PapaDisco Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Hmmm . . . not sure I'm gonna get any serious answers with that subject line . . . I don't smoke a lot of NC's but when I do I notice that the damn things are nearly always hard as a rock. They don't show any signs of being too dry, but they feel like they've been rolled with leaves dipped in plaster of paris. If a CC felt like that it would most likely be overfilled and unsmokeable, but the NC's end up having a fine-to-light draw. Is there something different in the rolling/drying/curing technique for NC's? I've yet to find one with that gentle, slightly spongy feeling of a properly filled Cuban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradbrennan Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Interesting, seems like it would be the opposite like you said...I must not fondle mine as much as you do 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headstand Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Hmmm . . . not sure I'm gonna get any serious answers with that subject line . . . I don't smoke a lot of NC's but when I do I notice that the damn things are nearly always hard as a rock. They don't show any signs of being too dry, but they feel like they've been rolled with leaves dipped in plaster of paris. If a CC felt like that it would most likely be overfilled and unsmokeable, but the NC's end up having a fine-to-light draw. Is there something different in the rolling/drying/curing technique for NC's? I've yet to find one with that gentle, slightly spongy feeling of a properly filled Cuban. Noticed this too. Don't know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scroats Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I think it has to do with the rolling style. Many NCs are rolled book style, but most Cubans are rolled entubar style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Well, IIRC, Fuentes are rolled entubar and they are hard as rocks. In call that style allowing for a firm barrel without compromising draw. In any case, I have noticed that as well. In particular, the Padron cigars, especially maduros are very firm to the squeeze but not hard in the sense of being tightly filled. It is either the leaf itself that is stiff or the rolling structure. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallclub Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Is there something different in the rolling/drying/curing technique for NC's? I've yet to find one with that gentle, slightly spongy feeling of a properly filled Cuban. Yes, definitely; NCs are not only harder but they often weigh less than habanos of the same size, which results in a much easier draw (which to me is unacceptable). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbandz Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have re-rolled quite a few plugged cuban cigars,and have noticed that the tobacco is remarkably thin compared to the NC tobacco I get to roll with. Possibly this is because Non Cuban leaf gets better fertilizer and amendments to the soil,forming thicker,more solid leaf,which is less likely to collapse and plug a cigar,as well as feel harder. Also it could involve the variety of seed used outside of Cuba,bred for thickness and ease of handling....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Some excellent points here. Also, I recall a few members mentioning in other threads that Non-Cuban cigars aren't as adaptable to smoking at 60% to 65% rh as Cuban cigars are. Non-Cuban cigars tend to smoke better at slightly higher humidity, around 70% rh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sengjc Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Some excellent points here. Also, I recall a few members mentioning in other threads that Non-Cuban cigars aren't as adaptable to smoking at 60% to 65% rh as Cuban cigars are. Non-Cuban cigars tend to smoke better at slightly higher humidity, around 70% rh. That is true in general and there are exceptions to this and the "personal" factor. Non-Cuban cigars are typically better smoked at higher %RH but for storage and ageing, the same %RH as you would for Cubans will be ok. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM-US Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I don't find NCs to be that different in "hardness," maybe the vendor is to blame? I see more soft NCs than CCs, where they actually feel a bit mushy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthson Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I've found NC to almost invariably have thicker wrappers and filler leaf (and loads of more leaf stems). One exception seems to be Fuentes - thin leaf, few (if any) stems, and a good, tight roll. It's funny this topic came up: I'm smoking a Swisher Privada right now and as I pulled it from the bottom of my NC humi, I was surprised at how firm it was. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter1974 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have re-rolled quite a few plugged cuban cigars,and have noticed that the tobacco is remarkably thin compared to the NC tobacco I get to roll with. Possibly this is because Non Cuban leaf gets better fertilizer and amendments to the soil,forming thicker,more solid leaf,which is less likely to collapse and plug a cigar,as well as feel harder. Also it could involve the variety of seed used outside of Cuba,bred for thickness and ease of handling....... Re-Rolled please explain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter1974 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 and yes I have noticed this except on some cheap nc i got years ago but they tasted like lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdo2110 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have heard someone mention that the old-style of CCs (which I guess means prior to somewhere around '99-'00) were very hard. Then after they recovered from their terrible over production/low quality years, they went to a "spongier" style, as they believed it was more appealing to cigar smokers. What that means as far as logistics, I have no idea, and I wish I can remember where I read or heard that. I do know that I came accross it because I had the same thoughts as you all. NCs seem significantly harder. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have to say one of the things I enjoy about my Cuban cigars is the 'sponginess' I get when I pinch test the feet of them. The other thing is the 'barnyard' aroma from opening my humidor. Do you get that aroma from Non-Cuban cigars? I'm down to 4 sticks so I can't comment on differences in aroma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borgy Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 The ones I have are OK AT 72%RH They are Edgar Hoil and smoke very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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