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Old 09-19-2007, 02:56 PM   #1
jazznut
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Drew Estate Liga Privada No.9

Drew Estate Liga Privada No.9
Pre-Release Sample

Dimensions: 6 inches by 52-ring gauge
Composition: A blend of seven different tobaccos, including a Connecticut broadleaf maduro ligero outer leaf as well as Brazilian, Honduran and Nicaraguan varieties for the binder and filler leaves.
Date smoked: Tuesday September 18th, 2007
Setting: An after dinner sojourn on the back porch.
Accompanying drinks: I poured some Evan Williams 1996 Single Barrel Bourbon and a tall glass of cool, filtered water. The cigar worked well alongside the American whiskey, at certain times accentuating the charred oak characteristics of the spirit and at other moments zeroing in on the corn-derived sweetness.

Appearance: The hue of the maduro wrapper possessed the richness and patina of a 16th Century antique dark walnut piece of furniture. Mahogany strands coursed around many of the veins, which were, by and large, suppressed. The double-seamed cap sported a rounded profile. Though the colour range of the filler appeared similar to that of the capa, a few of the inner leaves closer to the perimeter leaned toward burnt sienna. I noted a slightly lighter overall tonality at the clipped end relative to the foot.
Construction: The quality of fabrication was first-rate, and a firm finger feel evidenced the compactness of roll density. The Liga Privada sported a moderate box-press.
Combustion: The cigar drew and burned at an ideal tempo. No re-lights were required, though I did carry out a couple of minor corrective measures early on.
Total smoking time: Approximately 1˝ hour elapsed from initial firing to the final puffs.

Pre-light aroma:The sweet and full aroma of Caribbean black cake and Seville orange marmalade, as attractive as it was, came across as more dessert-like than cigar-like. Behind this lay a discreet scent of well cured tobacco.
Pre-light draw: Here, the sensation was less encumbered by overt sweetness, allowing tobacco, bread, earth and spice notes to appear.
Post-light aroma: Following lighting, the Liga Privada emitted a powerful fragrance of ripe, embering tobacco. The underlying cured sweetness of the fragrance reminded me of sitting around a fruitwood-piled campfire while toasting masrhmallows.

Opening portion: The palate entry gave great pleasure, with predominant notes of heavily toasted tobacco showing an exceptional roundness, thereby highlighting the curing of the leaves utilized. Thrusts of dark coffee and earth provided ample support.
The heart of the smoke: Clearly delineated notions of sweet molasses cookies and dark roasted Sumatran coffee counterpointed the increasingly spicy nature of the core tobacco taste. As yet medium bodied and well rounded, the textural aspect of the cigar displayed a velvety mouth-feel.
Latter stages: Shavings of dark chocolate with subtle touches of cayenne piquancy emerged. During the final portion of the session, the earthiness became very apparent, and I discerned the distinctively rich contribution of tobacco from the Esteli region.

Assessment: In trying to arrive at an overview of the Drew Estate Liga Privada No.9, I feel as though I’m presented with a dilemma. On the one hand, I cannot deny the inherent excellence and opulence of the tobaccos employed, the attraction of the various flavour components and the manner in which they coalesce, or the beauty of the totally non-abrasive textural quality. This cigar exhibits both a pleasurable and seemingly satisfying nature, and the glowing reactions of others to its merits are a matter of record. On the other hand, I personally came away wishing for something a little more at the end of the smoke. How could this be?
Two possible explanations spring to mind. The first revolves around the variety of leaves employed. To my taste, the amalgamation of the various regional influences veers the overall tenor of the cigar toward what might be termed the ‘International Style’. This phenomenon is not unlike what one often encounters with many an otherwise delicious wine, where unique local characteristics have been deemed secondary to pure drinkability and breadth of appeal. The second focuses on the way in which the differing contribution of each of the leaves seems to have been marginally sacrificed to achieve an overall sense of roundness and integration. Both traits are closely interconnected, their effect is very subtle, and my perception of them is highly subjective. Nevertheless, on this particular occasion, the net result – to my taste buds at any rate – was a slight dulling of dynamics and flattening of flavour progression.

Summary: The above mentioned reservations aside, Drew Estate’s Liga Privada No.9 certainly represents an alluring option for anyone seeking an eminently smokable medium to full-bodied cigar in this size format. Finding it is, of course, another challenge altogether.

Here, for comparison purposes, are links to 2 other recent reviews of the No.9:

1

2

And many, many thanks to Cloud9Bob, who took the time and trouble to - out of the blue, no less! - send this sample my way.
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