Seco grows in the middle of the plant. Many blenders rely on it for aroma and for a medium level of flavor and strength. It has more flavor than volado and burns more easily than ligero.
The word means “dry” in Spanish, but that is only a name; it does not describe the leaf’s moisture. Seco goes through the same curing barn and the same fermentation as the rest of the crop. It often makes up a large part of a mild cigar and a smaller part of a full-bodied one.
If a blend tastes thin, the seco is one of the first things a blender adjusts. If it tastes harsh, the cause may be ligero that was not aged enough rather than too much seco.