CC's or NC's?

[akumushi]

It's the French wine Vs. Californian wine debate all over again, so really, smoke what you like. There are good and bad examples of both.
I for one gravitate toward the milder CCs, but I enjoy an occasional Padron or Pepin. I would point out that they're blended to completely different palletes, with NCs mostly marketed toward mouth-smokers that want big, bold & chewy flavors with a rich mouthfeel, and with CCs mostly marketed toward nose-smokers that want complex and subtle aromas that don't rip into your sinus.
If there is any truth to the idea that people gravitate toward CCs in the long run (I certainly have) it's because it generally takes people a while to switch to the retroexhale and to learn how to pick up the more subtle flavors other than "burning tobacco smoke." IMO, if you've just smoked a few CCs and you didn't retroexhale, you've completely missed out on 90% of what is good about them, and should revisit them later, in that context.

[pektel]

Originally Posted by akumushi

would point out that they're blended to completely different palletes, with NCs mostly marketed toward mouth-smokers that want big, bold & chewy flavors with a rich mouthfeel, and with CCs mostly marketed toward nose-smokers that want complex and subtle aromas that don't rip into your sinus.
If there is any truth to the idea that people gravitate toward CCs in the long run (I certainly have) it's because it generally takes people a while to switch to the retroexhale and to learn how to pick up the more subtle flavors other than "burning tobacco smoke." IMO, if you've just smoked a few CCs and you didn't retroexhale, you've completely missed out on 90% of what is good about them, and should revisit them later, in that context.

VERY good point.

[lilninjabuddy]

Originally Posted by akumushi

If there is any truth to the idea that people gravitate toward CCs in the long run (I certainly have) it's because it generally takes people a while to switch to the retroexhale and to learn how to pick up the more subtle flavors other than "burning tobacco smoke." IMO, if you've just smoked a few CCs and you didn't retroexhale, you've completely missed out on 90% of what is good about them, and should revisit them later, in that context.

I'm wondering if over time that may happen to me as well. I retrohale with nearly all my cigars now. My initial thought about CCs was that they were nice, but generally for warm summer days only. Over the past year, I've gotten to the point where I want a Liga Privada about 50% of the time, and the other 50% of the time I'm wishing I had a Partegas or a Bolivar, or a Monte to smoke.