... is a highly subjective matter
While the tobacco blend undoubtedly determines the flavours contained within a cigar, the moisture content significantly influences them and how the taste manifests during a smoke.
To understand this correlation, we suggest the following experiment:
Three distinct cigars were stored at a relative humidity (rH) of 65/66% ("dry") and at 73/74% ("humid") over an extended period of time.
The subjective impressions during the test-smoke can be summarized as follows:
The drier the cigar, the more bitter notes emerge. Taste appears sharper, more mineral-like, saltier, and straw-like. Flavours such as black coffee, dark bitter chocolate, earthy notes, leather, wood and pepper are accentuated. Spicy and sharp tones intensify. The draw becomes easier, the smoke itself appears drier, thinner, hotter, and slightly more aggressive.
The moister the cigar, the more harmonious, aromatic, and robust it becomes. Hints of nuts, flowers, grass, and fruits are emphasized, and the sweetness becomes more pronounced. The smoke gains density, weight and creaminess, becoming smoother, and the draw strength noticeably increases.
While it was clear that differences would arise, the extent when directly compared surprised everybody. Comparing a cigar at 65% to one at 74% makes it seem like we were smoking two entirely different cigars.
With this knowledge everyone can further optimize THEIR cigar to enhance its flavour tailored to individual preference.
PS.: Degassing turned out to be especially crucial. When applied three or four times from the mid-point of the cigar, it significantly reduced any emerging bitterness, allowing the flavours to appear more purely and pleasantly for a prolonged period of smoking.
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