Cigar Sense Podcast

Our members asked us to talk more about brands history, in addition to cigar tasting related topics. Therefore, in this episode, we are sharing a few facts about the history of the Perdomo brand: from countertrends to chemical analyses, cigar production innovation in a nutshell.

Ferri Luigi, "Storia del sigaro. Mitologia, tradizione e cultura", Odoya, 2019: https://www.ibs.it/storia-del-sigaro-mitologia-tradizione-libro-luigi-ferri/e/9788862884907

Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org/

Cigar Sense video: https://youtu.be/QuHxtUL1pco

Our members asked us to talk more about brands history, in addition to cigar tasting related topics. Therefore, in this episode, we are sharing a few facts about the history of the Partagás brand: from 1845 to the Cuban revolution, General Cigar Dominicana and the American market trademark.

Ferri Luigi, "Storia del sigaro. Mitologia, tradizione e cultura", Odoya, 2019: https://www.ibs.it/storia-del-sigaro-mitologia-tradizione-libro-luigi-ferri/e/9788862884907

Cuban Cigar Website: https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/

Cigar Sense: https://www.cigarsense.com/

We discuss the cigar consumer in Greater China with Eric Piras.

Eric Piras has an incredible experience of over 25 years in the cigar industry. He is based in Hong Kong, where he manages his import-export cigar trading Cigraal Ltd, the agent for brands such as Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Joya de Nicaragua, Mombacho, Gerard and Maya Selva.

In Hong Kong, he also operates Bertie Cigar Lounge, setting the mark for a new era of cigar smoking, with the largest selection of New World cigars in Hong Kong, patronized by a younger and more feminine crowd. Eric has also created the Cigraal Academy, to promote the cigar knowledge and discovery. He also recently launched his line of accessories: Totem.

• Some criteria for choosing cigars for import/distribution
• Attracting young and female consumers
• Paying attention to customers needs in order to best advise them
• The Cigraal Academy
• The importance of the tobacco processing to deliver great flavors
• Blind tasting ideas that reveal another angle of the consumer behavior
• How consistent cigars need to be to be able to define their core profile
• Defect of the cigar or fault of the smoker?

Bertie cigar lounge and Totem accessories: https://www.bertiecigars.com/

Cigraal Ltd: http://www.cigraal.com/

Cigar Sense aroma wheel: https://www.cigarsense.com/the-cigar-sense-aromas-wheel/

Blind tests or open tests? Are blind tests worth the effort? People have all sorts of opinions about this because there are different purposes for doing tests.

Purposes for blind tests: 1. guide consumers to buy the best cigars for them 2. leisure (hedonic type of tests)

Purposes for open tests: 1. persuade consumers to buy cigars based on symbols 2. decide whether to import/distribute/resell a cigar 3. assess brand or line specificity

Single taster or panel, is there any difference?

The imperative of focus

Advantages of blind tests

Panelists comments: Alban Cordier Zsolt Aranyos Reinhard Pohorec

Biases and tips on how to reduce the effects of an important one

A few fun exercises

Predictive confirmation bias: https://www.cigarsense.com/predictive-confirmation-bias-whats-that/

Priming guidelines: https://youtu.be/zaaIZz9ge4E

Learn how to break down the tasting components: https://www.cigarsense.com/courses/a-cigar-tasting-course/

Have you ever struggled to name the flavors that you perceive when smoking a cigar? Or have you ever wondered if it's the cigar or if it's you to be off? Have you ever met friends who could not agree on what to think about a cigar? Did you ever try to define a cigar's flavor profile, but then realize that everyone with whom you talk to has defined a totally different profile?

Build consensus in an authentic way Learn more about tasting in general Understand how your tasting skills compare to others' Clearly and visually identify your tasting skills gaps so you can address them Get recognition and acknowledgement. You may win a prize that will rank you among the best tasters in the industry! Learn about different types of tasters and of tasting panels

Much more on Sunday 15 October 2023 at 20:00 CET. Meeting details are here: https://www.cigarsense.com/consumer-tasting-groups/https://www.cigarsense.com/consumer-tasting-groups/. Join us for a social meeting where we will explain all details of how the Cigar Sense Consumer Tasting Groups work, so you can join in at your pace later on.

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Cigar Sense Podcast is sponsored by Cigar Sense premium members. We have no cigars sale, nor ads/influence sale revenue because we strive to provide independent and reliable information.