about "Mellow"

mmkuchi

I've seen this word, "Mellow", in a lot places, but don't really get how that is like. Is it a taste, or a texture? Is a Cohia Red Dot mellow? If that is, I think I get what that is. However, then how come someone will say a Man O'War Virtue a "mellow stick"; because to me, it's NOT mild at all....that's where the discrepancy I got myself confused. But to be frank, I can tell that a Cohiba Red Dot is like a well aged version of Man O'War Virtue; and regarding the three Virtue toros I had, none of them was aged for a long time in my humidor. If aging is the reason for those MOW not being mellow, I think I will get it then.

Lee.mcglynn

I find a lot of people just get stuff mixed up. Mellow to me would be medium. But I think mild,medium and full can get really screwed up by people. For instance you can have a crap load of nicotine and no flavor or have little nicotine and great flavor. I think people believe the higher the nicotine level the more flavorful a cigar will be. I enjoy all cigars as long as there is good flavor. But to a normal idiot that smokes to look manly well they always say give me the strongest cigar you have...why?? It's not gonna be better then most of the stuff on the wall but in that persons head yeah it's got to be great since its strong! But yeah mellow to me says medium

Dark_Roast

I just got some Man O War Virtue that I think are mellow. I would no find the Cohiba Red Dot mellow because of the nicotine content. I think mellow is completely subjective.

mmkuchi

Dark_Roast said:

I just got some Man O War Virtue that I think are mellow. I would no find the Cohiba Red Dot mellow because of the nicotine content. I think mellow is completely subjective.

I like your comment. Maybe it's because of its grassy taste, I didn't enjoy the MOW Virtue and hence not considering it's mellow.

jimmyv723

For me anyway, mellow really has nothing to do with strength. To me it just means that the Cigar is not harsh and that the flavors all mix and blend well together. 

variant2

With the vast combinations of tobacco plants, leaf types, blending, etc., not all cigars will be perceived to age the same. In my experience, I have found the younger, full bodied cigars to benefit the most over a long rest period compared to a mild cigar.

A couple cigars that I've noticed an obvious change in the profile would be with the MoW Ruination and Fuente Dbl Chateau Sun Grown that I have since 2013. When I smoked them ROTT (right off the truck), they were just okay. Over a year later, they're much smoother and enjoyable. 

On the flip side, I had a Montecristo (US) a week ago from 2013 and the flavor profile / experience seemed to be the same as when I first got them.

Gray4lines

I would equate mellow and mild body And mild strength.  It may be a poor descriptive word for cigars in the first place.  As said above, it's very subjective and doesn't mean much by itself. 

This is as good a place as any for this: strength versus body.  I just heard Robert Caldwell talking about this And he gave this example:

Think of red and white wines.  The alcohol content is strength. The flavor profiles are body.  Complex, bold, deep, red versus light fruity white for example.  you can have a bold flavor and low strength (nicotine hit) or a mild body full strength blend.

Good cigars balance the two and the strength and body make sense together.

I'm not sure if mellow is referring to strength, body, or both.  ???  Aging can affect either or both.  Age always reduces nicotine and usually the body will become more round, balanced and not so bold. every cigar is different,  though, as variant stated.