Turrbo Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 First off let me start by saying I know a NC will never be a CC. Let me say it again before I get bashed. First off let me start by saying I know a NC will never be a CC. However... Last week I smoked a cigar that I grabbed from my "random drawer" in my humidor. In this drawer I put cigars in that I get from random people bringing me cigars when they come over. These people smoke both CC's and NC's, so there's a LARGE mixed bag of cigars here. I was on the phone when I grabbed the cigar and I didn't look at the band, in fact I didn't even look at the cigar, I just grabbed a cigar and went outside and got it going. I was on the phone for the first half of the cigar and sill didn't look at the band. When I put the phone down I looked at the cigar that I was smoking and realized that it had tricked me. I could have EASILY thought it was a CC. I don't know what I would have related it to but it seemed too good to be a NC. Has a similar situation happened to you? Have you been fooled to thinking a NC was a CC? And no I'm not talking about Fake CC's.
coneatty Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 If I smoke a decent NC right after smoking a CC, it kind of "borrows" from the CC...but that's cheating. If I wasn't so familiar with the Padron Anniversario series, they do a pretty good imitation, albeit for a lot of $$$$.
Wiley Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Pre-light smell can be similar, but that's as far as it goes for me.
thechenman Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 I've never smoked a NC that fooled me into thinking it was a CC.
Nocoins Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Nope, nothing similar to this has ever happened to me.
Fuzz Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Can't say that I've ever had an NC that was close to a CC. Then again, I don't buy those hifaluting NC brands like Padron, Ashton, etc. The only NC I smoke nowadays is the Zino Platinum Sceptre Series.
Deemancpa Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 I had a similar situation, In fact I just posted in another thread. For me, I keep my cc/nc separate. But I had a Tatuaje Miami Brown Label - Havana Cazadores -6 3/8 x 43, it is wrapped in foil (wet sealed) in a SLB. My pre-smoke ritual, I typically take the band off, if I need to do something before sitting down, I would throw the cigar back into the humidor and get it later. For a brief min, I really thought I was smoking a Partagas 8-9-8, I was also distracted by the dog and the phone. I soon realized my error, but this Tatuaje was so cubanesque imho. I don't make any comparison between cc/nc at all but this was something worth sharing. D
Turrbo Posted February 1, 2011 Author Posted February 1, 2011 The cigar I smoked was a Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Belicoso. Again, I couldn't relate it to a specific CC but the feel and the draw were spot on. It very well could be that I'm not as seasoned as many of you, I'm open to this statement. But I gotta tell you it could have fooled me if a trustworthy source said it was some custom hand rolled from a past visit. However it would not have passed for any of the belicoso's that I've smoked from lets say Bolivar or anything like that.
ChanceSchmerr Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 For me there is only one NC that could possibly fool me, and that is the LGC Artesanos de Miami Elegante. It is practically the only NC i've ever smoked that actually evolved over the course of the smoke, rather than staying consistent and basically boring in flavour. That evolution of taste is what would fool me, because I've never noticed it in any other NC smoke.
cigaraholic Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Only NC that I've smoked that I thought could fool me was a Partagas 150.
ajgagnon Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 I had a Te-Amo belicoso/torp with habano seed Nicaraguan tobacco that could almost have fooled me. Not really, but almost. Decent flavour, but I find all Nicaraguan tobacco has a 'hit' that's just a bit sharper and much less refined, accompanied by less depth of flavour. In the ten or fifteen years since I've been smoking cigars, I've experienced some much better non-Cubans emerging, but I don't smoke enough of them to keep track. Almost all of them are 'habano seed', mind you. I'd love to try some of the Tatuajes sometime. :smoke:
Wicky Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 the only one i can think of would be the original La Gloria Cubana out of miami. before Ernesto sold out. i used to swear those cigars had cuban tobacco in them. the smell of a fresh bundle was identical.and the flavor was amazing.but that was a long time ago. smoked a RS 12 this morning and thought to myself, this is what cuban tobacco tastes like. period. i don't find it otherwise.
Baldy Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 The only CC that tastes like CC are ....... CC. There are a few NC out there that are OK but I'd never mistaken them for CC no matter how drunk I get. Taste does vary from person to person so I can see this happening. In certain situation an apple can taste like an orange to me. Interesting that even those who mistaken a NC for a CC only have this happen to them for a brief moment. No one I know will say that brand X of NC, taste consistently and exactly like brand X of CC each and every time.
cigcars Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 *One day I walked into my favorite tobacconist's store and he gave me an unbanded torpedo belicoso. Would not tell me what it was, just said smoke it and tell me what you think. When I got it home and tried it, I thought, "SOMEBODY'S been to the Festival de la Habana!!" It was in my view the BEST tasting cuban smoke I'd enjoyed EVER! When I got back to his store some time later and told him my thoughts, that he'd been to Cuba, he said no - and it was an EL BATON! I'd HAD those before and was only mildly impressed. He told me he'd had it awhile. That's the only thing I can surmise. I got one of the two I had in my humidor and it was just...'Duh'. So what can I say? His must've been in real - good - COMPANY!!
#2 man Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 We've all had very good NC and very bad CC but there's no mistaking the difference
aes8 Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 the only one i can think of would be the original La Gloria Cubana out of miami. before Ernesto sold out. i used to swear those cigars had cuban tobacco in them. the smell of a fresh bundle was identical.and the flavor was amazing.but that was a long time ago. smoked a RS 12 this morning and thought to myself, this is what cuban tobacco tastes like. period. i don't find it otherwise. +1 You speak the Gospel my friend. Damn those were great smokes. Damn General Tobaccco!
cigcars Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Can't say that I've ever had an NC that was close to a CC. Then again, I don't buy those hifaluting NC brands like Padron, Ashton, etc. The only NC I smoke nowadays is the Zino Platinum Sceptre Series. *Zino Platinum Sceptre...? THAT'S not high falutin'?????
MIKA27 Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 I have to agree with the majority here in that NC's don't come close to a CC. The only exception for me (And it still doesn't compare) is the Padron Anniversario's which I really do enjoy but the rest, not interested. I just recently had an Oliva Serie V Figurado, supposed to be an award winning cigar which I think scored 94 (!) (?) I must admit, the construction of this monster was very nice, the size is a daunting 6x60!! The description for this cigar is as follows: Serie V is a complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero, and finished with a high priming Habano Sun Grown Wrapper. Blending Notes: This cigar is blended to deliver full body taste while maintaining an unparalleled smoothness. This flavorful blend exhibits complex tobacco with rich coffee and dark chocolate tones. MIKA: I would say at best this was medium strength, smooth. No real changes in flavor (So no complexity), no coffee, no dark chocolate tones. What I got was damp earth/damp tobacco, salt, spice/white pepper (At first light) and a little aniseed(?) but after the first third, it was just 'plain jane' damp earth/damp tobacco throughout. The ash as with most NC's however was a real nice 'White' color throughout, tightly packed which dropped off midway through. In closing..... Not happiness and I was not folled into thinking this was anywhere near the quality of a CC
Loki Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 I have a local B&M near my place that sources dominican tobacco and has 2 full time rollers on staff. They sell a custom robusto that is very heavy on the ligero, actually we call it the Joe-busto for the gentleman (Joe) who originally asked for the custom blended cigar. It really reminds me of the RYJ Cazadore as far as flavor and strength. It has caught up with me on occasion but nothing a little sugar didn't clear right up. Its not a CC but is damn close.
coneatty Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Can't think of any at all. Cigmondo: What Cuban have you had that tasted anything like a Padron Anni? Jmo but I can't think of many other cigars that are less like any Cuban...but that's just me. clint, this is strictly my opinion. Also, I have never reviewed a cigar on here, (I plan to at some point) so, with that being said... I would compare the general profile of a '64 Anniversario as not unlike a punch punch, but much bolder and spicier than the punch, and with a longer finish. The '26 anniversario, generally,is slightly more refined (muted) but with more pronounced espresso flavor than the '64. The anniversarios, though not mild by any stretch, do seem to have that nice cuban-like spicy twang, without that usual NC harshness (still some harshness, but nothing compared to most spicy NCs). I am no punch fan,(I have only smoked one box of punch punch...no more for me) and I smoke at least 95% CCs. Punch cigars just don't have that punch. In many ways, the padrons are what a punch punch should be in my opinion. Is that enough, or should I continue my rambling? YMMV..and obviously does!
samb Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Ive never been fooled, but strangely, a couple of weeks ago I had a Berger and Argenti Mooch minnie cigar that came dangerously close to a Monte 4. I would actually smoke this one again!!
jawofboston Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 I've found that some of the REs and LEs can taste like the best Nicaraguan puros. Something about the darker wrapper adds an earthy flavor that I find similar to Nicaraguan tobacco. I really like Illusiones, Olivas, and Padrons, but I would never mistake one for a Cuban.
SeanL Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 Nicaraguan cigars make up the bulk of the NC part of my collection. The only one that really made me think of Cuban cigars in any significant way has been La Riqueza. The visual presentation of the box is a very clear imitation of how Cubans are boxed. The differences really only come out whilst smoking.
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