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Occasionally the subject will come up (usually with non-smokers, occasional smokers, or just the cigar-curious) as to what are my favorite cigars. Sometimes I'll respond "Nicaraguan cigars", but part of me thinks this answer is somewhat non-sensical. I've always been skeptical that regional profiles for cigars really exist. Some of the Nicaraguan cigars (i.e. Padron, Tatuaje, CAO Criollo, CAO Extreme, etc), seem to have certain similarities; earthiness, full-bodied, strong coffee/nutmeg taste, leathery, a lack of floral or fruity flavors, not particularly spicy, not particularly aromatic.
In these cases, Nicaraguan cigars have made enough of an impression on me to make me think there might be something here. Would you say that there is such a thing as a "Nicaraguan profile"? If there is one, what would it be? Or is it more that some of the more notable Nicaraguan cigars share this handful of characteristics? Maybe this is what it means for a region to have a profile. Your thoughts? Is there a "Nicaraguan style"?
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bartok Wrote:Occasionally the subject will come up (usually with non-smokers, occasional smokers, or just the cigar-curious) as to what are my favorite cigars. Sometimes I'll respond "Nicaraguan cigars", but part of me thinks this answer is somewhat non-sensical. I've always been skeptical that regional profiles for cigars really exist. Some of the Nicaraguan cigars (i.e. Padron, Tatuaje, CAO Criollo, CAO Extreme, etc), seem to have certain similarities; earthiness, full-bodied, strong coffee/nutmeg taste, leathery, a lack of floral or fruity flavors, not particularly spicy, not particularly aromatic.
In these cases, Nicaraguan cigars have made enough of an impression on me to make me think there might be something here. Would you say that there is such a thing as a "Nicaraguan profile"? If there is one, what would it be? Or is it more that some of the more notable Nicaraguan cigars share this handful of characteristics? Maybe this is what it means for a region to have a profile. Your thoughts? Is there a "Nicaraguan style"?
It is possible. There is DEFINATELY a cuban profile, some similarities you can find in all of the ISOMs I have tried (to varied degrees).
TomC
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my favorite nic's seem to share a deep earthy quality.... hard to explain, but it's almost like you can taste the dirt... in a good way. cubanos do that, too. i find myself describing both countries' sticks with words like "earthy" and "tobacco," whereas a dominican stick will have more precise, concrete qualities, like "coffee" or "cinammon" or "cedar."
good post, bartok. interesting.
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I'm with you, Bela Bartok. Nicaraguan man, all the way.
Leathery
Earthy
Spicy black or white pepper on the nose
Beautiful natural tobacco taste
Occasional coffee/cocao aspect
Whoops, I spelled LESBO up there.  hock: Sorry guys.
Sometimes nutmeg, as you mention
But an occasional floral aroma, like roses... I differ from you here
Almost guaranteed to be full-bodied
Finish is always amazing... never a bad aftertaste
Not sure whether Cuban or Nicaraguan is my favorite.
I really dig a lot of the Nicaraguan stuff.
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A damn fine question there bartok. A lot of possibilities too...
I think the primary profile of importance would be the tobacco type, as opposed to a country profile, which would be secondary, and only then because of the soil.
Kind of like wine, which has a "typical" profile for each grape varietal, and yet displays widely different characteristics, depending on where it's grown. I visited the Bordeaux region in France and the winemaker for 1st growth and 2nd growth Bordeaux houses showed us something amazing. He walked about 40 feet in one direction and showed us grapes planted on one side of a hill. He said, those grape's will produce a 2nd growth Bordeaux. Then we walked 40 feet in the other direction; same grapes planted on the other side of the hill. Those grape's will produce a 1st growth Bordeaux. The difference was the type of soil, the amount of direct sun and shade and wind and other elements that the grapes were exposed to.
However, I do think that the main element is, first, the type of tobacco, then the soil, regardless of the country.
Of course, then you have to consider the man-made part of the equation. How much and what types of chemicals are used in the soil? Is the tobacco shade grown or sun grown? What are the individual blends of tobaccos in a given cigar: the different types of tobaccos used, the different parts of the plant (primings), the age of the tobacco, and whether or not there are any unique fermentation techniques used (storing in sherry casks, as an example).
That's why one of my pet peeves is when tobacco manufacturers don't let the consumer know the blend of their cigars. Like it's really likely that someone else would steal the blend and then could make it taste the same. NOT!
My 2 cents.....
Doc
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Great explanation as always DOC
My friend that owns a B&M always talks about not liking the taste of Honduran cigars: punch, RP,... and how Nicaraguan grown tobacco is way better than anything else out there......of course this is his opinion but I have to agree with some of that
There are so many factors to consider when talking about a cigars profile and why it tastes the way it does.
I have jumped on the Nicaraguan cigar bandwagon cause I cant seem to enjoy the cigars that come from other countries....dont get me wrong I will try them, but IMO the earthy flavor is just not there
but to be honest I have yet to smoke a cigar that matches my taste....still having fun looking for it though 
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[user=7]bartok[/user] wrote:
Quote:Occasionally the subject will come up (usually with non-smokers, occasional smokers, or just the cigar-curious) as to what are my favorite cigars.ÃÂ Sometimes I'll respond "Nicaraguan cigars", but part of me thinks this answer is somewhat non-sensical.ÃÂ I've always been skeptical that regional profiles for cigars really exist.ÃÂ Some of the Nicaraguan cigars (i.e. Padron, Tatuaje, CAO Criollo, CAO Extreme, etc), seem to have certain similarities; earthiness, full-bodied, strong coffee/nutmeg taste, leathery, a lack of floral or fruity flavors, not particularly spicy, not particularly aromatic.ÃÂ
In these cases, Nicaraguan cigars have made enough of an impression on me to make me think there might be something here.ÃÂ Would you say that there is such a thing as a "Nicaraguan profile"?ÃÂ If there is one, what would it be?ÃÂ Or is it more that some of the more notable Nicaraguan cigars shareÃÂ this handful of characteristics?ÃÂ Maybe this is what it means for a region to have a profile.ÃÂ Your thoughts?ÃÂ Is there a "Nicaraguan style"?
Not really, IMHO -- I've had Nicaraguan cigars that taste nothing like each other.
To me it's like saying you like the taste of "French wine" -- wide variety of tastes in French wine.
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[user=96]ColbyPants[/user] wrote:
Quote:It is possible.ÃÂ There is DEFINATELY a cuban profile, some similarities you can find in all of the ISOMs I have tried (to varied degrees).
TomC
Really? What do Cohibas and Quinteros have in common taste-wise? What do Bolivars and Quai d'Orsays have in common taste-wise? What do San Cristóbals and Guantanameras have in common taste-wise?
If there's any profile tying these together, I can't discern it.
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Moki, I think those are the exceptions and not the rule. In general most cigars from Honduras taste different from those form the DR and again those from Nic. As long as they do not mix up the tobacco (as is the case in most blended cigars).
Each locale has a slightly different weather in addition to different soils. Also, they all are near the caribbean sea giving them a high salt content, but depending on the prevailing winds this will vary greatly changing the taste and plant characteristics greatly.
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[user=35]Skipper the cigar aFISHinodo[/user] wrote:
Quote:Moki, I think those are the exceptions and not the rule.ÃÂ In general most cigars from Honduras taste different from those form the DR and again those from Nic. As long as they do not mix up the tobacco (as is the case in most blended cigars).
Each locale has a slightly different weather in addition to different soils. Also, they all are near the caribbean sea giving them a high salt content, but depending on the prevailing winds this will vary greatly changing the taste and plant characteristics greatly.
Sure, but artificial country boundaries may make sense to us, but they mean nothing to the tobacco plant. 
Padron, for instance, has made cigars in both Nicaragua and Honduras for years. Taste the difference? I don't... because the critical parts here are what Doc noted... not the flag a piece of dirt is flying, but rather the strain of seed, soil, fertilization, fermentation, etc.
Another example would be the Opus X cigar... a Dominican puro that doesn't taste like any other Dominican cigar I can think of.
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