Day 3 Tasting Series: Yasmel Mareva "Volado"


El Presidente

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» Day 2 Tasting Series: Yasmel Mareva "Volado"

An eye-opening result. I was under the misconception that volado was like smoking, well, a Macanudo.

BTW, Rob. Do you know the proportion of ligero, seco, and volado that a given plant will deliver?

Wilkey

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» The cigar is light/medium bodied with a solid core of clean tobacco flavour with a nice

» black pepper undercurrent (which I am concluding after 3 cigars in this

» series is coming from the wrapper as much as the filler).

» Let me say that I have had plenty of fully blended Mareva's which are

» worse than this pure Volado.

» Its strengths are its cleaness of tobacco on the palate. Pure golden brown goodness.

» Touch of pepper and a hint of sweetness (wrapper again I

» suspect). You do not have to think hard about the flavour profile. Clear

» deliniation is there. Body still light /medium. Not the same weight on the

» palate as "Double Wrapper" and it does feel a little thinner in terms of

» strength.

»

» How often have I written "Clean Toasted Tobacco" in a review? Well this is

» 90% Clean toasted tobacco...5% black pepper and 5 % sweet molasses. I

» wounder if Volado is where the "Clean Tasted Tobacco" flavours come from.

Sounds to me like you smoked a sweet / peppery wrapper with volado that had a little tobacco taste.

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Nice review in a classic series, Rob.

Do you think, given the "clean tobacco" tastes you had in smoking this cigar, that the H. Upmann line is made with a bigger percentage of Volado than most?

In my opinion and others, the Upmann brand is known for it's "clean tobacco" flavor...but I could just be buzzed and babbling off the Champagne;-)

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» » The cigar is light/medium bodied with a solid core of clean tobacco

» flavour with a nice

» » black pepper undercurrent (which I am concluding after 3 cigars in this

» » series is coming from the wrapper as much as the filler).

»

» » Let me say that I have had plenty of fully blended Mareva's which are

» » worse than this pure Volado.

» » Its strengths are its cleaness of tobacco on the palate. Pure golden

» brown goodness.

» » Touch of pepper and a hint of sweetness (wrapper again I

» » suspect). You do not have to think hard about the flavour profile.

» Clear

» » deliniation is there. Body still light /medium. Not the same weight on

» the

» » palate as "Double Wrapper" and it does feel a little thinner in terms

» of

» » strength.

» »

» » How often have I written "Clean Toasted Tobacco" in a review? Well this

» is

» » 90% Clean toasted tobacco...5% black pepper and 5 % sweet molasses. I

» » wounder if Volado is where the "Clean Tasted Tobacco" flavours come

» from.

»

» Sounds to me like you smoked a sweet / peppery wrapper with volado that

» had a little tobacco taste.

Perhaps Claudius, but it was more the weight on the palate that surprised me. I was expecting something lighter.

Once I smoke the Ligero and Seco I will have a better idea regards the question of the "Clean Tobacco Flavour" and how much this is determined by Volado.

Have fired off an e-mail to find out what proportion of Ligero/Volado/SEco comes from any given plant.

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» Perhaps Claudius, but it was more the weight on the palate that surprised

» me. I was expecting something lighter.

I'm not sure, but I've heard so often that volado tastes like nothing at all that I have come to believe it. Well, not nothing at all, but close to nothing (you know what I mean). Hence my guess that the sweet peppery taste which I associate with darker wrappers (like the one on your volado roll) may come from the wrapper and the actual volado have close to no taste (or that of clean tobacco).

» Once I smoke the Ligero and Seco I will have a better idea regards the

» question of the "Clean Tobacco Flavour" and how much this is determined by Volado.

Strictly speaking, wouldn't you need to take the wrapper out of the equation? I mean: to know what volado tastes like on its own, wouldn't it be necessary to have a cigar made with 100% volado (including the wrapper)?

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» Strictly speaking, wouldn't you need to take the wrapper out of the

» equation? I mean: to know what volado tastes like on its own, wouldn't it

» be necessary to have a cigar made with 100% volado (including the

» wrapper)?

Perhaps. But I am not seeking to find out what Volado tastes like. I am seeking to find out what part Volado plays in the orchestra which is a cigar. In effect we have heard the orchestra play as one in the opening ensemble...and now we are teasing out the individual instruments for a solo before throwing in a twist with some unusual combinations.

I agree (and think I stated) that I attribute the pepper and the sweetness to the wrapper. Yet the weight on the palate can only be attributed to the filler which in this case was Volado.

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» I agree (and think I stated) that I attribute the pepper and the sweetness to the wrapper.

Yes, you have, and I agree. It's also part of what comes from the wrapper swap experiment IMO.

I guess what I tried to say is that if you smoke a 100% volado cigar you can confirm beyond any doubt that it is the wrapper that gives the cigar the pepper and sweetness.

This is very interesting and I'm looking forward to your review of the next of these (the seco cigar, isnt it?)

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Great series. I look forward to the seco review. I remember someone smoked an all seco cigar and spoke very positively about it.

I am not totally surprised about the similarities. It is, after all, just different leaves from the same plant. But the differences are fascinating.

I also echo Colts sentiment. Would love to see this done blind sometime.

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» Great series. I look forward to the seco review. I remember someone

» smoked an all seco cigar and spoke very positively about it.

»

» I am not totally surprised about the similarities. It is, after all, just

» different leaves from the same plant. But the differences are

» fascinating.

»

» I also echo Colts sentiment. Would love to see this done blind sometime.

I have arranged to have Hamlet roll a Volado, a Seco, a Ligero and a Standard for a blind tasting. I will let Ken hold the cigars before tasting them so that it can be on the up and up.....and you know he will cut me no favours ;-)

The reason I did not do this series blind is that I wanted my own prejudices pre light to come into play.

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Prez. I am just getting in on the readings of your test and have to say that this a brilliant exercise in tobacco studies. I am at a loss for other words and if you know me that is a statement of some magnitude.

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  • 9 months later...

Day 3 Tasting Series: Yasmel Mareva "Volado"

For those new to the series read the first Link and contimue on through the series.

Today we have the Yasmel Mareva "Volado".

Yasmel Mareva "Volado"

Filler 100% Volado

From Habanos s.a website

Volado: Light-flavoured leaf, especially valued for its combustibility – also known as Fortaleza 1 (Strength 1).

Yep...in the world of tobacco leaf, Volado is the third wheel. Ligero is the star delivering "flavour"...Seco balances out the Ligero and is the most important for Aroma.....and Volado adds little to no flavour and is there for combustability. She is the ugly friend of the two stunners who keeps being invited out. She is the reason you need wing men because unless you get a mate to take her out....you have no shot with either one of the others. Where was I going with this?

Ok...I remember. Ligero/Seco/Volado. Volado has always been the ugly duckling. Deserved? That is what we will find out.

Another great looking Mareva. Oily and slick to the touch. That same funky barnyard aroma which leaves me in no doubt that the aroma is 100 % wrapper as each of the ciagars have the same aroma at cold. Construction is perfect.

image5116.jpg

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I am not expecting a lot of this 100% Volado filler cigar. Perhaps a nice one dimensional light flavoured cigar having more in common with a cigarette than a cigar.

I clipped the cap and the pre-light draw was perfect with a nice fresh tobacco flavour on the palate.

Gently fired up the foot and certainly combustion was not a problem. Aroma was also good with rich tobacco smoke hanging in the air.

What a fool I am. This is no light bodied flavourless cigar. The cigar is light/medium bodied with a solid core of clean tobacco flavour with a nice black pepper undercurrent (which I am concluding after 3 cigars in this series is coming from the wrapper as much as the filler).

No white pepper spice through the nose which is confucing given the black pepper initially on the palate. Enjoyable opening to this cigar. Burn is very good. Flavour very controlled...clean tobacco and a little black pepper. No elements of harshness or youth. Medium bodied maybe a touch under or maybe that is my imagination/expectation. Will call it medium.

image5119.jpg

I have really come to appreciate this cigar throughout the second third. Let me say that I have had plenty of fully blended Mareva's which are worse than this pure Volado.

Its strengths are its cleaness of tobacco on the palate. Pure golden brown goodness. Touch of pepper and a hint of sweetness (wrapper again I suspect). You do not have to think hard about the flavour profile. Clear deliniation is there. Body still light /medium. Not the same weight on the palate as "Double Wrapper" and it does feel a little thinner in terms of strength.

How often have I written "Clean Toasted Tobacco" in a review? Well this is 90% Clean toasted tobacco...5% black pepper and 5 % sweet molasses. I wounder if Volado is where the "Clean Tasted Tobacco" flavours come from.

image5120.jpg

The downside of a 100% volado cigar is a complete lack of complexity. Even in a small format such as a Mareva one wants a little "show". A touch of depth, a change of pace, a highlight here......a tantrum there.

Yet all in all it was an enjoyable if not overly exciting cigar. I am not sure what I have learned from the experience. Perhaps we can look at the following:

1. Complexity in a cigar needs blend.

2. Volado is not flavourless or third rate. It may have a big part to play in the the "Toastod Tobacco" flavours you come across. It is in this case generally medium/light in body.

It is no surprise that the cigar reminded me very much of some excellent farm cigars I have had over the years. Cigars rolled by vegueros and shared with myself over a beer and a story. I am now sure that these cigars were 100% Volado. This Mareva was better than those cigars due in part to the wrapper used was of high quality.

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  • 1 month later...

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