"You'll know by the smell and taste."

[free85]

  On 3/3/2015 at 2:41 AM, DWC said:

Nothing to do with cold aroma but a typical characteristic of Cuban tobacco when smoking is a very looong finish. I've never even come close to experiencing such a long (or as pleasant) a finish with NC's as I do with CC's.

I certainly have experienced this. I was given a HU Connie 1 with a number of years on it at an event recently, and having smoked NC I can tell you that it was a WHOLE different experience. The finish went on, and on, but in an enjoyable way. This basically turned me around for cigars. Before I always felt passe about cigars, take them or leave them. I enjoyed the experience so much that it ended up getting me here.

With regard to NC and CC smelling the same: The foreground notes might be the same, but there's a whole different thing going on with the CC as far as I can tell.

[DWC]

Cuban twang is like the French say: "Je ne sais quoi" or 'I know not what'. A quality that is difficult to describe but you'll know it when you see it, smell it, taste it. Difficult to describe but an inherent, integral, critical component of what makes it special.

[Cigar Surgeon]

To me each growing region has a particular flavor profile to it which is instantly identifiable. Nicaraguan, Cuban, Dominican all immediately stand out.

[Smallclub]

  On 3/3/2015 at 5:07 PM, Avrus said:

Nicaraguan, Cuban, Dominican all immediately stand out.

Yes but as I understand it, the "twang" is more related to texture, thickness, viscosity, "longueur en bouche" (=finish), impact on the palate/tongue/tastebuds, etc. than to an actual flavor.

[ethernomad]

Since we keep washing up on the shores of "twang" as a categorical characteristic of some CCs, I'd like to learn more about what to look for. Some say it doesn't exist. Some say it's a certain taste. Others say it transcends flavor and aroma, and almost has a certain feel to it.

Without anything to base my ideas upon other than imagination, it entered my head that "twang" might be a sour-tartness that played out less on the palate and was more tactile in perception. Similar to sticking your tongue on a 9V battery, but in a good way...

P.S. The sampler has been in humidity for approx. 30 hours so far, and there is already a marked increase in pungency upon opening the humi lid!

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[FLB03TT]

For the cherry popper, I'd go with the Connie #1. It shoots right down the middle flavor and strength wise and should give you a nice neutral baseline for comparison to both the NCs you're used to and future CCs. Next I'd smoke either the Epi.#2 or RASS.

The balance, to my palate, will vary more greatly in flavor, complexity and strength from the above. The PSD4 and Siglo II are at completely opposite ends of the flavor spectrum.

Enjoy your journey, it's great fun!!

[CaptainQuintero]

I realised that everything I previously thought about twang, and the difficulty identifying it is because tang already covers it.

It's that tangy sour but pleasant effect at the back of the mouth and tongue.

Remove the W and everything becomes clear!

[maxcjs0101]

For me Cuban tabak/cigars has a distinctive flavour on the palate and when retrohaling. There's this taste which i can't really explain but i know its Cuban tobacco.

[Skyfall]

I've never found CC's to smell or taste anything like NC's.

Back in the day when I still smoked NC's I always noticed these two major differentiations (outside of taste, smell, balance, transitioning flavors and complexity lol)

1) I could smoke 5-6 CC's in a day, and that night or the next morning, my mouth and throat was none the wiser. I never woke up with a tobacco or cigar taste in my mouth and I never had any trace of even smoking.

However, if I smoked even 1 NC, I could taste it in my mouth and throat for a day or 2. It would taste and feel like I just ate a roof shingle.

2) NC's always left a metallic, chemical taste on my lips after smoking. It wasn't nicotine either, it was something else, but very unpleasant. Something I never even remotely get from a CC.

[AlBaron]

  On 3/3/2015 at 2:41 AM, DWC said:

Nothing to do with cold aroma but a typical characteristic of Cuban tobacco when smoking is a very looong finish. I've never even come close to experiencing such a long (or as pleasant) a finish with NC's as I do with CC's.

Another Noob piling on here... What does the phrase "long finish" really mean when it comes to cigars?

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[Ginseng]

Finish is the residual flavor sensation, primarily on the tongue, after the drawn smoke is expelled. It is analogous to a wine's finish. Generally considered the longer the better.

Wilkey

[DWC]

Finish is the flavors that remain after you exhale the smoke. NC's have only a little bit of flavor that remains for only a short time. CC's have a lovely flavor that lingers for quite a while after the smoke is gone from your mouth.

EDIT: Wilkey posted while I was still typing. (I type slow) Obviously my post is redundant. Sorry.

[GavLew79]

  On 3/4/2015 at 2:07 AM, CaptainQuintero said:

I realised that everything I previously thought about twang, and the difficulty identifying it is because tang already covers it.

It's that tangy sour but pleasant effect at the back of the mouth and tongue.

Remove the W and everything becomes clear!

Glad to have clarified things! Heh heh.

[StumpyJoe]

  On 3/3/2015 at 2:58 AM, Ginseng said:

Another related characteristic that has been often noted: clean on the palate.

Very rare to get an NC that leaves your tongue clean and happy. Just as rare to find a Habanos that leaves your tongue nasty. The very significant exception in my experience, the truly horrible Monte Double Edmundo. God, what a piece of trash.

Wilkey

Absolutely! Clean palate indeed.

I remember a friend of mine had never smoked a CC and I had a couple of Partagas Shorts so we lit them up. I think we were enjoying Port with the cigars. Upon finishing the cigars he was amazed at the smoothness of the cigar. Then I asked him does your mouth feel and taste like an ashtray and he replied not only that it didn't it allowed him to enjoy the Port even more.

For me the clean palate offered with CC's is one of the main reasons I love them so much.

Have fun with that sampler pack!