Cuban “Twang”

[Stump89]

Grass and hay. Because those are the only flavors and aromas that one gets from Cubans, right?

[hedgeybaby]

Twang works for me.

[Pag]

Ahh...that floral aroma that floats thru the air. My Mother even enjoys that aroma from some Cubans. They have a sweetness to the aroma. I also think it's the thing to say in the U.S. "that a Cuban" not many people are saying "that a Dominican" Twang = magical and mystifying some times.

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[ponfed]

8 hours ago, IanMcLean68 said:

 I don't think I can. I've never been very good at coming up with comparative flavours, and the Cuban twang really is a unique thing to me, missing from NC's, even the ones that some say have it.

 

Yeah. As I said I haven't had a ton of NCs but everyone that I had that were advertised as having that cuban taste, were way of. They were void of the Cuban character in a way that was noticeable, if that makes any sense. 

Some of them were fine cigars, mind you, but not the same beast at all.

I feel it's like advertising a dry sherry and touting it as having port like qualities. 

 

[ponfed]

9 hours ago, mt1 said:

Apologies, please don't take my post as any sort of attack or comment on you personally, 

Don't even worry about it. Didn't think it was.

[BrightonCorgi]

10 hours ago, mt1 said:

That being said, I don't think I could tell a Cuban from a non-Cuban from second-hand smoke from another room.

My wife can tell the second hand smoke from old cigars and new, so I think it could be reasonable to tell the difference of a room full of Nicaraguan cigar smoke vs. Cuban.  The flavors are so different along with the nicotine levels; the 2nd hand smoke has to be different smelling. 

[IanMcLean68]

I am getting some fine Cuban twang right now from a '13 Monte2. Superb. ?

 

 

[ponfed]

1 hour ago, Min said:

I used to think grass/hay notes were  under fermented tobaccos- such as when people say the cigar is "green"   I actually have not tasted grass/hay in Cuban cigars (maybe because I have not smoked Cohibas yet). 

In my experience, or at least the way I always interpreted hay/grass, is like sweet dry smell. Like think long wild grass in the sun, not freshly cut lawn.

I was tripped for a long time by that description cause I kept expecting chlorophyll, and for the life of me couldn't figure out how that would be enjoyable.

Maybe I missed the mark though. I wonder how other people interpret grass as a description.

[RickHendeson]

This is often misunderstood.  Enlightenment begins with the understanding that "twang," translated into the Latin, is "tacet" (Google this if you like).  The "tacit" leaves (again back into the Latinate-English) are the hidden leaves on the plant overlooked (or even unknown) to producers outside of Cuba.  Thus that is where the Cuban twang comes from - the taste imparted by Cuban manufacturers using these semi-secret leaves in their filler.    

[Derboesekoenig]

2 minutes ago, RickHendeson said:

This is often misunderstood.  Enlightenment begins with the understanding that "twang," translated into the Latin, is "tacet" (Google this if you like).  The "tacit" leaves (again back into the Latinate-English) are the hidden leaves on the plant overlooked (or even unknown) to producers outside of Cuba.  Thus that is where the Cuban twang comes from - the taste imparted by Cuban manufacturers using these semi-secret leaves in their filler.    

So you are saying that, if these other non-Cuban marcas, utilized this part of the plant, they would start resembling Cuban Habanos? Very interesting--I'd never heard of this before.

[RickHendeson]

Just now, Derboesekoenig said:

So you are saying that, if these other non-Cuban marcas, utilized this part of the plant, they would start resembling Cuban Habanos? Very interesting--I'd never heard of this before.

 

I'm not surprised.  Since I just made it up, it will take a while for the word to spread.

[Derboesekoenig]

Lol you must be bored

[Doctorossi]

40 minutes ago, RickHendeson said:

This is often misunderstood.  Enlightenment begins with the understanding that "twang," translated into the Latin, is "tacet" (Google this if you like).  The "tacit" leaves (again back into the Latinate-English) are the hidden leaves on the plant overlooked (or even unknown) to producers outside of Cuba.  Thus that is where the Cuban twang comes from - the taste imparted by Cuban manufacturers using these semi-secret leaves in their filler.    

Wait... I'm lost. Tell me, again, how Super Mario factors in... ?

[BeerPimp]

I have only smoked 2 CC so I have no clue about Cuban Twang.   But I was told once by a wise man that is due to a undiscovered element know as Cubonium or Cb for short.

When I am able to acquire some CC for testing I will report back my findings.

[Stogiepuffer]

I’ve always wondered what people meant by Cuban twang. For me Cuban cigars are distinctive for a bread flavor, slightly sweet—almost citrus. It’s most noticeable on the cold draw, and immediately after lighting.

This^^^ Had a JL today and got alot of salt/yeast/sourdough bread flavors/aroma. Mostly on the nose vs mouth. Some leather and cedar scents as well. Although it seemed like there was still a predominant flavor/scent that I could not nail down too. I guess that's why they call it twang. You almost need a scent box like the guy had in the movie French kiss with different cigar scents to help Identify and put a name on the aromas and flavors.

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[ponfed]

2 hours ago, RickHendeson said:

This is often misunderstood.  Enlightenment begins with the understanding that "twang," translated into the Latin, is "tacet" (Google this if you like).  The "tacit" leaves (again back into the Latinate-English) are the hidden leaves on the plant overlooked (or even unknown) to producers outside of Cuba.  Thus that is where the Cuban twang comes from - the taste imparted by Cuban manufacturers using these semi-secret leaves in their filler.    

I'll do my part to spread this gospel in my part of the world. Let me know when it comes back to you.

We'll educate the ignorant masses yet.

[rcarlson]

21 hours ago, mt1 said:

I personally don't think this shows anything about that person being able to tell from the smell of the smoke.  Nobody is coming up to me and saying "hey, are you smoking a Nicaraguan cigar?"...it's always Cuban this, Cuban that.

That being said, I don't think I could tell a Cuban from a non-Cuban from second-hand smoke from another room.

Balderdash, hogwash, and poppycock.  All three. That's right.  I've done it countless times.  

[Sir Sooty]

23 hours ago, ponfed said:

This is inspired by a reddit post of all things.

Guy was somewhat of newbie cigar wise. Only had had non Cubans before. He was having his second or third cuban ever.

He says that someone came from the other room saying: "Hey, you're smoking a cuban aren't you?" 

He couldn't believe that someone could easily identify cuban cigars by smell alone. I told him that cuban tobacco had a particular aroma and taste that is very distinctive, and that with very little experience, one can easily pick Cubans from NonCubans from a lineup.

But I had a damn hard time describing what it was. The Cuban twang as it is sometimes call. It's easy to distinguish, but hard to describe.

So how would YOU describe it? Especially if you were describing it to an exclusively NC smoker. Or even better, to a pipe smoker. 

Let's see what you feel it is.

 

Oh yah I participated in that Reddit thread but only went as far as saying sweet floral twang.

To me I look for five things making up the Cuban Twang

Grass

Honey

Floral

Sourdough

Citrus

[SCgarman]

The twang note is definitely from the Cuban soil and the minerals in it. In fact they say this soil is not found anywhere else in the world. And I have to agree, the aroma of the smoke from Cuban tobacco is distinctive and doesn't smell anything like cigars from other producing countries. The tobacco is definitely unique unto itself and one of a kind.  For the member who said the taste came from "plume"? Uh, nope. Sorry. 99% of "plume" is usually mold. 

[Wilzc]

During autumn,

Take some cocoa, and some grounded coffee, head out to a grassy patch of semi-dried grass, smear them all over a small patch and have a deep sniff


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[ayepatz]

While we can safely conclude from this thread that there is no clear definition of twang, we can also observe that there seems to be a vast array of flavours in Cuban cigars that people find lacking in NCs.

Is Cuban twang simply a broader palate of flavour and aroma?

[MooseAMuffin]

Mostly a salty and or slightly sour flavor. Never had a salty NC.

[mike74]

1 hour ago, ayepatz said:

While we can safely conclude from this thread that there is no clear definition of twang, we can also observe that there seems to be a vast array of flavours in Cuban cigars that people find lacking in NCs.

 

 Exactly. 

[hedgeybaby]

On 8/23/2018 at 7:43 AM, Min said:

Cuban Twang to me is like smoking wet earth with a ? and butterly note...I also smoke non Cubans and find that Nicaraguan cigars have their own distinct characteristics as well- usually with peppery "zing" and dry earth 

Great description 

[srbbones]

I kind of get plums and copper.