The misuse of terms like "Body" and "Strength" are two of the most common and confounding mistakes made by luxury tobacco lovers at all levels. Words have meaning and it is important to understand them and use them properly. So, let's define both Body and Strength along with the coterie of other words we will need to know in order to understand the relationship between luxury tobacco and our senses.
Body: the breadth and depth (spectrum) of flavor of a tobacco. Body is also referred to as richness and fullness and is commonly perceived as mouthfeel.
Flavor is the combination of taste and aroma perceived by our human senses.
Mouthfeel is the sensation in the mouth created by the Body (richness, fullness, or thinness) of the smoke. The fullness of Body will also impact the Finish (lingering flavor) of a tobacco; where a lighter bodied tobacco will have a lighter/shorter finish and a fuller bodied tobacco will have a heavier/richer/longer finish. A good analogy is the difference between chicken and steak, where chicken has a lighter bodied flavor and steak is fuller bodied.
Common range descriptors for Body include light, medium and full. It can get confusing when an adjective like "Mild" is used to describe Body since it is better suited and more accurately used to describe [Nicotine] Strength, or in conjunction with another descriptor like Spice. Spice is the physical sensation, that varies from tingling to stinging in the mouth, back of the throat, palate and throughout our nasal passages and nose. If you must use the term "Mild" to describe Body, it should be linked and used in conjunction: mild-body.
Strength is the intensity of the nicotine in the cigar or pipe tobacco. Read more about Nicotine & Strength here...
The use of "Mild" and "Strong" is often misapplied to Body. As tobacconists we must often read 'between the lines' when listening to customer's descriptions and preferences. We should also choose our words carefully to accurately convey facts, perceptions and opinions. Now that you know the difference, the misuse of these terms will become evident and prevalent on mail order websites, among internet 'influencers' and in just about every corner of the luxury tobacco world. Let this be a red flag that exposes those who really know and separates them from those who pretend to know.
Classic Tobacconist Anecdote
My own father is obsessed with "Mild" cigars. He constantly tells me how much he loves all the "Mild" cigars I give him while he is actually smoking fuller bodied, medium strength cigars. I don't even keep mild cigars around the house! He perceives the lack of ammonia, good aging, tempered spice and well-rounded Body of the cigars I give him as "Mild". This has been going on for my 30 year career as a tobacconist and I can't get him to use the proper descriptors, no matter how hard I try to enhance his vocabulary and knowledge. While he loves every cigar I give him, he just doesn't care enough to change his vocabulary or way of communicating. The truth is, he is more like the common consumer than not. Sadly, most people who sell cigars are regurgitating the same "mild, smooth and sweet" nonsense instead of actually adding value. With regard to my father, no matter how much I want to correct his descriptive ability, he doesn't give a f*ck. He just wants "Mild Mild Mild"! The fact is, many (if not most) of our customers are like this too, so we must 'read between the lines' and ask the right questions to truly understand what our customers are telling us. In this way you will be able to enhance your customer's pleasure while broadening their options, appreciation and range of experiences. This is what TOBACCONISTS do!
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Tobacconist University Glossary
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