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[quote author=zappaFREAK link=topic=46939.msg186328#msg186328 date=1546101981]
There is nothing like a great Cuban! They contain a certain element of earth that gives them a tasty twang. The twang is what is unique. There are also countless flavors intermingled, yummy!
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Spot on.  The Cuban "twang" is an additional flavor note that that you can't find in NCs. However, that alone doesn't make all Cuban brands desirable to my palate. For me, about half are great and about half are "meh". Same ratio goes for NCs.  I smoke about the same amount of CCs and NCs weekly.  Variety is the spice of life!

Strangest thing happened last weekend. We are 99.9% cc in our smoking habit. Been that way for years. The wtf, Opus X day with a friend we consider our best botl.

Well we were reborn, like Easter, man.

Found two boxes here yesterday morning. This forum is fantastic.

Cheers,

CB

It's quite evident that Nic and Dom tobacco has leap frogged Cuban tobacco in the pecking order.  Cubans and their historically notorious tobacco output.  Puh leeze

[quote author=Brlesq link=topic=46939.msg188846#msg188846 date=1556632188]
Spot on.  The Cuban "twang" is an additional flavor note that that you can't find in NCs. However, that alone doesn't make all Cuban brands desirable to my palate. For me, about half are great and about half are "meh". Same ratio goes for NCs.  I smoke about the same amount of CCs and NCs weekly.  Variety is the spice of life!
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Re: twang - I've gotten twang off NC cigars but not the same type.  Davidoff Robusto Real is a good recent example.

[quote author=Jimmy_Jak link=topic=46939.msg186519#msg186519 date=1546644883]
Not sure what years you’re smoking. I’ve been smoking mostly 14 and newer. Maybe a plug here or there, but so few that I can’t really recall anything. Flavors were great in most, blah in some. For me, Cuban tobacco is just great. You can keep the mouth full of pepper nic, DR stuff. Other than a few NC I stay with CC. To each their own.
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What 2014's have you been smoking. I've got a few boxes of some stuff that I've yet to crack open!

I smoke a Cohiba Maduro Genios the other day that was quiet strong, comparable to NC in terms of strength...

[quote author=HavanaDan link=topic=46939.msg195852#msg195852 date=1590009999]
What 2014's have you been smoking. I've got a few boxes of some stuff that I've yet to crack open!
[/quote]

Smoked an HDM DC yesterday (MOB JUL 14) that was spectacular.

The Cuban "Twang" is the result of phytochemicals that the tobacco plant produces in Cuban soil and growing conditions.
The soil around Pinar del Rio is not good, it's bad soil. Mostly sand, over 3 metres (10 feet) deep. It does drain very well. That makes it good for tobacco plants, not size or weight but good for flavour.
Nicaragua has volcanic soil and plants there grow 9-10 feet high. Cuba does not, there is no volcanic soil in Cuba. Plants there struggle to get to 6 feet.
The combination of bad soil and that it drains so quickly (meaning farmers can ration water to the plants), stresses the plants. Plants under stress (nutritional and water) produce chemicals to help them survive. An evolutionary response to give the plant more options.
Think of the difference in flavour between home or farm grown tomatoes and chilis (the same family as tobacco) and cheap hydroponically-grown ones. It's a similar reason.

[quote author=AnRyan link=topic=46939.msg197682#msg197682 date=1598952056]
The Cuban "Twang" is the result of phytochemicals that the tobacco plant produces in Cuban soil and growing conditions.
The soil around Pinar del Rio is not good, it's bad soil. Mostly sand, over 3 metres (10 feet) deep. It does drain very well. That makes it good for tobacco plants, not size or weight but good for flavour.
Nicaragua has volcanic soil and plants there grow 9-10 feet high. Cuba does not, there is no volcanic soil in Cuba. Plants there struggle to get to 6 feet.
The combination of bad soil and that it drains so quickly (meaning farmers can ration water to the plants), stresses the plants. Plants under stress (nutritional and water) produce chemicals to help them survive. An evolutionary response to give the plant more options.
Think of the difference in flavour between home or farm grown tomatoes and chilis (the same family as tobacco) and cheap hydroponically-grown ones. It's a similar reason.

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this is the first scientific explanation I have heard on this...thank you for the informative post! MB

[quote author=Captaincaveman link=topic=46939.msg197659#msg197659 date=1598799574]
Smoked an HDM DC yesterday (MOB JUL 14) that was spectacular.
[/quote]
I'm working through a box of Partagas MOB JUL 14 that's spectacular as well.