Do you ever smoke a NC to "refresh your palate"?

[srsMichael]

I will throw in some NCs from time to time. Not to clean my palate but more to change it up. Get hit with that in your face Nic blast from the NC makes going back to CCs even better.

[johnhenry]

I'm smoking a 7 year old Don Carlos beli, what a wonderful cigar! Cedar ,honey ,leather. The lighter side of medium ,rich and complex.

I said that to say this: I smoked nc cigars for the first four years I smoked. When I found cc I smoked them 90% of the time for a couple years. 14 or15 years into this adventure I smoke about 50/50. If I lived in France I'm sure all I'd drinkI is French wine, if I lived some place other then North America I'd smoke cc. I'm blessed to be able to have both.

Some of the cut and dry comments about nc cigars is short sited to me,there are great mild ,medium ,and full body nc cigars. I live in Wisconsin and love cheese and have a lot of experience with Wisconsin cheese but I had some great Vermont cedars and European cheeses. I can get great 10 year old cheddar for 15$ a pound at 3 or 4 places in a ten mile radius of my home. I would never say European cheese is crap or worse than Wisconsin cheese. I just haven't tried enough of it to be a fair judge.

Rant off. Ymmv.

[TiminBC]

I take a break. Some times a whole day I smoke both and chose according to availability , readiness and sadly weather.

[Skyfall]

I'm smoking a 7 year old Don Carlos beli, what a wonderful cigar! Cedar ,honey ,leather. The lighter side of medium ,rich and complex.

I said that to say this: I smoked nc cigars for the first four years I smoked. When I found cc I smoked them 90% of the time for a couple years. 14 or15 years into this adventure I smoke about 50/50. If I lived in France I'm sure all I'd drinkI is French wine, if I lived some place other then North America I'd smoke cc. I'm blessed to be able to have both.

Some of the cut and dry comments about nc cigars is short sited to me,there are great mild ,medium ,and full body nc cigars. I live in Wisconsin and love cheese and have a lot of experience with Wisconsin cheese but I had some great Vermont cedars and European cheeses. I can get great 10 year old cheddar for 15$ a pound at 3 or 4 places in a ten mile radius of my home. I would never say European cheese is crap or worse than Wisconsin cheese. I just haven't tried enough of it to be a fair judge.

Rant off. Ymmv.

I don't like NC's, it's not due to "lack of experience" it's due to "lack of AN experience" every single time I've had one.

One note, no complexity, no balance, no transitions, no journey, no experience.

In this day in age, CC's are so easy to get and regular production sticks are the same price if not cheaper than higher end NC's that would offer the best chance at flavor, not developing flavor mind you, but a glimpse of flavor. So the argument of being in the US opposed to other countries where you can walk in a B&M don't seem much of a talking point because you can sit in your recliner, click a couple of buttons, and have high quality CC's at a great value shipped right to your door. A lot of us are in the US, and a lot of us have more CC's than we could ever smoke in one lifetime, no need to reach for something we don't enjoy if we have such easy access to what we do right on hand, and such easy access to re-stocked 24/7. I'll take a mediocre CC that tells a story of flavor, balance and developing depth any day over the highest regaled NC.

My opinion as "cut and dry" as it may be,

[Surucipe]

I have smoked exactly 3 NC's last year, none of which was very interesting. It's nevertheless good to be able to compare.

[canadianbeaver]

Only so many cigars Matthew and I can buy and smoke. Not only are they Cuban, but they are of certain specs within that world.

That's about it.

[laficion]

No.If I need to refresh my palate,It's certainly NOT with an N.C. that I will get there. For me ,that Is. Sorry . !!!!!!!

I would try a good drink or anything else.

[Brickhouse]

I don't switch back and forth based on "refreshing" anything. I open the humi and grab what I have a taste for.....sort of like looking for a snack in the fridge. Whatever strikes me.

I would say it's a 50/50 shot on NC or CC as far as what I'm grabbing.

[SMQQKIN]

I don't look at NCs as an option for refreshing my palate. I often will start with a CC and end with a small NC. My taste receptors are not at their best after 90 minutes of smoking the CC so a NC seems to make a good "next" cigar. I love a Tatuaje Petit Cazadores Reserva following a complex CC when I want 1 more before ending the night.

[drockspang1]

Looks like I'm not the only one after all? I have smoked exactly 1 NC in the past 12 mos or so, a Liga Dirty Rat. It was TERRIBLE! I tossed it about 2/3rds of the way thru. I thought I was becoming a "snob". But, when you look at the cost. I'd be a fool to buy a NC that I don't like, for the same price as a CC that I do enjoy. As a matter of fact. I haven't actually paid for a NC... Well I cant remember how long... But it's been a WHILE.

[beamer]

I have a about a box and a half of various non-Cuban cigars in the humidor. Assorted brands, all Nicaraguan in origin.

I will reach for one from time to time, as they're the cigars that introduced me to this hobby. Similar to many of the other responses, I don't find them as enjoyable as I used to. The flavors tend to be much more one dimensional than even the most boring Cuban cigar in my humidor and the nicotine punch from the Nicaraguan cigars can be off-putting these days.

But yes, I still enjoy them occasionally. It's fun to see an old, familiar band looking up at me and think about visiting my cigar shop to pick them out.

And I definitely appreciate how much more I enjoy my Cuban collection afterwards.

[Cigar Surgeon]

I smoke about 80/20 NCs to CCs. Partially it's availability, partially cost and a significant reason is that I do cigar reviews.

[BehikeLover2]

Can't say no to a Drew Estate or Padron.

One day of the week is NCC day

[JimC]

Have not purchased a NC in well over a year now. I have a few left in the humi but never seem to reach for them.

[Louich]

Looks like I'm not the only one after all? I have smoked exactly 1 NC in the past 12 mos or so, a Liga Dirty Rat. It was TERRIBLE! I tossed it about 2/3rds of the way thru. I thought I was becoming a "snob". But, when you look at the cost. I'd be a fool to buy a NC that I don't like, for the same price as a CC that I do enjoy. As a matter of fact. I haven't actually paid for a NC... Well I cant remember how long... But it's been a WHILE.

Not the firt time I read this about a DR. They seem to have their own 'profile' that sets them apart the Unico line.

[Orion21]

I stick to Fuente Anejo and the occasional Opus X. Everything else is a waste of time IMO. The last non-Fuente product I smoked was a Padron 6000 Belicoso . I swear it was laced with rat poison. It had the most unpleasant metallic harshness I have ever tasted in a cigar. Made it thru 4 puffs until ditching it. Never again!

[Marker]

I smoke mostly NCs due to price. I agree many are one taste wonders but I do like that one taste. With many NCs going to the $10+ pricepoint I would not buy those. For $6 or more each cigar I would buy CC every time.

[poorman]

In this day in age, CC's are so easy to get and regular production sticks are the same price if not cheaper than higher end NC's that would offer the best chance at flavor, not developing flavor mind you, but a glimpse of flavor.... I'll take a mediocre CC that tells a story of flavor, balance and developing depth any day over the highest regaled NC.

Exactly. I purchased a box of Padron 40th last spring/early summer, ended up giving them all away to golf buddies.

Would much rather enjoy my CC's.

I don't look at NCs as an option for refreshing my palate. I often will start with a CC and end with a small NC.

I used to do the opposite on the course. I'd start with a crappy NC, then switch later in the round for my CC's for the better flavor.

Now I don't even think about buying NC's anymore.

Have a few LIga 9's left if anyone is interested.

[OkieJoe]

I usally reach for an NC when Im in the mood for a maduro. Generally Fuente (either Reserva Xtra Viejo or a coffined OpusX BBMF that i acquired recently).

[iamphilzone]

I don't switch back and forth based on "refreshing" anything. I open the humi and grab what I have a taste for.....sort of like looking for a snack in the fridge. Whatever strikes me.

X2

[Laxman]

That would be a No for me!

[thunderdan11]

I smoke both but primarily cc. I do mix in a few my father, short stories or anejo. I still have many nc though that I keep for my non regular smoking friends.

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[bigbwalls]

My first Cuban was in 2009. Slowly but surely, they've taken over my humidors. I still smoke non-Cubans, though. It depends what kind of mood I'm in. Sometimes I want that blast of pepper and spice, so I'll reach for a Liga Privada T52. Sometimes I want something complex, smooth and creamy - so I'll grab an H. Upmann Royal Robusto.

I just love a good cigar, regardless of its origin.

[LGC]

If I want to refresh my palate, I drink a sparkling drink or eat some ice cream.

1) I average 1 cigar per week. I want every smoke to completely satisfying.

2) Every time I light up one of my aged domestics while fishing, etc... I end up tossing it early due a lack of commitment to smoking it.

3) I don't want to spend time experimenting sticks that won't match the smoking experience of an aged Havana.

[bogglor]

It's not really about refreshing for me, it's about variety. I smoke 50/50 NC and CC but the vast majority of my NC sticks are higher end. I want flavor variety in my smoking experiences. There are plenty of good CCs and plenty of good NCs. Each provides a different experience. CCs outnumber NCs in my humidor by about 2 to 1. For me, I do enjoy base Cuban flavor profiles a bit more than tobacco from other parts of the world, and as a general rule I find CCs to have both a higher floor and a higher ceiling.

I don't get the NC bashing in this thread. There are plenty of great NC sticks. You can say you don't enjoy the flavor of certain sticks but to pigeonhole all of the tobacco from EVERY other country as "one note" "unevolving" "tasteless" etc. is kind of short-sighted. You're not going to get a great maduro flavor profile from Cuban tobacco. You're not going to get that creamy nutmeg flavor from non Cuban tobacco. There are no Cuban equivalents to classic Don Pepin spicy red pepper and sweet chocolate. There are no non Cuban equivalents to the rich vanilla forward taste of a VR Unico. Everything is different. If you're shutting out NC tobacco just for being NC, you are missing out.