Words you should know: Ligero (Think you can handle it, punk?)

We stopped by Havana Cigar Lounge in West Warwick, RI to say "Howdy!" to our friend Jarrid Trudeau, he of Kristoff Cigars, and maybe, just maybe, we were picking up a little something for you. (You'll hear about that later today.*)

Upon arrival, Jarrid gifted Valentino this baby. 

What's that? You want the deets? Straight from the Jarrid's mouth:** Honduran criollo wrapper, Dominican binder, Dominican/Honduran filler. 

 

And from the Kristoff website, "Looking for a full bodied cigar with depth and flavor, look no further. The Kristoff Ligero has twice the amount of Ligero leaf in the filler than the original Kristoff. It embodies incredible notes of toasted nut, caramel, undertones of cedar, spice and a sweet finish. Made with 100% Cuban Seed tobacco, this cigar leaves a clean, fresh finish on your palate."

Just as Valentino took the first few puffs, he said, "This has some bite to it."

"Well of course," Jarrid said. "It's a ligero."

And then they said ligero seventy-umpity hundredy times, with all the spit in the back of the throat a person can muster, kind of like an old, Jewish grandfather. It makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.***

What's that? You don't know what ligero is but you're afraid to ask?  I can help!!

Ligero is the tobacco leaf found at the top of the plant. Easy! Some other stuff about it:

• The leaf has a course texture
• The ligero has a potent, spicy taste, which makes for a full-bodied cigar
• The continuous, direct sunlight (because it's at the top of the plant) is the main reason for the leaves' fuller flavor. 
• Leaves are thicker and oilier, so they burn with more difficulty than other tobacco leaves.  

Carlos Fuente, who we love, has said, "The top leaves are left to overripen, and it looks ugly as hell.... And that's what gives you your baritone, heavy flavor, more body. It gives you more complexity."

 

So I thought I would give you some pictures to help you better understand the ligero. This is the first picture that came up:



You're welcome.

 

 This one might be a better help though:

 

See? Ligero is the tops

So when you see or hear "ligero," don't think, "That's a fun word to say,"**** even though it is. Think of Valentino saying, "This has some bite to it," and imagine him downplaying what he really thought, which was something along the lines of "Holy fuck,****** I wasn't expecting that!"

 

And then settle in for something super delicious. 

This Kristoff ligero comes in the following vitolas:

• Churchill – 7 x 50        
• Torpedo – 6.25 x 52
• Robusto – 5.5 x 54      
• Matador – 6.5 x 56
• Lancero – 7.5 x 40      
• Short Robusto – 4 x 54
• Corona – 5 x 44

Something for everyone! Unless you can't handle the ligero.

 

*Probably today.******* You know how I tend to lose focus. 

**Fingers, actually, thanks to the electronic angels that bring messages from one person to another. 

***Shut up. 

*****To paraphrase Elf, one of the best movies ever. 

******There's no other way to say it. Deal with the language.

*******Hahahaha. No.