Am I missing something about CC's
 

I smoked 6 CC's over the last 2 weeks and the whole time found myself wanting the NC's that I usually smoke. I've had them in my humi for some time and planned on resting my palate for about a week, and then smoking all of them w/o mixing with NC's. Well i finally did this and although they were OK, they didnt wow me in any way. And no they werent cuban dog rockets, they were all highly rated and considered some of the top CC's. I know alot of responses will be the common response...smoke what you like and like what you smoke. Besides that response, what am I missing? Do any of you guys enjoy NC's more than CC's? I would like to really enjoy CC's, but all that I've smoked have been nothing special, and I'd rather some of my standbys from Padron and LP instead. What am I missing?
Jon

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

What were the cigars? Do you know for sure they were legit?

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Jon...I'm on of the few on the board that prefers NCs to CCs every day of the week. I have smoked about 50-60 CCs, all different kinds and have not found one that really WOWED me. I gave up a long time ago and enjoy smoking my NCs. :2

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Without knowing what kind of cigars you like it's kind of hard to say. I smoke about 50/50 now and I enjoy both. I lean more twards medium body smokes so CC's are right up my alley. If you like strong smokes you might find them weak by comparison. What are your favorite NC's? What were the CC's you tried? I can tell you that if you have a party short that's on or a nicely aged Cohiba Lancero that you'll be having a WOW moment.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

You also have to take age of the cigar into consideration. Some CCs need quite a few years to mature.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Some people love filet mignon and I prefer a rib eye

don't get into the hype of it all...just smoke what you enjoy.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

I'm positive that they were legit....they were Ramon Allones, Bolivar, Cohiba, Romeo y Julietta and I forgot the other 2. Recieved from a good pipe smoking buddy who used to be heavy into cigars.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

He wrote the years on each one of the bags. None were later than 2009...if I remember correctly one was an 06, and a couple from 08, maybe one from 04.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Jon,

Smoke what you enjoy. Tastes do change, so don't write cubans off completely, but you probably just prefer the NC profile. CC's usually have more subtleties to their flavor profile, but that's not always the case. There are a wide range of cigars from both.

I was primarily a NC smoker for years. I still like them a lot, but now I have started preferring the more subtle and cleaner flavors offered by some CCs.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Maybe Mugen is right. You may just be a meat and taters kind of guy.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Do you exhale through your nose? As was stated most Cuban cigars are more medium so if you like Nicaraguan or Honduran most CC's will seem very light, especially if you dont exhale through your nose. CC's also tend to be more subtle and complex and the flavors dont come through on the tongue. Although I still enjoy some NC's, I find most to be very one dimensional and in your face. :2

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Well after smoking a whopping 6 and not liking them you can pretty much write off CCs.

YES, you are missing something. The flavors, both subtle and in your face just cannot be replicated by NCs.

1. Your friend might be heavily into cigars, that doesnt mean his cigars are the real deal. I have a friend that just recently had to tell one of his friends that his entire collection, hundreds and hundreds of cigars, were all fakes. This individual has the coin to buy and sell my collection 1000x over, so obviously money doesnt mean squat if you dont have a good source.

2. Your palate has been fried by and is still used to the power of NCs. Dont smoke anything for a two to three weeks. Then smoke a real Havana. You should be able to get all sorts of flavors.

3. As Larry mentioned CCs need a couple years to come into their own (most of the time). Some require a decade or more to become smokable (ERDM Choix Supreme IMO). Can you identify the years of the cigars you smoked?

4. Retrohaling... It opened up a whole new world of flavors for me

5. Smoke what you like... if you then still dont like CCs, good for you! Youve avoided a very slippery slope.

Most NCs to me now taste, harsh, bitter and foul. The only ones I can tolerate are Esencias, My Fathers, and some Tatuajes.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

There it is. Me, I smoked NCs almost exclusively, due mainly to price and availability considerations, but truly enjoy the occasional CC. To me, the difference is similar to wines, with many NCs being a bold cabernet sauvignon whose body and depth can overwhelm some, and CCs being closer to a pinot noir, whose subtlety can completely underwhelm those without the palate for them.

But that's why they bottle both, and why they produce different cigar blends too.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

From my small sampling size I have found most to be ok cigars that I would not chase down. But I have found some to be the best cigars I have ever smoked, complex and flavors that I know but not like I've had in cigars before like bananas, cream, fruit and all. If I could just smoke those CC's and find them then I would only smoke CC's, but I can't and strike out often. Even when I find the same vitolas same year they are not the same and I am let down. Funny because I am smoking a great one right now that is limited (PSD3 2001) what I was talking about at 1st was regular production sticks. PSD4, Boli PC, Party Short, PSP2 ETC, good cigars and some are great but most are just good.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

If you don't like them, then you aren't missing anything. :2

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Yes Moe they were definitely real. He actually gets them from a reputable source that alot of you guys get yours from. I won't write them off, but I guarantee when I smoked only one Padron 1964 and only one tat black, and only one LP #9 I instantly loved them. Maybe my tastes will change.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

I don't know your buddy but I also know plenty of people "heavy into cigars" who wouldn't know a legit Cuban cigar if it bit them on the ass.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Moe is wise.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

This man speaks the truth.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Are you setting your expectations too high? I know the first time for me I really expected two unicorns to fly me a hammock down from the heavens and float me to utopia....that has not happened yet, Close but no unicorns. I have VERY limited CC experience but it has ranged from OK to wonderful. I don't see ever committing to one (CC or NC's) but I plan on trying ever damn one I can of both to formulate my opinion.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

OK they were fake then.:sl

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

That's funny...I definitely had high expectations. So this could have been a small part of the problem.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

:sh

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

now, now... Peter's point IS one of concern.

Many "connoisseurs" of have been duped into buying fake Havanas. If they have never had anything but fakes to compare them to, how could they ever know?

Were your friend's cigars not authentic... which is not to say that they ARE fake, Im just saying for arguments sake, he would definitely not be the first person to be fooled.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

You know, in just about 100% of the cigar likes/dislikes thread, this is the best advise and analogy that there is. Simple, accurate and to the point. Bump, bro.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Pnoon wasn't saying your friend doesn't know his stuff...just pointing out that there have been instances of it.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Didn't see your answer to this. If you don't nose-smoke, then you probably are missing something in CCs.

And....yup...smoke what you like, like what you smoke.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

I hear you, brothers, as it's true, true, and true. However, I do have a problem with the accepted premise around here that, if someone does not like a CC he's smoked, then he probably got a fake one. One does not follow the other.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

I absolutely retrohaled. Anytime a cigar is in the medium to mild range I always retrohale....and sometimes full-bodied, but not the whole way through if its too spicy.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Of course not. But there is not an accepted premise here about fakes. There is a preponderance of fake Cuban cigars out there so it just makes sense to ask the question.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

This is true. I wish I could say that they were fake, then I wouldnt be as disappointed. But unfortunately, I'm a 100% sure they were real:(

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Well, if you dont like them, and your buddy is looking to dump his collection, feel free to pm me a list of what he has :tu

:D

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

With all due respect, I point out the question was asked, and answered. Still, this did not stop the discussion.


;s , but them's the facts.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

True, however, how can the OP verify that they were in fact real, if has such limited experience with them. Six to be exact, all different marcas.

No offense Jon ;s

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Let's Put It This Way: The Best CC I've Ever Smoked Is 100X Better Than The Best NC I've Ever Smoked. :):tu

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

And still. That's it, I'm outta here.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

They may just not be to your liking OP. I would advise you to give some more a try before deciding they aren't for you. However, as some have said NC's may just be more appealing for you.

Edit - Why don't you shoot me a PM with your addy Jon and maybe I can send you something that would change your mind.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

The FACT was that Jon was positive they were legit because he got them from a friend who was heavy into cigars. I was pointing out another FACT that there are plenty of folks who are heavy into cigars who have fakes. I am fairly certain (FACT) threads are started specifically for ongoing discussion.

If you believe discussion should stop, use the Report Post feature to request the thread be closed.

With all due respect.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Thank God.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Your probably right Moe, again they probably were fake.:sl

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Thank you.
At least now the discussion with Jon can proceed.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Hard to know what you believe at this point.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Again... not what Im saying.

But would you agree that your experience with Havanas is limited?

You say the vendor is somebody that many of us buy from... please feel free to PM me, or one of the mods (Pnoon, Icehog and Lascivious are already in this thread) the name of the vendor. That would probably put the fake discussion to rest.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Jon, I missed reading your post about the vendor your buddy buys from. Moe's post had me retread the whole thread. Take him up on his offer. Then we can eliminate the question of authenticity from the equation.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

:tu

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Can I shoot you my addy too??? :D

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

You have more cigars than I do :lr

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

But yours are way better!

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

This.

Re: Am I missing something about CC's
 

Don't force it. If you don't like them that is OK. Maybe your friend's cigars were fake maybe not. If you want to give CC's another chance you can try to get some CC's from a legimate source or you can continue enjoying your NC's. As many have said Smoke what you like, like what you smoke.

I moved from being an NC smoker to a mostly smoking CC's. However, I still enjoy NC's -- just not as frrequently as I used to. All cigars have their place.