Thought on NCs

[MIKA27]

I have a small humi (50 sticks) for NC's. Ashton VSG, Padron 1926, San Cristobal and Opus. I find I am less and less enamoured of the opus, but the others all seem to be worth the $$ spent. They are nothing like the CC's, but they are worthwhile nonetheless.

Padron 1926 Series are fantastic.

[CigarmanTim]

This is going to be a blast. We need some odds on this... I say Jimmy wins 3-2 (cigar odds)

[Jimmy2]

Here is the results go take a look gents..

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...showtopic=96928

[TheFife]

I also notice that when someone said that his NC was great, in

general, he or she will talk about two major tastes, strong and

spicey (pepper) or mild and sweet (sugar). Those are the two most important factors, the same with food and wines, always one dimentional and no comprehension of complexity. About 90% of all NC cigars will

give their best in the first two inches of the smoke, then the cigar will start to evolve into strong or mild, pepper or sugar notes

to finish off hot, bitter and harch. CC will start quit mild to then

evolve into smooth aromas and taste. Finally expressing all of It's elegence,complexity and richness on the final third. The NC

will have an interpetation of having a full clean tobacco taste

with a great peppery and spicey taste on the finish whereas a CC

will have a delicate aromas with touches of animal, barnyard,

coffee mixed with nutty and floral honey on the side.

So in MHO.

NC/ Consistent and good construction but with no real complexity.

CC/ Not always consistent. Not always well constructed

but with such a wonderful complexe aray of aromas and taste that cannot be found in any other cigar in the world.

This is a great post. It is so true. I recently smoked a Punch Punch, and up until that point I had only smoked a handful of cubans, all of which were very young. That cigar really opened up my eyes to what you are talking about. Here are my short notes from the smoke.

Punch Punch - Smoked in 09 from a single most likely from 08, great flavors, many changes, nuances of flower petals, faint mint, no straightforward spice or sweetness, some burn problems, firm but manageable draw.

Normally I judge a cigar (which for me means NCs) by sweetness or spice. However, after smoking that Punch, I realize that there is a whole world of complexity that I had been missing out of only smoking NCs.

Brad

[PointSource]

I think the Ashton VSG is stellar. I also enjoy the Oliva Serie V, and aged AF Opus X cigars!