A perfect example of why every palate is different.

[SSimp]

Recently had a chance to sample 2 of, what many consider, "The Forbidden Island's" best: A PSD4 and a Montecristo No. 2, and I must say that I'm not jumping for joy or doing backflips or hearing angels sing when I smoke these. Maybe I expected too much? I dunno. These aren't supposed to be powerhouse smokes, which I don't like, and they weren't, but they were very average, at best, to me. Many might recommend some down time with these, No. 2 especially from what I hear, but I don't buy to store, I buy to smoke so these might not be the best choices for me.

Fast forward to today. Just lit up a Cuesta Rey Centro Fino Sungrown No.9, which has never let me down, and from the first puff is getting better and better, with the cappuccino/cocoa/creaminess that I've come to expect and love from this line of cigars.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, while the grass may look greener on the other side many times it's not. But sometimes it is and that's what makes this "hobby", if you will, so great. I won't stop trying new cigars and I'm sure I'll revisit the remaining sticks from down south again, in time, but for me, for now, my palate likes what it likes and I can't change that.

 

[KPP]

I used to say the exact same thing...

Cubans aren't for me...cause I don't have the patience to age them, and the freshies I'd gotten in trades/bombs etc weren't all that impressive. I wanted to smoke them NOW.


Then I got a bigger humidor and that all went out the window. Aging boxes now is a large part of what I enjoy about the hobby. Just like palates evolve over time, so too do the methods by which you go about partaking in it.

 

[CO Smokes]

I feel like when I buy a box of cc's that I plan on aging they don't necessarily need it so i end up smoking them and when I buy a box that I plan on smoking right away that's when they happen to need some rest and I force myself to let them sit.
I'm all messed up lol

 

[amsgpwarrior]

I understand. Cubans definitely aren't for everybody. A lot of cubans need extensive down time because most of the tobacco Ive heard is not fully fermented. So there is a time during their lives where they seem "green" and are ammoniated. After 6mo to a year they liven up and begin to become great sticks. I got in a box of El Rey del Mundo Choixs in the other day and they are the best box of sticks ROTT that I have ever smoked (especially for cubans). I have boxes of the PSD4 from late 2010 that are just becoming good and some early 2011 Monte #2 that are still so-so in their development. One can stagger out there CC purchases so they always have sticks that are ready to be smoked or, like me, I smoke NCs until they are ready.

 

[SSimp]

All excellent points gents!

 

[amsgpwarrior]

If CC's aren't your thing, screw Em all buddy. Smoke NC's, I don't think you'll be sacrificing anything. I like both, but when I first started out smoking I hated Cubans, but now I love them. You might find yourself soon the same.

 

[BSBONO]

excellent points. I would like to add that there are also times when our palates are sick. Sometimes the littlest things can throw off our tastes. That is why its always a good idea to smoke several samples of a cigar you smoke for the first time at different time periods in order to make a final assessment.

 

[GoingPostal]

Yeah I'm with you on "buy to smoke" part, and hey you may never like Cubans. Thats why i rarely buy CC, and when i do just stash em and smoke my other sticks that way they get some down time.

 

[Zedman05]

I have my preferances too, it doesn't mean all CC's are not for you, so don't be too hasty in your dismissal of everything south of you. I know you will probably find something some day that will make you say "ok" I can smoke these all day.
Once again; smoke what you like and like what you smoke brotha

 

[ItalianCustom]

Smoke what you enjoy... Not whats cool

 

[SurpriseMVP]

I used to say the exact same thing...

Cubans aren't for me...cause I don't have the patience to age them, and the freshies I'd gotten in trades/bombs etc weren't all that impressive. I wanted to smoke them NOW.


Then I got a bigger humidor and that all went out the window. Aging boxes now is a large part of what I enjoy about the hobby. Just like palates evolve over time, so too do the methods by which you go about partaking in it.

Exact same thing that happened with me almost verbatim except I'm up to 2 wine coolers. Now I have boxes buried so deep they won't see the light for 5+ years and one day I'll find them and be glad I forgot about them.

 

[Thecatch83]

Variety is the spice of life! I'm in Tokyo, and I can take a 30 minute train ride and smoke CC's in a club any time I want and let me tell you, there are some fantastic CC's out there (all with age on them). That said, my go to smokes are all NC's. The majority of my cooler consists of Tats, Opus, Anejo, Viaje, Illusione, LP's, 601 Blues.....smoke what you like, like what you smoke!

 

[AlohaStyle]

It took me a long time to appreciate Partagas. I bought a box of PSD4's mid-August 2009 that were a box of 08's. I really wanted to like them, but didn't at all. I smoked one every 3 months with the same result. I almost gave up on them until I smoked one about 6 months ago and the light came on! Wow, what a great cigar with some humidor time on them. Now I have multiple boxes collecting dust until I think those are ready too!

 

[Jfire]

I say stick with the NCs!!!!!! CCs are way over rated anyhow!

 

[ciggy]

I say stick with the NCs!!!!!! CCs are way over rated anyhow!

LOL...well I will agree on most cc's being over-rated especially at the price some can be but I find this even more so with nc's.
Truth is most of us cannot afford to stock up on cc's for years of rest which really makes most of these cigars shine. I think there is alot of quality nc stuff out there these days giving the cc market a run for it's money and both markets have something different to offer. Although I still favor the nc's a bit over the cc's I do find rotating both in my calandar to be pleasing.

 

[Alwayslit]

Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

My CC experience is still fairly limited, but I keep a few in the rotation as a change of pace. I mostly smoke non cubans but the more variety I have in my humidor the better. This is why I rarely buy boxes, I really enjoy smoking something different every time.

 

[Gravity]

If you can't afford to, or simply don't want to, age cigars, then I would say 80-90% of CC's really aren't for you. Most of the CC's you hear people praising are cigars they have put the time into aging, or spent the money to buy aged versions. There are a couple out there that I hear are smoking quite well ROTT, but they really are few and far between for the most part. PSD4 simply aren't a good young cigar, perhaps for 5% of the cigar smoking population they are, but for most of us they just aren't, the same going for the monte 2.

Now, put 5 years age on those same cigars you already smoked, and you wouldn't believe they are the same sticks. There is nothing wrong with just saying that sort of thing isn't for you, and sticking to NC's as well, there is no wrong choice if you're enjoying what you're smoking.

I happen to do both, smoke NC's which are good ROTT while I'm letting boxes of CC's sit around attracting dust.

 

[icehog3]

Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

Exactly. :thumbsup:

 

[Tobacco Giant]

If you can't afford to, or simply don't want to, age cigars, then I would say 80-90% of CC's really aren't for you. Most of the CC's you hear people praising are cigars they have put the time into aging, or spent the money to buy aged versions. There are a couple out there that I hear are smoking quite well ROTT, but they really are few and far between for the most part. PSD4 simply aren't a good young cigar, perhaps for 5% of the cigar smoking population they are, but for most of us they just aren't, the same going for the monte 2.

Now, put 5 years age on those same cigars you already smoked, and you wouldn't believe they are the same sticks. There is nothing wrong with just saying that sort of thing isn't for you, and sticking to NC's as well, there is no wrong choice if you're enjoying what you're smoking.

I happen to do both, smoke NC's which are good ROTT while I'm letting boxes of CC's sit around attracting dust.

The problem for those of us that are still fairly new to CCs is not knowing what to buy and aging a bunch of cigars for 5 years to find out is a fairly daunting task. I don't disagree with anything you wrote, just adding a bit to the discussion.