Dumb question: What happens to all the Cuban ligero?

[ndhaon91]

With many/most Cuban cigars using no ligero at all (are there any that actually do?), it occurred to me to wonder what they do with it all. Do they sell it under the radar to other countries that are known for using more ligero in their blending? 

[Doctorossi]

They don't grow it; their plants are naturally topless.  

[oliverdst]

As far as I know not all tabaco plants produce ligero leaves so not many available.

The ones that are available I suppose are used.

[JohnS]

Ligero means 'light' in Spanish. However, the ligero leaf, grown at the top of the tobacco plant, is anything but light to taste, it adds strength and spice to a cigar, and it burns slower too.

Whereas, seco and volado leaves take 1 to 2 years to mature before use, ligero leaves take 3. Blends are a closely guarded secret in cigar production, but it's safe to surmise that a cigar with 3 to 5 leaves as filler would only need 1/4 or 1/2 a leaf of ligero to be balanced.

Cuban cigars, in the main, utilise ligero leaves in their blends. The only ones that may not use them are smaller ring gauge cigars smaller than 38 or 40/64ths of an inch or lighter-strength marcas such as some Hoyo de Monterrey cigars, for example. However, exact information on this matter (as to what cigars do not use ligero leaves) is speculative...keep that in mind.

In general, there are around 180 regular production Cuban Cigars currently and of these, the great majority would use ligero leaves in their blends.

[archosaur]

44 minutes ago, ndhaon91 said:

With many/most Cuban cigars using no ligero at all (are there any that actually do?)

Uhhh....what? 

Are you sure you're not confusing blending differences between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars with other differences related to terroir, the use of different tobacco cultivars, and differing methods of cultivation and production?

[ndhaon91]

11 minutes ago, archosaur said:

Uhhh....what? 

Are you sure you're not confusing blending differences between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars with other differences related to terroir, the use of different tobacco cultivars, and differing methods of cultivation and production?

Well, no, I'm not sure at all! My understanding was that Cuban blending consisted of primarily viso and seco, which is why, in general they aren't nearly as strong as Nicaraguan cigars, for example. 

[Smallclub]

59 minutes ago, ndhaon91 said:

With many/most Cuban cigars using no ligero at all (are there any that actually do?), it occurred to me to wonder what they do with it all. Do they sell it under the radar to other countries that are known for using more ligero in their blending? 

 Where did you find the idea that most habanos use no ligero?  Only few habanos doesn't use ligero (most vitolas below 39 rg). And the fact that some vitola doesn't use ligero doesn't mean that ALL the ligero available isn't used…

[Smallclub]

2 minutes ago, ndhaon91 said:

My understanding was that Cuban blending consisted of primarily viso and seco, which is why, in general they aren't nearly as strong as Nicaraguan cigars, for example. 

It has nothing to do with the presence/absence of ligero; the Nicaraguan leaf is completely different; the cuban leaf is much RICHER.

[archosaur]

2 minutes ago, ndhaon91 said:

Well, no, I'm not sure at all! My understanding was that Cuban blending consisted of primarily viso and seco, which is why, in general they aren't nearly as strong as Nicaraguan cigars, for example. 

Understood, no worries.  As mentioned above, your understanding is just not accurate.  It is a broad discussion topic, but in general I would say that the strength differences between Cuban and certain non-Cuban cigars are due to many factors, not just blending.

The idea has been discussed many times but there doesn't seem to be much incentive for Cuba to export premium cigar leaf in any major quantities, or evidence of it happening, at least that I am aware of.

[Diabolicalpherpher]

Behikes uses the medio tiempo which was considered ligero before they started classifying it separately.

[DWC]

1 hour ago, oliverdst said:

As far as I know not all tabaco plants produce ligero leaves so not many available.

The ones that are available I suppose are used.

 Are you confusing ligero with medio tiempo?      Not all plants produce medio tiempo leaves but all plants have ligero.

[oliverdst]

20 minutes ago, DWC said:

 Are you confusing ligero with medio tiempo?      Not all plants produce medio tiempo leaves but all plants have ligero.

I think I am.

[Smallclub]

23 minutes ago, Diabolicalpherpher said:

Behikes uses the medio tiempo which was considered ligero before they started classifying it separately.

And I still have to hear/read someone describing what the medio tiempo brings to a blend…

[JohnS]

11 minutes ago, Smallclub said:

And I still have to hear/read someone describing what the medio tiempo brings to a blend…

I'll have a go at completing that sentence, Frank. Here goes...it brings money. 

[maxcjs0101]

Incoming butthurt BHK fans

[Cigar Surgeon]

2 hours ago, Diabolicalpherpher said:

Behikes uses the medio tiempo which was considered ligero before they started classifying it separately.

Referred to as corona leaf for the most part outside of Cuba.

[Fugu]

11 hours ago, Diabolicalpherpher said:

Behikes uses the medio tiempo which was considered ligero before they started classifying it separately.

And even not at all a new "invention" in Cuba. Medio Tiempo as a classification term (a ligero subclass) had been in use and can be found in older textbooks long before the development of the BHK-line. Had been classified but not always used separately.

[RijkdeGooier]

Medio tiempo is the topmost ligero leaf. The topmost leaf is smaller and is usually cut to let the plant grow the other leaves better.