallclub]

I'm always stunned when this question comes back again. Do people really think that torcedors don't have the basic knowledge, ie that tobacco leaves/cigars are sponges for all odors?

I doubt it.

btw, if the smell is that of Chanel No.5, the contamination occured in the importer's premises, not in Cuba where the bottle is probably worth 1 or 2 years of a worker's wage…

[jacksfull]

I'm always stunned when this question comes back again. Do people really think that torcedors don't have the basic knowledge, ie that tobacco leaves/cigars are sponges for all odors?

I doubt it.

btw, if the smell is that of Chanel No.5, the contamination occured in the importer's premises, not in Cuba where the bottle is probably worth 1 or 2 years of a worker's wage…

The Chanel quip was just a play on words. Hand lotion would be more the actual suspect, and with reason that a roller might want to use it..

You say the question keeps coming up, which would indicate a reoccurring problem. I guess it's not that I think torcedors don't know better... it's more like wondering if one just didn't care over and above her/his own discomfort from dry hands.

If you want to go on record saying it's not possible, I accept that as your outlook on it however much I might disagree.

I have serious doubts about the "import vendor" alternate theory, though, for reasons already explained. And, frankly, if you feel you can absolutely rule out the rolling table because torcedors know better, why would you assume that cigar vendors don't?

Let me also add that the perfuminess manifested itself throughout the entire length of the cigars in question. That counter-indicates the touch of a perfumed finger here and there. It is ingrained in the construction of the cigars.

[CaptainQuintero]

Isn't this one of those things that no one really knows?

Badly fermented tobacco

Soap

Perfume

Etc?

I personally lean to the first as there isn't really any specific cigar which has it as a profile (From my experience) its usually the odd one once or twice a year, no rhyme or reason and never the same brand

[TonyAccardo]

What I'm surprised about is the amount of people, who, when this question is asked, have never had experience with this or say things like "could be that the torcedor had lotion/perfume on their hands!"

I highly doubt torcedors in Cuba even have the income to afford perfumes but nevertheless, it has nothing to do with perfume/lotions even if they did.

This is a defect in the tobacco itself and I've had this happen in many cigars I've smoked over the years, both Dominican, Nicaraguan, Honduran, etc, but have experienced it much more in Cuban cigars than I have in cigars from any other area. What causes this perfumey taste is a chemical in the tobacco called beta damascenones and is what is used to make rose water and is what gives flowers their scent. From the research I've done on it, it is ever present in unfermented tobacco leaf and is therefore a defect caused by the underfermentation or inadequate fermentation of the tobaccos used to roll the cigars. A little floral taste/flavor can be pleasant when it is balanced with other flavors, but when it is so overpowering as it is in some cuban cigars, it is not pleasant at all.

More importantly, no amount of time will make overly floral cigars "come around" either as it is inadequately fermented tobacco from the get go. Although one might think that his/her cigars have "come around" after having let them sit for some time, the reality of the matter is that that cigar was just better and not that intensely floral from its inception and has nothing to do with the time its sat. One of the most eye opening things I have done concerning cigars and the effects of aging was to go through an entire box within a months time. I smoked cigars that were horribly floral and then the next one would be ok, the next would be great and then the next was a floral mess again. Had nothing to do with the time they sat.

[Smallclub]

This is a defect in the tobacco itself and I've had this happen in many cigars I've smoked over the years, both Dominican, Nicaraguan, Honduran, etc, but have experienced it much more in Cuban cigars than I have in cigars from any other area. What causes this perfumey taste is a chemical in the tobacco called beta damascenones and is what is used to make rose water and is what gives flowers their scent. From the research I've done on it, it is ever present in unfermented tobacco leaf and is therefore a defect caused by the underfermentation or inadequate fermentation of the tobaccos used to roll the cigars.

I don't disagree with you but I think it's a bit more complicated; the degradation of carotenoid products (including beta-Damascenone) is a normal step in tobacco maturation.

http://www.leffingwell.com/tob2.htm

And I have found that unpleasant flavour more often in dominican cigars; I don't even remember when I've found it in a habanos.

[jacksfull]

I'm happy to hear there's an explanation... we maybe not happy, but better informed now.

[btp1979]

And here I thought this was going to be a thread about how terrible infused cigars are. Do they even have Acid cigars outside of the US?

edit for spelling

Edited July 26, 2015 by btp1979

[anacostiakat]

I have experienced this a couple of times through the years. It dissipates over time. So if you find them unapproachable now just leave them alone for a good while.

[alloy]

The perfume taste and odor is why I won't buy Cohiba Pirimide Extras anymore. Also, this past wek, I smoked a three year old Carlo Fernandez and it had the same taste and odor. No other flavors. Very disappointing.

[TonyAccardo]

I don't disagree with you but I think it's a bit more complicated; the degradation of carotenoid products (including beta-Damascenone) is a normal step in tobacco maturation.

http://www.leffingwell.com/tob2.htm

And I have found that unpleasant flavour more often in dominican cigars; I don't even remember when I've found it in a habanos.

That's the way personal experiences go as i have experienced it far more in cuban cigars. I had an Upmann 2 last night, while not as flowery as what the OP is describing, it was a bit more floral than I like. And to be honest about it, my data pull is biased as I don't smoke many dominicans anymore although I don't remember it being a common experience when I did.

When you say tobacco maturation, do you mean as the plant grows before it is harvested or do mean as the cigars mature sitting in the box?