real or psychosematic

[The Poet]

I will start off with 2 confessions. Imprimis, I have smoked a lot, a lot, A LOT of NC cigars, and only a handful of CC ones. Some of the NCs have not been to my personal taste, which is a good reason to smoke them - to find out what you like. I did so, and am not pretty much a Villazon wh@#&, meaning I feel confident I will enjoy nearly every Hondouran from that factory, especially the maduros. They have a sweetness and fullness that suits my palate, without that smash-mouth pepper of many Nicaraguans or the light nutty "is this dang thing even lit?" mildness of Dominicians. Secundus, I've smoked only a double-handfull of CCs, all gifts from BOTLs (hint, hint), but of several top-notch brands, so my experience is broader than it is deep. As for the CCs, they seem to have a deceptive mildness to start, one that is still tasty as opposed to bland, but the smoke seems to develop to a greater complexity about 1/2-way without getting that hot and dirty bite as often, or as badly, as some NCs. Were they better? Maybe, maybe not. The only true "difference" I've noticed is the higher lithium content in CC tobacco (due to soil conditions), which does not affect the taste, but does alter my mood more than NCs. A good thing? Sometimes, but I did have one "bad trip" after a CC, when my haid was all #^@&ed up for three days afterwards.

Were the price, and the ease of acquisition, of CCs the same as NCs, my rotation would feature both prominently. Hey, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. As this is NOT the case, I'd be happy to stick with devil I know forever, and smoke my Villazons.

Bottom line, as the Reverend's friend illustrates with his beloved Phillies, you should smoke what you like, and like what you smoke. And never, never let some cigar snob tell you you're an @$$.