Friday, March 06 2009
By Didier Houvenaghel
This month, Didier Houvenaghel presents the science and aesthetics of "the gustatory approach," and how it applies to what we taste when smoking premium cigars.
When you search "gustatory" on the internet, wiki says its origin relates to the Latin word gustus which means "taste" or "relating to the sense of taste."
Taste generally refers to the basic perceptions of bitterness, saltiness, sweetness and sourness. In Eastern cultures, other tastes are also defined as umami, fattiness, dryness, metallicness, etc. But is the taste linked to the perception of the mouth's taste buds (gustation) only, or also by our nose's chemical receptors (olfaction)?
With regard to the term "gustatory" itself, we can differentiate between the "gustatory perception" and the "general gustatory approach." The first is intimately linked to the taste perception only (limited to the mouth), while the second also involves other perceptions (like the olfactory senses) and is usually referred to as 'the general tasting.'
The taste, the savor, the flavor, the gustation, the olfaction, etc, are terms that we regularly hear in our cigar conversations, but which also may sometimes be confusing to the aficionado. Moreover, some professionals in the cigar industry lack the ability to clearly define these terms, which would help satisfy the cigar smoking amateur's curiosity by providing a clearer idea of the gustatory approach.
Let's try to develop one together!
The gustatory approach
After the aficionado takes a puff and into his mouth and nose, the smoke, which is simply the product of the combustion of natural black tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum). The scents and "perfumes," produced from aromatic volatile molecules, are then perceived by the olfactory and gustatory senses of the smoker.
Olfaction and gustation are the sensory receptors that transduce (or convert) the smoke chemical signals into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the brain and then analyzed and memorized. This is called the chemoreception.
How do we perceive a cigar? It's all part of a physiological "system."
Nose direct olfaction: The first olfactory perception of the smoke that allows discernment of the cigar's nose aromas.
Mouth gustation: The mouth gustatory perception of the smoke that allows discernment of the cigar's taste.
Nose retro olfaction: The second nose olfactory perception of the smoke (released out through the nose) that allows discernment of the cigar's mouth aromas.
What do we perceive in a cigar? It's a combination of perceptions. The flavor, also called "savor," is the overall impression created by the combination of olfactory and gustatory perceptions, and can be therefore divided into 2 types:
1. Taste - Bitterness / Saltiness / Sourness / Sweetness / Umami / Dryness (tannins) / Metallicness / Hotness (piquant spicy taste) / Coolness (mint fresh taste) / Kokumi (thickness) / Temperature.
2. Aroma - Plant: herbaceous, woody, humus, and spicy aromas. Fruit: Floral / Animal / Sweet / Toasted / Others.
Other factors
Richness - The variety and the quality of the aromas perceived.
Fortaleza - Also called the strength, is the global force and volume of the sensory input.
Aromatic Persistence - The gradually fading sensation of the after-taste.
Progression - The transformation of the flavor as the combustion progresses.
"Tasting a cigar"
By using this phrase, I always refer – and it is generally accepted – to the entire perception of a cigar that is not only olfactory and gustatory, but also visual, tactile and even auditory. The objective of "smoking" a cigar, being to maximize our pleasure, it would be a pity only using two out of our five senses! This is why true "cigar tasting" is derived from a an art de vivre, or more simply stated, a "lifestyle."
To conclude, allow me introduce the "acquired taste." The perception of a particular "unknown taste" is generally not likely to be enjoyed. Why? Being unusual and foreign to our sensory experience, it reveals unfamiliar feelings. To be enjoyed, the tastes and aromas should be known and discovered, and are therefore acquired by practice. Therefore, all of us should and need to discover lots of new tastes, new aromas, and new cigars. Learn to like them and enjoy!
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Didier Houvenaghel is a Belgian agricultural engineer who spent many years in Cuba studying tropical crops, specializing in black tobacco. His extensive research and knowledge of the tobacco growing and curing process led him to create Nicarao cigars, his own brand of Nicaraguan puros, now made in partnership with Rocky Patel. Didier is also the author of the book, The Cigar: From Soil to Soul.
