Analysis and Tasting: Casdagli "Brave" Piramide
Casdagli
Brothers of the Sabre
Brave Piramide
Today, I return to Waterloo. Not for the beer, but to tell
you about the second release in the Brothers of the Sabre series: the
"Brave".
I should rather say "the Brave of the braves", as
the Emperor himself used to call him. I am talking about Marshal Michel Ney.
This famous warlord had two character traits that cost him
dearly: his loyalty and his impatience. While he was never a great strategist,
he was, on the other hand, an exceptional leader of men, which allowed him to
save thousands of lives when facing the Cossacks.
He was also a central figure in Napoleon's life:
In 1814: He firmly pushed the Emperor to abdicate. He then
rallied to Louis XVIII, who showered him with honors.
In March 1815: When Napoleon escaped from the Isle of Elba,
Ney promised the King to bring the exile back "in an iron cage". But
sent to meet him, overwhelmed by emotion, the pressure of his soldiers, and
memories of the Empire, Ney yielded and rallied to Napoleon once again.
He would therefore take part with him in the famous Battle
of Waterloo. There, his impulsiveness led him to prematurely launch massive
cavalry charges against the British lines without infantry support,
contributing to the final disaster.
After Napoleon's second abdication, Ney refused to flee
France. Arrested for high treason, he was tried by the Chamber of Peers — as
the council of war refused to do so out of respect for this great marshal — and
sentenced to death.
His execution on December 7, 1815, took on a dramatic,
almost theatrical tone. Ney refused to be blindfolded. Better yet, he commanded
the firing squad himself with words now engraved in history:
"Soldiers, straight to the heart! Wait for my order. It
will be my last to you. I protest before God and country against the judgment
that condemns me. I have fought a hundred times for France, never against her!
Soldiers, fire!"
Today, he rests in the Père-Lachaise cemetery.
The small story within the grand history...
As an anecdote, there is a Boulevard Ney in the 18th
arrondissement of Paris, where the Gley barracks used to stand. Aurora's (my
companion) grandmother was born there. Since Aurora's great-grandfather was
named Nez, the grandmother's birth certificate reads: Jacqueline Nez, born on
Boulevard Ney.
The Work of Art: Visual Inspection
Let's get the gear ready and off we go! I pull the cigar out
of one of my humidors. It presents itself under a magnificent milk-chocolate
wrapper, adorned with an imposing band featuring shades of blue, gold, ocher
yellow, and red.
In the center, within a circular medallion, sits Marshal Ney
topped with the title given to him by the Emperor: "Brave". On either
side, the names of the various campaigns he fought in are inscribed, with
Waterloo at the very end of the band. The whole design is sealed by the
Casdagli logo set inside a diamond shape. Finally, below the marshal's name, we
find the crowned bee, Napoleon's famous crest.
Let me tell you a little more about this choice, because
Napoleon did not choose this symbol by chance. He wanted to break away entirely
from the Bourbon legacy:
The link with the Merovingians: The choice of the bee relies
on a historic archaeological discovery. In 1653, the tomb of Childeric I,
father of Clovis and founder of the Merovingian dynasty, was discovered in
Tournai. This tomb contained hundreds of small golden insects (often identified
as bees or cicadas) that adorned his royal cloak. By adopting this symbol,
Napoleon pulled off a master political move: he bypassed the Capetian kings and
connected directly to the most ancient origins of the French monarchy,
asserting a legitimacy "superior" to that of the Bourbons.
The symbolism of the insect: Beyond the historical
justification, the bee carries values Napoleon wished to associate with his
reign:
Hard work and industry: Unlike the lily, which "neither
spins nor weaves" (a symbol deemed idle), the bee is industrious.
Order and discipline: The beehive is a perfectly organized
society centered around its leader, where everyone knows their place and works
for the community.
Immortality: In several ancient cultures, the bee is a
symbol of resurrection and eternal life.
The Lighting Ritual
Time for me to get down to business. I perform a straight
cut, followed by a cold draw. This ensures the draw will proceed without any
hindrance, though I don't linger on it too long so as not to influence my
future perceptions.
The torch lighter does the rest. Quickly, from the very
first puffs, the room and my mouth fill with a dense flood of smoke.
.jpg "Casdagli Brothers of the Sabre Brave Piramide")
You'd think you were on the battlefield right next to the
artillery pieces!
This mass of smoke revives memories of maneuvers with the
20th Signal Coy supporting artillery in Werl, Elsenborn, or Bergen-Hohne.
Nostalgia aside, the beginning of this third brings flavors
of sourdough bread, cedar, nutmeg, and dried fruits. The strength is definitely
present, but I know from experience that it will tone down after the first
centimeter, which indeed happens. My vitola today offers an excellent draw, and
the burn stays perfectly on track, self-correcting as it progresses.
As for the ash, it is compact, white, and striped with gray.
Evolution of the Second Third
I continue my tasting slowly, as I find this
"Brave" fairly packed with nicotine. This is the moment black pepper
decides to make its entrance. Will it impact the intensity? Yes. My cigar gains
in strength and vigor, while remaining comfortably in the medium-full range.
On se croirait sur le champ de bataille, juste à côté des pièces d’artillerie !
Cette masse de fumée ravive en moi des souvenirs de manœuvres avec la 20ème Cie TTr en appui d’artillerie à Werl, Elsenborn ou Bergen-Hohne.
Au-delà de la nostalgie, ce début de tiers m'apporte des saveurs de pain au levain, de cèdre, de muscade et de fruits secs. La force est bien présente, mais je sais d’expérience qu’elle va s’estomper après le premier centimètre ; ce qui ne manque pas d’arriver. Ma vitole du jour offre un excellent tirage et la combustion tient parfaitement la route, se rectifiant d’elle-même au fur et à mesure de la progression.
La cendre, quant à elle, est compacte, blanche et striée de gris.
L'évolution du second tiers
Je continue ma dégustation lentement, car je trouve ce Brave assez chargé en nicotine. C'est le moment que choisit le poivre noir pour faire son entrée. Est-ce que cela va se ressentir sur l’intensité ? Oui. Mon cigare gagne en force et en vigueur, tout en restant sagement dans le registre du moyen-fort.
This black pepper is now accompanied by notes of dark
chocolate, cocoa, salted butter caramel, and occasionally a hint of lemon
cream.
Do I have any other observations to note? No. Because
despite a narrow aromatic profile, Jeremy Casdagli's genius combined with
Hendrik Kelner Jr.'s expertise work wonders: this tasting is balanced and
flawless from start to finish.
Although it remains an overall medium-intensity cigar, if
you are looking for even less nicotine — an ideal profile for morning coffee —,
I recommend opting for the Robusto. They are crafted with the same blend, with
the key difference being that the leaves used come from lower down on the
tobacco plant. Being smaller, they were shaded from the sun by the upper
leaves.
My tastings were conducted on three vitolas of this
Piramide.
Technical Sheet
|
Feature |
Piramide |
Robusto |
|
Length |
16.51 cm |
12.45 cm |
|
Ring Gauge (Cepo) |
53 |
50 |
|
Wrapper |
Claro Colorado (Ecuador) |
Claro Colorado (Ecuador) |
|
Binder & Filler |
Dominican Republic |
Dominican Republic |
|
Price (Belgium) |
€19.00 |
€17.00 |
In Conclusion
Conceived by Jeremy Casdagli, crafted by Hendrik Kelner Jr.,
and produced at the Kelner Boutique Factory, this "Brave" provides a
long and precious moment of enjoyment. No imperfection comes to ruin the
experience or pull us back to everyday trivialities. You sink into a quite
incredible bubble outside of time. Everything is smoothness, subtlety, and
balance.
I can only encourage you to form your own opinion by heading
out to buy one at your favorite tobacconist!