I used to think all cigars tasted the same, and now, in my 8th month of cigar smoking, I still do, to some extent; that is there is some component in cigars that make them taste like cigars.

Now this doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the myriad tastes conferred by wrapper and leaf; each cigar tastes the way its been blended.

But something is the same, and as a cigar can't burn without seco, I'm wondering if that's what gives cigars an at least similar taste.
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The one unique difference that separates cigar tobacco from all other tobacco is:

FERMENTATION

Pipe tobacco is not. Chew is not. Cigarette tobacco is not. Only Cigar Tobacco. Seco is just one type of cigar tobacco. They are all fermented. And, the different tobaccos, different leaves, different priming's, etc. are each fermented differently.
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Where in the world did you learn this? :-)

Yes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco's, and cigarette tobaccos are all fermented. 99% of tobacco that is consumed is cured and fermented. :-)
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I think it is the use of tobacco in cigars that make them all have similar tastes...
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:-)
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This whole thread makes me go :-)

Am I just reading it wrong? Maybe the OP could clarify for us :-)
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A simple but true explanation!

Cigars are going to taste the same to some degree because they are cigars. The different tobaccos give it different proprieties for example, try smoking a corojo wrapped cigar along with a maduro. If you smoke them at the same time you will notice the differences.

Where the tobacco was grown also makes a difference. Tobacco from Nicaragua is the strongest on earth so the more powerful cigars out there (JdN Dart Antano and Cain F) use Nica ligero for it's strength.

All in all, the differences can be subtle and the more you smoke the more you will educate your palate. Again I recommend smoking two different cigars at once so that you can spot the noticeable differences right away. Hope this helps.
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It may be the strongest used in cigars but Nica baccy is not the strongest in the world. That would be Mapacho (sacred tobacco) from the Amazon.
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I'm with Tyr. :-)

I think the question is - cigars taste like cigars, and why?

The one thing I notice, any time I'm around someone smoking a cigar, it always smell like a cigar. Never like a cigarette nor like a pipe. Pipes and cigarettes are the same. None really smell like each other and each is distinguishable. But then you run across someone with a Black and Mild and it smells sort of like a pipe and a little like a cigar (they are made with pipe tobacco which helps that theory).
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Of course - not only are different varieties of tobacco used, the processing methods and treatments are totally different.
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Mmmmmmmm sacred tobacooooooooo!!! hmhhhhhh!!
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Thanks Tom! :-)
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i'm not really clear on if i understand the question... but it does look like the OP is confusing seco and volado. not that the volado used makes all cigars taste the same or similar, but volado is the leaf that is most used for it's burn qualities.
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No doubt!, Greg, got a source?? :-)
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I might know a guy who grows stuff hydroponically, Tom. I'm sure he'd label it as Mapacho for you. Lemme know! :-)
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Semantics that depend on the country.

In Cuba and the DR - volado is the name of the lowest priming groups. In Central American countries, seco is the name given to the lowest priming.

Cuba/DR - top down: ligero, seco, volado
Nicarauga, Honduras, etc - top down: ligero, viso, seco

Not every Central American cigar has seco in it. In fact many don't.
There are less island cigars that lack volado, but they do exist.
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interesting.. i wasn't aware that they called things differently outside of cuba, that is kinda confusing. thanks for the info.
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Welcome. The differences don't stop at the names either, there are many other differences in blending, placement of tobacco and construction, etc.
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Vin! I'm IN!! :-)
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I stand corrected....why did you have to mention the whole "sacred tobacco" part....something else I am going to obsess about getting now :-)

:-)
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http://tobacconistuniversity.org/ima...ed-resized.png

is the URL for a diagram of a Criollo plant showing from bottom to top, volado, capote, seco and ligero.

It is from there that I got the idea about seco, as well as watching some cigar rolling video wherein the roller said you always need seco, as it is what helps the cigar to burn.
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