Liga Privada No 9 Toro Review

Liga Privada No 9
Made by: Drew Estate
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 by 52 (Toro)

I did a Liga Privada review on the robusto vitola, this will now cover its cousin the 6*52 toro. But before I get to the cigar review, there is a story. For this review, I was in San Diego and could not find a place to review this near my hotel. In my travels I found a wonderful little restaurant called Pampas, I would have reviewed the cigar on the patio at this location. However, it was already shut down for the night by the time I got there. But Marco, the head guy there, was very friendly and had the most positive response was to my inquiry of a place to review my cigar. Given that several of the places that I went would not allow cigars on the patio unfortunately. Anyhow, I was able to review the cigar in a location near the restaurant, so with that let’s see what this vitola has to offer with a Liga Privada No 9 Toro Review.

Prelight

There is slight tooth to the wrapper, plenty of medium size veins. A well structured cap, visible seams. The foot gives off a herbal mint with a background of white pepper. Very clean-cut, just a little bit of loose tobacco. And the prelight draw gives off a herbal note with a darker barnyard note alongside mixed white and red pepper. Red pepper noticeable via the spicy tingle left on the lips.

1/3

Tons of thick creamy smoke, barnyard flavors are up on the front with a cedar. Slight bitter notes mixed in on the front. Slightly sour note coming up on the finish. Unbalanced at the moment, and there is no issue with the burn line and no issue with the ash. The cigar’s saving grace is the creamy mouth feel from the smoke. As I reach the end of the first third, there’s a cocoa note coming up on the front of the profile. The bitter and sour notes are fading, the balance is starting to work out a little bit better. The burn is still straight, beautiful ash. And that mouth feel, that’s what really does it for the cigar.

2/3

A dry cocoa on the front is mixed in with a oak that came up. I think the oak was mixed in with the Cedar earlier in the profile but it was subtle. There’s a slight white pepper at the end of the profile. And the red pepper is still just on the wrapper, on the lips. Thick creamy smoke, medium bodied, and low strength. Dry cocoa dropped in front of the profile, barnyard has come back up, after that there is still an oak flavor. The oak is well-developed and there is a slight cedar after it matching the first third. No changes to body or strength. And unlike the other sizes of the cigar I have yet to really experience the minty herbal note that I usually find them. Hoping it comes up in the next third.

3/3

Oak and creaminess still dominate profile, the bitterness in the profile is actually coming from the dark cocoa taste I want to say. It is still pretty unbalanced, but the flavors are complementary despite the unusual profile, again I have come to expect things from this line that it doesn’t seem to be delivering. The mouth feel was still wonderful, medium bodied and low strength, no changes to that. Toward the end of the last third the herbal minty note has finally appeared. It’s Nice to know that some of the basic profile notes I’ve held true in the recent releases of the blend. There have been some management changes to Drew Estate, the quality is a little different, but this last third has been a salvation point for me for the company. Still worthwhile smoke because the mouth feel.

Smoke Time: 1 hour  and 45 minutes

Conclusion: 86

Not sure where to go with this really, in the past Liga Privada has held to a decently higher standard in my opinion. This cigar didn’t show that. Not that it was bad by any means, but compared to the recently reviewed robusto it was very different. Medium complexity, ok transitions, but other then that it lacked the luster I expect from Liga Privada. These things pour off smoke, and burn well, the mouth feel is an impressive aspect of the cigar. It would be interesting to see what aging would do to the most recent vintage of Liga Privada’s. The unbalanced profile needs to be worked out, I would like to think time could do that for this cigar.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Pampas Argentinian Grill – San Diego, CA