NC Trials
 

I've be trying out some more NCs for the first time in years. I'll collect my reviews here so I can keep track of the easier. :noon

When I smoke, I tend to send most every puff out through my nose. I think I'm also somewhat sensitive to nicotine strength.

First up:

Casa Fernandez Anniversary
Started off with a hit of spiciness on the nose, which dropped off quickly to be replaced by some decent tobacco flavor.
1/4 of the way in it got a tiny bit of floral undertones.
At halfway,it had picked up some more spiciness and some harshness in the nose. I also could start to feel the nicotine strength a bit.
The final bits of the cigar gave some interesting milder flavors under everything else, maybe some perfume/florals. I figured out that for me this was a "sipping" cigar, I really had to modulate how much smoke went out my nose.
After I finished, the nicotine finished sneaking up on me and slapped me soundly (but thankfully not vomitously); I had to go take a nap for a half hour. :sl
Overall: OK, but I don't plan to get any more.

Re: NC Trials
 

You know, the cigars I traded to you are very powerful Nicaraguan cigars. They’re the end game after 30 years of smoking progressively more powerful sticks. If you start there, it’s gonna feel like you got smacked in the face.

Really broadly speaking, the NC countries rank order in increasing strength, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua. You’d probably be better off starting in the DR. It’s been a long time since I smoked such a cigar. I used to think Fuente Hemingways were a good choice.

Have fun, I hope.

Re: NC Trials
 

Good post. Couldn't help think of an analogy for trogdor here: It's like you tried out for the dive team by doing the Triple Lindy. :D

Re: NC Trials
 

There ya go. :tu :r

Re: NC Trials
 

I do think you may enjoy a Roma Craft Neanderthal. Retrohale those and I think your in for a rush like snorting wasabi.

Take a video please.

Re: NC Trials
 

Oh yes, I understand the ones you sent were stronger Nicaraguans, that's one of the reasons I wanted to especially try singles of them rather than buying 5 packs.
I've recently had a regular Fuente maduro that was OK, and a Short Story that was decent, but neither wowed me enough to be interested in buying a box.
I've had Nicaraguans that I've quite enjoyed recently - Tatuaje Frank, Padron 3000 maduro, so I still want to explore them more.
And I am having fun! Exploring cigars is a blast!

Re: NC Trials
 

And the next review is another Nicaraguan,LOL.

I dug out my 2007 cab of Petit Tatuaje and lit one up.
Kind of a tight draw, but smokable. I just ordered one of the good draw tools, so hopefully won't have this problem anymore when it comes in.
Some initial spiciness on the nose with undertones of vanilla sweetness. As I get into it more, it's a little reminiscent of the old Boli CEs from the sales back in the day. Quite good, built up to some really nice creamy sweetness with everything else. Overall great cigar, with a better draw it would have been excellent.
Sounds like I need to buy some of the regular Tatuaje line and age them for 15 years again. :noon

Re: NC Trials
 

:r

Re: NC Trials
 

I've been saying the same thing lately, been smoking through a cache of 10-12 year old tats now and for the most part they're all delicious, had an NHC from 2012 yesterday and thought it was fantastic. I don't think I have the time/money/energy to stock another cooler with them and wait a decade :sl

Re: NC Trials
 

Are they good? I’ve been eyeing them for a long time now but haven’t bit because of the price.

Re: NC Trials
 

I had one last night. I think they are excellent. They are strong which is to be expected but they are good. I like the Cro Magnum, Neanderthal, and Acquitane in that order with Acquitane being my most preferred.

I think the Neanderthal is a super up Cro Magnum.

My two cents :)

Re: NC Trials
 

Fired up a Padron 3000 natural.

Picked up locally. Pretty peppery on the light. After a few minutes, modulated smoke to the nose yielded pleasant tobacco.
Spiciness faded, just a decent tobacco the rest of the way through. Not bad, but I liked the maduro better.

Re: NC Trials
 

Seconded. Love the Aquitaine.

Re: NC Trials
 

Been a while since I posted here, I haven't had an NC for a while.

Fired up an H Upmann by AJ Fernandez.
spicy nose on the light. Not overpowering, though. Enjoyable with some modulation.
Spiciness dropped out pretty quickly. Strong woody notes now.
Woodiness is melding into more straight up tobacco flavors as it goes past the first third of the cigar.
Not much else going on with it as I pass the halfway point.
Overall an ok cigar that was worth trying, but not something I'd want to buy.

Re: NC Trials
 

Old (15+ years) Partagas black tubo, Toro sized.
On lighting, rich tobacco flavors, a touch of spiciness and sweetness. Slightly floral aroma from the foot.
As the first third winds up it's losing a bit of the complexity, becoming more straightforward.
Halfway through, less complexity still, instead of building to something great, it's petering out.
Let it go out a bit past halfway as it wasn't worth smoking anymore.
Promising start, poor finish.

Re: NC Trials
 

Had a Leaf by Oscar Corojo last night that I quite enjoyed. On the milder side but was not plain, the retrohale was very flavorful and it held up well to a glass of bourbon.
Want to try more before getting a bundle to make sure it's not a fluke. I had the Toro but am intrigued by the lancero, anyone have vitola recommendations?

Also have enjoyed the Tatuaje Havana VI, had some excellent smokes, but they have been really inconsistent. Had a few with construction issues, 1 was unsmokable due to a large piece of stem inside it, and several have been meh to mediocre. Others were great, though, so very strange.

Smoking a Padron 1964 natural now, the smaller Principe size, and now that I'm more than 1/3 of the way in it's very nice. Not sure that it's worth the price tag, but I'll try more.

Re: NC Trials
 

Sorry to hear that about the Tatuaje. I went through several boxes of them years ago and they were always pretty consistent, overall.

Re: NC Trials
 

I got a box of the Hermosos based on how good the first one I smoked was. It really was amazingly great: it was a wow cigar. Had some good ones in addition to the not so good since, but sadly not anywhere near the first.