Is Ligero to Cigars as Hops is to Beer? Whats up with the pepper spice?

[Glassman]

What say you? Pepper spice seems to be predominantly popular right now, as are IPA's and somewhat overly hoppy beers. Though I'm not a big fan of either, I can see the benefit to a blend as well as some peoples palates. They can both work well, even for me sometimes, in a balanced and well done blend. Obviously hops provides the bitterness, but varies in flavor notes, strength and intensity by source, type and application. For cigars is Ligero the source of the various peppers, burning spice notes and tongue / throat tingle? And if so is it just Nic ligero, primarliy jalapa? elswhere?
I'm only just now realizing that ligero itself is an indicator of location on the plant rather than a varietal itself... So how much of it depends on the varietal of tobacco rather than just location?
Just a nagging question that won't leave my mind, and I suspect some of you have the brilliance to clear it up for me.. TIA - Jeremy
@BrewinHooligan @Hopduro @ssaka Anyone else with thoughts on the subject..

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Ligero is simply the highest/strongest priming of the tobacco plant. The ligero leaves are the thickest, darkest, and least combustible. Ligero contains the most nicotine and also the most flavor. That flavor MAY be spice, but it may also be many other things including floral flavors depending on the varietal of the tobacco plant. I roll a straight ligero blend with three different ligeros as the filler and it is one of the least spicy blends in my portfolio

 

[Glassman]

Ligero is simply the highest/strongest priming of the tobacco plant. The ligero leaves are the thickest, darkest, and least combustible. Ligero contains the most nicotine and also the most flavor. That flavor MAY be spice, but it may also be many other things including floral flavors depending on the varietal of the tobacco plant. I roll a straight ligero blend with three different ligeros as the filler and it is one of the least spicy blends in my portfolio

Very interesting. That's exactly the kind of stuff I'm wondering about. Which makes me wonder, is it a specific varietal or growing area that contributes more to the peppery burn? But often "high ligero" blends, at least as far as they are marketed, will often be the spicy side (heat) right?

 

[navyvet]

Yeah and lfd's double ligero isnt spice at all

 

[Glassman]

Yeah and lfd's double ligero isnt spice at all

That's good to know, I was afraid I'd find it terrible to me.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Very interesting. That's exactly the kind of stuff I'm wondering about. Which makes me wonder, is it a specific varietal or growing area that contributes more to the peppery burn? But often "high ligero" blends, at least as far as they are marketed, will often be the spicy side (heat) right?

Not always. I find that as far as growing regions go (and there are always exceptions to the rule) Nicaragua tends to produce the spiciest tobacco and Dominican and Cuban tobacco tend to be least spicy, but then there are Nica puros like Padrons that are smooth as can be. I used to think that corojo was spicy, but it's usually corojo blended with criollo and then wrapped in broadleaf that's going to give you the spice bomb. Sometimes the wrapper is giving the spice and not the filler. There are so many variables it's impossible to give a hard and fast answer.

 

[Glassman]

Understandable. That's fine though. That's great info. It helps me develop an understanding, and knowledge base to pull from.
Surprised about the broadleaf comment though. Is that phenomena only in combo with those other 2, or more a factor of aging or fermenting? Most of my favorites are broadleaf, (albeit specifically maduro, and I'm trying to branch out) and I get no spice from them, just leather cocoa and wood etc ..

 

[BrewinHooligan]

The type of broadleaf varies as well, but I believe it just to be that combo in the example above with the exception of Pennsylvania broadleaf which tends to have spice regardless of filler combo.