// bourbon & cigars
Cigar Flavor & Strength
Flavor and strength are different characteristics -- a mild cigar can be richly flavored, and a full-strength cigar can be simple.
These are illustrative archetypes, not ratings of specific cigars; strength and flavor are two separate characteristics, and knowing one doesn't tell you the other.
Flavor Categories
Flavor descriptions are subjective and vary by individual, by cigar, and even by smoking conditions -- no cigar has one universally agreed flavor profile. These are commonly used descriptive families, not a checklist every cigar hits.
Earth
leather, cedar box, damp soil, barnyard
Cedar
cedar, dry wood, sawdust
Coffee
roasted coffee, espresso, dark roast
Cocoa
dark chocolate, cocoa powder, mocha
Nuts
almond, walnut, roasted peanut
Pepper
black pepper, white pepper, peppery finish
Spice
cinnamon, clove, baking spice
Sweetness
caramel, honey, dried fruit
Creaminess
cream, butter, vanilla
Strength Categories
These are informal industry and consumer descriptors, not a standardized measurement -- and they describe nicotine strength, not flavor intensity.
Mild
Lower perceived nicotine strength. A mild cigar can still be rich or complex in flavor -- strength and flavor intensity are separate characteristics.
Medium
The most common informal middle ground between mild and full -- moderate perceived nicotine strength, which again says nothing on its own about how much flavor a cigar delivers.
Full
Higher perceived nicotine strength. A full-strength cigar isn't automatically the most flavorful one -- some full-strength blends are simple, and some mild blends are intricate.