5 Liga Privada Reviews

[Tobias Lutz]

Disclaimer: These are reviews I did for another site, in another time. The photos no longer exist, but the information will hopefully remain useful to some.

I. Liga Undercrown Belicoso- My take on a very popular cigar
Size:6 X 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper Color: Maduro
Wrapper Origin: Mexican
Wrapper Leaf Type: San Andres

I had this stick in a ~65 Rh humidor for 6 or 7 months. As has been my experience with any Liga- this was an attractive cigar. The wrapper was moderately dark with three distinctive veins- none could be felt, only seen. It was fairly toothy and had a somewhat oily sheen. The head was nicely done and the wrapper finished off the presentation with a fancier design than the typical Liga band. I used a guillotine cutter to access a very open draw. The cigar felt very firm, so I was somewhat surprised how easy the pull was- a testament I suppose to a talented torcedor. I thought the wrapper smelled mainly of hay and the foot, a faint bit of cocoa. The cold draw was very mild and tasted like cigar’s scent, with the addition of a very faint espresso note- like weak/watered down iced coffee. I toasted the foot with a torch and finished the light with a match. I had a glass of cranberry juice while I smoked.

The immediate flavors upon lighting were cedar and coffee. The profile was medium, but I was surprised by how smooth the smoke was for having such a potent cedar beginning which was almost completely void of sweetness. I suppose as a result of where I cut the cap I had some issues with the wrapper lifting up, but ever so often I licked my finger and put it back down- really just an annoyance. The woodiness and its moderate spice were the story for the first third of the cigar. The burn wasn’t razor sharp, but even enough.

The middle of the cigar actually seemed to tone down and bit. The profile was a little milder and the spice from the cedar was swapped out for some notes of bittersweet chocolate. The smoke continued to be smooth and superfluous, while the burn continued to be a little ragged, but sufficient. On the other side of the halfway point I began to start tasting more espresso note and a bit of dark earthiness. I purged the cigar as it moved into the nub.
The last third of the cigar was an even mix of woodiness, unsweetened cocoa (like a block of baker’s chocolate), and something like a dark French roast. Surprisingly, it never became strong enough to really be considered a full-bodied cigar, but rather seemed to mellow after a start that was rather stout with its cedar notes. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but it was in the final inch and a half of the stick that I really felt like the Undercrown shined with the quality of tobacco it contained. I usually don’t want to smoke a cigar all the way to oblivion, but this one was definitely an exception!
Considering these are the most easily located LP on the market (perhaps Papas Fritas are there alongside), and they run about $8 a pop, I would say it’s almost essential to have a fiver of these lying around at all times.

Overall- 9.1/10

II. Liga Privada T52:
Wrapper:Connecticut Sungrown Habano
Binder:Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler:Honduran and Nicaraguan
Average Price:$15
Ring Gauge:52
Length:6

This was a nice looking, perfectly rolled cigar with a seamless cap. The wrapper was a dark brown with only a few small veins, and a fair amount of oily sheen. As I ran my fingers down the length of the cigar I found an even, slightly resistant firmness. The band was standard for a LP and was easily removed by sliding right over the head. The foot smelled somewhat unassuming with only minor nuances of cocoa and coffee bean. The wrapper itself has a rich odor with definite sweetened coffee tones. I used a guillotine cutter on the head. The draw on this stick bordered on loose, but was still within the range of reasonable. I picked up a good measure of cocoa on in my first few pulls. This surprised me because LPs usually don’t taste like much to me until after I light them. This definitely piqued my interest in the cigar. I toasted the foot with a torch and finished lighting with a wooden match.

This one started with a kick. My first couple puffs were completely inundated with cedar and pepper. The pepper toned down rather quickly, but the cedar stayed prevalent and mixed with a semi-bitter espresso flavor. The burn through the first 1/3 was perfect.

The 2/3rd of the cigar was surprisingly potent. It lulled me into a false sense of security by dialing down the profile after the initial full draws. The T52 kicked back up in strength and assumed a heavier pepper flavor and the cedar stayed robust, with a faint sweetness mixed end.

After my experience with the middle of the stick, I really expected the nub to become equal to some of the fullest bodied cigars I have smoked. Contrary to my prediction, it became more like the first section and in fact may have mellowed even more. The chocolate finally emerged, the pepper all but disappeared, and the cedar became a background flavor. The smoke became creamier and the cigar closed out beautifully.

Total smoking time was 1hour and 50 minutes. This cigar would smoke well any time of the day. While it is medium, heading toward full bodied, I found it to be quite palatable on a pretty empty stomach.

Pros: Quality construction, perfect burn, creamy finish
Cons: While I enjoy a stout bodied cigar, I’m not sure how I felt about the way it was strongest in the middle, rather than at the end. It made for a rough transition between the first and second thirds.
Overall: 9.1/10

III. Liga Privada No. 9 (Double Corona):
Details:
Wrapper: Oscuro
Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Double Corona (7 x 52)

First off- I apologize for not having pictures. I took them and they were accidently erased off of my camera in the couple weeks between when I smoked and when I typed up my notes. My bad.

I picked up two of these from a BOTL in the WTS forum. One was passed on in a trade and the other was saved for yours truly to enjoy This is a nice looking cigar. I’m normally not a huge fan of cigars over 6” long (with a few exceptions), but because these are getting harder to come by, I was looking forward to getting a nice large sample of what everyone seems to be talking about. There were a couple medium sized veins on the wrapper which was darker and had a nice sheen. It was not overly oily. One thing I did notice was a distinct difference in color between the body of the cigar and the cap. I was a little surprised they were not matched better on a higher dollar stick such as this. The stick was firm down its length. The wrapper had a crack from the foot up ½” into the cigar. It was still hanging on firmly and proved to be irrelevant.
The foot smelled like straw and baked red clay. I punched it and the draw was excellent. The flavors of the tobacco were however barely present on the cold draw. There was a bit of nuttiness, but it was minimal. I used a torch to toast it and then a match for a soft flame light.

1/3:
This cigar wasted no time coming alive with flavors. For being so unassuming on the cold draw, I was absolutely amazed by the bouquet of tastes early on. Rich flavors of coffee, cocoa, dark tobacco, and faint leather poured from the cigar. Similar to the Papa Fritas I enjoyed the other day, this stick was a smoke machine! Plumes of it came forth with very minimal effort.

2/3:
In the next section of the cigar coffee became the most prominent of the flavors. It was not bitter, but was void of any sweetness (strong black coffee). I would rate the body of the cigar between medium and full while erring on the medium side. I had read to look for spice in this cigar, but as of the first 2/3rds I had not found it. In spite of the primary flavors being “dark”, there was a grassy note to the smoke when retrohaled which kept it tasting fresh.

The nub:
The nub was where I finally found any kind of spiciness. It was a bit like cedar and black peppercorns. Overall it capped off a nice progression in flavors. This was a cigar that morphed from section to section making for a dynamic and enjoyable stick. Combine keeping your interest with a ton of smoke and it is easy to see why the LPs are so popular. I took this one down below an inch before letting it go out.
I think this is definitely a late in the day smoke and I would like to try it outdoors in either late fall or winter. I think the crisp air would pair nicely with the flavors and the fuller body of the cigar.

Pros: Quality construction, lots of smoke, complex flavors.
Cons: I thought this cigar had a pretty strong room note and would not be one to enjoy in mixed company (smokers & non-smokers).
Overall: 8.75/10

continued in next post...

[Tobias Lutz]

IV. LP Dirty Rat
Size: 5 x 44
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper Color: Maduro
Wrapper Origin: Connecticut
Wrapper Leaf Type: Habano Seed
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran

I’d been sitting on this cigar for a number of months and decided to break it out last night when I wasn’t up for a 2 hour smoke. It was an attractive cigar with a nice pigtail head. The wrapper was dark with a nice sheen. It wasn’t overly oily, but it reflected the light nicely. There were a few small veins down the length of the cigar. The pack was firm and it sported the standard LP label- part classical with the emblem, and part nouveau with the hand written name. The foot and the wrapper had a very “dark” scent with hints of wood, coffee, and a very faint note of cocoa. I bit the pigtail and pulled the cap off between my teeth. The draw was firm, but the flavor was somewhat diminutive. It was very similar to my experience with other Ligas- the cold draw is underwhelming and then the flavor explodes upon lighting it. If I could cite any specific taste I would say it was mild leather. I used a torch to toast the foot and finished the light with a wooden match.

The start was just as I expected- a blast of full-bodied flavor right out of the gate! I primarily picked up cedar with hints of pepper in the retrohale. I never cease to be amazed by the profiles of LPs, they contain nuances that are hard to pin down, but the overall taste seems so impeccably blended. The burn through the first section was perfect.

The second section of the cigar was consistent and just as enjoyable as the first. I started tasting a buttery tone that made the spice feel slightly “oily” on my tongue, but at the same time toned down the sharpness of the cedar. I really enjoyed the amount of smoke I got from this cigar. It was plentiful and on the puffs where I wasn’t picking the flavor apart, it delivered a great experience. This is one of those cigars that you can smoke mindlessly and still feel like you’ve experienced something good afterwards.

Much to my surprise, the cigar didn’t become all that more potent as it moved into the nub. This stick was interesting because while it never seemed to really change all that much, it remained engaging through the entire smoke. It bucked the trend of most full bodied cigars by not bordering on overwhelming in the final third. I think a lot can be said for the blender’s selection of a smaller vitola for this cigar. It closed with the same tastes of cedar and muted pepper that it began with, but it also bid farewell with background flavors of espresso, leather, and bitter chocolate.

The entire smoke took 60 minutes. I would not recommend this cigar for an early morning or on an empty stomach. It smoked well after dinner with a glass of Coke.

Pros: Contruction, burn, and depth of flavor.
Cons: None. I could cite the size of the cigar since I would have gladly enjoyed it for another 30 minutes, but I think the choice of vitola was essential to how the blend is presented.
Overall: 9.4/10

V. Papas Fritas
I was sent one of these in a trade a couple weeks ago and I was really excited to smoke it. The wrapper had a good sized vein down the length of the wrapper and it felt tight and solidly rolled. The foot of the cigar had a pleasant scent that wasn’t floral, but kind of outdoorsy- sort of grass like. I usually punch my cigars but because of the twist I cut it with a guillotine cutter. The cold draw was very good but underwhelming in flavor. The wrapper had a fresh sweetness to it. I toasted it and lit with a soft flame.
First 1/3:
After the cold draw I was pleasantly surprised by the stout flavor I got from the first few puffs. Immediately, dark tastes began to come out along with a little bit of pepper. I was honestly caught off guard by the potency of the smoke with the first retrohale. Speaking of smoke- there was lots of it. Wonderful clouds of it came effortlessly with each puff. These characteristics of richness and profuseness of smoke seem to make this a great option for an after-dinner smoke. I’m not sure I would burn it as an early morning stick. The burn was perfect from the start and the vein proved irrelevant. The ash wasn’t perfect but it didn’t shed itself prematurely.
Second 2/3:
A ways into the stick I noticed the wrapper began to peel up slightly near my cut on the cigar. I moistened it to sit it back down and it didn’t cause any issues with the smoke. I didn’t pick up on any kind of sweetness through the first half of the cigar, but nor did I find its robust flavor to be bitter. I did begin to get a taste that I can’t really describe well but to say it reminded me of a brush burning pile in autumn. It wasn’t unpleasant but was like a mix of woody and earthiness. I’m still amazed at the great quantity of smoke I got from a smaller RG stick (and without having to puff like a locomotive engine). For me the faint peppery taste that was in the first 1/3 dissipated as I approached the final couple inches and the stick just delivered continuous dark tobacco flavor.
The nub:
I the end I picked up a taste that I swear was like a fig or plum dipped in bitter chocolate. The tastes were balanced so there wasn’t any net profile one way or the other, but it was very pleasant. I smoked this one down low!

I was excited to review this stick and hope to do several more LPs because I know how many on the boards smoke them and I’d love to hear how my experience matches up with others.

Pros- Great construction, A+ flavor and a ton of smoke
Cons- Only that it isn’t available in a Churchill
Overall- 9/10