Drew Estate - Liga Privada No. 9 Robusto Oscuro 127mm x 54

Every once in a while, you come across a product that turns your head and lives in a world beyond the hype. Products like the Barlow pocket knife, Harley Davidson motorcycles, or Remington firearms. These items are produced with care and craftsmanship, and you rarely find disappointment with consumers who purchase them. For me, Drew Estate has achieved this with its Liga Privada No. 9 line.

Now, before anyone goes off thinking that I've been paid off by DE or that I receive free cigars from them, I want to put out a disclaimer: The only free items I've received from DE are a cap and a guillotine cutter. The Liga that I'm reviewing in this article was purchased at Outlaw Smokes in Kansas City, and my review of it is based on smoking it from foot to nub. Before reading further, I'm going to just let the cat out of the bag and state that it's a good review and if you can purchase these cigars, do so, without hesitation.

For those of you who are still with me, let's just dive into the review.

Cigar Facts (taken directly from the DE Web site):
Capa: Connecticut Broadleaf #1 Darks
Capote: Plantation Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Tripa: Select Honduran and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

Strength: Medium - Full
Size: 127mm x 54 (5 x 54) (Some sites list the Robusto Oscuro at 5 x 52)

Price: $10/stick

Paired With: Sweet Tea

Appearance and Construction:

This cigar is exquisitely constructed. Overall, it's tightly rolled, no soft spots and has a firmness to it that gives it a very solid feel when rolled between thumb and forefinger. The maduro wrapper has beautiful, consistent color from foot to head, light veins along the length of the body and even seams that are camouflaged nicely. This is truly a masterfully rolled cigar. A bit of research on the DE site digs up the interesting little factoid that there are only four rollers allowed to roll this cigar and that they are only allowed to produce 250 of these sticks per day. In my opinion, if this is what it takes, then keep doing it the way you're doing it. Another fact about this cigar that you'll find on nearly every site that sells them, is that the Liga Privada No.9 line was created exclusively for DE President Steve Saka and that the blend is created from tobacco from seven different farms. We're fortunate that Steve is a generous man, because if it had been me, the Liga Privada No. 9 would never have been released for the cigar smoking masses. Yes, folks, it is THAT good.

Pre-light:

The aroma of the tobacco is earthy with a hint of spice. The cold draw is medium to tight and the flavors of tobacco, earth, and sweet spice are prevalent.

Smoking Characteristics:

Light up is at 10:39am. I'm finding the initial draw to be medium to tight and I'm concerned about this because I truly want to experience all that this cigar has to offer. My hope is that as it warms up, the draw will loosen up a bit. The initial flavor profile on the first couple of draws are leather, earth, light spice, a hint of pepper and toasted oak barrel flavor. Between draws, there's a nice continuous wisp of smoke from the foot. Each puff creates copious amounts of aromatic smoke. A retrohale helps intensify the pepper flavor, but it's not overwhelming. Each draw also seems to enhance the earth, tobacco, and toasted oak barrel.

Halfway through the first third there is a subtle peanut flavor that develops over the rest of the flavors, which have settled into leather, toasted oak barrel, light pepper, and earthiness. I'm very excited to take each puff, but I don't want to overdo it. At this point, it's very tempting to just sit and smoke this cigar straight through without resting between draws. There is absolutely zero harshness and the smoke aroma is beyond belief. The nut flavor that I earlier tasted is being complemented by light sesame and these two flavors are blending incredibly well with the other flavors. I'm also detecting hints of cocoa. The draw has loosened up to just under medium and I can't find anything to say about this cigar that isn't good. Even the burn is perfectly even with a dense white ash that has a slight flakiness to it.

As I finish the first third, the peanut, sesame, and oak are developing nicely. I honestly believe that I could smoke this cigar in the house and no one would complain. It's "cigar aromatic" in a very good way. Not the harsh yuck smell you might generally associate with latent cigar smoke. There's a nice oiliness from the wrapper on my lips that is adding a textural dimension to this smoke. This cigar is an example of a blender who understands exactly what he or she is doing and who treats the cigar like a meal prepared by a five-star chef. The flavors meld perfectly, and I could smoke this cigar all day. As I begin the second third of this stick, I'm noticing cedar in the retrohale.

At this point, I'm completely sold on this cigar. I firmly believe that the Liga Privada No. 9 should be a standard by which other blends are measured.If I could be a cigar, I would want to be an LP9. If Willy Wonka were to make "The Never Ending Cigar", I'd want it to be an LP9. Can I make it any more clear that this cigar is nothing short of amazing?

11:15 - The subtle peppery notes are back. I'm at the halfway point and butter cream has joined the flavor mix. Pepper really begins making a comeback at this point, however, unlike some cigars where pepper begins to dominate, it blends so well with the peanut, sesame, leather, and oak, it's as if I'm eating a gourmet meal that features the perfect blend of herbs and spices. If I had a choice of something to eat whith this cigar, I would do filet mignon, pan seared with butter (not much, just enough to impart the butter flavor), then I'd flavor it lightly with salt, pepper, and basil.

Dropped ash at 11:30, roughly 2-inches.

At this point, I'm enjoying smoke that is thick in my mouth, creamy, and almost edible. The butter cream flavor has taken a slight lead among the others. Peanut and sesame complement. Pepper has taken a backseat again. It's as if there are layers of flavor in each draw that have been blended so perfectly that they complement the dominant flavor.

As I draw into the final third, there are slight coffee notes and cocoa on the backend. Oak, creaminess, butter, and peanut are the current entrees. Pepper is gone at this point and the burn continues to be perfect. There is a slight nic hit, but it's nice and buzzy, but not overwhelming. I would describe it as pleasant.

I removed the band at 11:45, and was hit with the original aroma of the cigar wrapper. As I took a draw, I could smell it so clearly, it was as if I'd set fire to a new cigar. Going into this final third, I'm having mixed emotions between happy and sad. Happiness is the fact that I am smoking one of the best cigars of my life. Sadness is that it's near the end, but more happiness is that I will be able to purchase more of these (and I already have, one box should be arriving at my doorstep within a few days!)

The smoke is warm at this point, which is to be expected, however, the flavors are not harsh. Strength has increased the current flavors, and to my surprise, a new flavor has entered the picture. Smoked beef has introduced itself to the mix. Imagine this, as you read, as a quality cut of beef smoked with bourbon barrel oak chips. The LP9 finishes with strength near the end and flavors of smoked beef, pepper accents, and hints of butter cream.

Finish is at 12;25pm.

Final Thoughts:

The Liga Privada No. 9 appears to be about subtlety and complementary savory flavors. It's easily a medium-bodied cigar that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys quality cigars. Beg, borrow, buy (but don't steal) them. My goal is to build up my stash with as many of these cigars as I can afford to purchase. Additionally, as someone who believes in God and in heaven, my wish is that if I'm able to smoke cigars there, that it'll be the LP9 that I have with me eternally in the afterlife. If I had to choose only one line of cigars to smoke for the rest of my life, the Liga Privada No. 9 would be it.

Rating:

Excellent with five out of five puffs.

Pair it with: Just about anything, because it'll make it better.

If you have some of these cigars and you don't like them, please feel free to send them my way.

That's all for now.