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Cherry is a middle of the road btu wood, not in the same league btu wise as oak, hickory, hard maple etc...Apple is actually very high in btu's higher than most oaks and is up there with hickory and mulberry. My guess is your cherry wood wasn't as dry as the other woods you've been using
I'm with krex, I use whatever local wood my butcher shop has in stock, last years cherry wood must have been more dry because all I had to do was put it near the coals and it'd smoke, this year I have to put it directly on the hot coals to get it to smoke. Love me some flavor that northern GA cherry wood puts off though!