Day 5 Tasting Series: Yasmel Mareva "Ligero"

[zuma]

A truly fascinating and enlightening series Rob... as far as published research goes, I believe this is a world first. On'ya!

Actually, how about setting up a peer-reviewed Journal of Cigar Science :wink:

:clap: :clap:

[Colt45]

Bravo

The impression I get when I read the series:

Volado is the foundation, providing core tobacco flavor, combustibility, and a bit of body.

Seco adds more body and provides a large amount of flavor nuance.

Ligero while also providing body adds punch and backbone.

All three, in harmony, are required to produce a balanced cigar.

Thanks Rob.

Edit: this series reminded me of these great threads:

[link=http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=66766&page=0&order=time&category=all.tld/]Thread1[/link]

[link=http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=56351#p56352.tld/]Thread2[/link]

[Mel]

Well done mate. No quezzy stomach? Wished I could have been there burning one with you.

[tigger]

This continues to be great stuff Rob!

I had anticipated that this one would be nigh on unsmokable.

[strayvector]

Wow! Great stuff Rob. These 5 reviews have been incredibly educational. Thanks for your sacrifice.

[Ginseng]

The man has balls and isn't afraid to risk them to the cause of knowledge! Fantastic!

Wilkey

[Smokin Bulldog]

Rob, This may be the most interesting and educational reviews I have read to date. Thanks!

[SmokinLightning]

Excellent series Rob, some interesting surprises in there.

Keep up the good work!

KC

[trumpetchris]

So envious of your laboratory setting. In house blender, roller. First the siglo VI maduro and now this. SCIENCE!

[greenpimp]

Mad props for smoking the whole thing Rob! How many candy bars you eat after?

[CIGARHead]

Great series here Rob.

This is what makes FoH such a great place.

I cant wait to read how the Mareva with Ligero in the 1st and last inch w/ the seco/volado in the middle fares. It may just punch you in the face, then give you just enough time to recover, but then smack you once again leaving you on the deck clinching you stomach and crying to Lisa.

[cohiba]

Absolutely incredible experiment Rob. Thank you for educating us with this and other unusual cigars. The wrapper removal and replacement, and now the playing with fillers.

Lots to be learned from these trials.

Thanks

Stan

[chef2275]

"I cant wait to read how the Mareva with Ligero in the 1st and last inch w/ the seco/volado in the middle fares."

Prob go something like this:

Its like meeting up with a lady at the bar, you cant tell just what she is about. You take her home and she throws you around..etc...lol...then she starts to slow up and gently kisses you..etc..and then the next thing you now your tied up and being smacked on the arse and being asked who your daddy is...lol..

Oh by the way Rob..Nice info man. Really enjoy what i learn here.

Thanks

Chef

[1f1fan]

Great series of reviews Rob!

[El Presidente]

Day 5 Tasting Series: Yasmel Mareva "Ligero"

Filler Blend 100% Ligero.

Holding this cigar with great anticipation. I have enjoyed the series as each cigar has removed a veil and showcased a glimpse into the world of tobacco.

The “Standard” with equal blend was quite astounding. The “Volado” good, light medium bodied (which surprised me) and delivered pure toasted tobacco flavour. The “Seco” was fuller in body than the Volado and introduced leather cream and citrus peel. The “Double Wrapper” based on the “Standard” equal blend was in many ways the most disappointing because it did little more than to tame a great cigar to the point that it changed the cigars personality.

This Yasmel “Ligero” again looks and feels great. Slick to the touch, sweet barnyard/pepper aroma that you only really get with fresh cigars or cigars with an oily ripe wrapper. We have been fortunate in this series in that the tobacco used was first class.

I clipped the cap and the pre draw was perfect with a clean tobacco taste and a touch of sweetness (wrapper). I gently fired the foot and took my first deep draw. I am not meaning to be blasphemous but “Holy Mother of God!” The black pepper is immense, the body full, the aroma sheer malevolence. It did not take me long to realise that we had created the Hannibal Lecter of cigars. It shared the dark melancholy of the “standard” but the 100% ligero has taken it to another level introducing a viciousness to the palate. The black pepper held razor blades which thrust out and cut at every draw. Through the nose the cigar scoured and scorched. This is without doubt the strongest cigar I have had. I should be repelled by its ferocity but I am strangely attracted by its menace. This is the cigar equivalent of sadomachosism.

With a few sips of water I cleared my head and tried to see beyond the fire and evil. The Ligero brought black pepper beyond the wrapper. It overpowered any sweetness in the wrapper which I could taste on the lips but could not transfer to the cigar. In effect the sweetness cowered in fear. There is no toasted tobacco, leather, cream or citrus notes as found in the Volado or Seco. There is solely black pepper, charred wood, full body and an intense burnt tobacco aroma but burnt by a bushfire….pungent, acrid. To my surprise the burn is excellent.

Past the first inch the cigar settled down somewhat. Still full bodied but not as biting as previous. It may be a case of my own palate acclimatizing to the flavour and strength. However purge through the nose and the intensity of pepper slaps you mercilessly. Pepper and coal are on the palate. This is a fantastic stout beer without the creaminess. There is a little lead/pencil/graphite in there (apologies to Suckling).

For some reason I can relax a little more now and appreciate the Ligero. It is full, rambunctious but it is missing its brothers Volado and Seco. The burn is still very good, the aroma punchy and wild.

The last third is very much like the second. Very good all around but it is like watching a blockbuster where you have seen all the highlights in the promo’s. I can’t say that I am bored but I could use a little more complexity, a change of pace, a parlor act that transforms a very good cigar into a great. No bitterness at all in this cigar which is testament to the quality of the tobacco. Still raucous in its pepper, coal, pencil delivery. Yet after 45 minutes “I have seen it all before”.

This was a great experience and one I will remember for as much as what it delivered as what it didn’t. Ligero may be the holy grail of filler tobacco in the minds of the Cuban cigar punter, yet to showcase its best it needs a balanced canvas to work with and that canvas is Volado and Seco. The wrapper may be the conductor to the way the final flavours are filtered yet even a very good and flavoursome wrapper, cannot battle the wildness of 100% Ligero alone, and deliver a balanced cigar.

[Fatshotbud]

Thanks for this installment also - good job!