Every now and then I get a craving for a cigar. Often, I don’t know what I want and I wander around the humidor like a lost puppy trying to figure out what I want to smoke. This morning however, I wanted to smoke a Liga Privada No. 9 and as luck would have it our friend Peter Hudson sent a bunch of them my way.
Cigar Review: La Piga Privada No. 9
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Length: 7
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Corona Doble (Double Corona)
Cutter: Lotus Jaws
Lighter: Vertigo Twister
The Look: Packaged in cabinet style boxes, Liga Privada No. 9 comes to us from Drew Estate a sponsor of The Cigar Authority podcast. The cigars feature veiny broadleaf wrappers that are oily and well rolled. In the hand the cigar is firm and heavy with a well packed foot that has a lot of visible veins/stems.
The Notes: Once the cigar is cut there are notes of warm figs, molasses and a hint of raisins. The aroma off the foot of the cigar reminds me of braised ribs.
Once the cigar is lit, some of the sweetness remains with hints of figs and molasses. Moving through the first third of the cigar, some subtle spice begins to develop with a touch of leather on the finish.
As we move to the second third, the sweetness is more of an afterthought as leather notes become dominant with a hint of wood and spice. The finish is long and leathery while the retrohale offers up notes of mesquite.
The final third sees the Liga Privada No. 9 continue down the road of the second third. There is an abundance of leather, with some hits of spice and a lot of wood on the retrohale.
The Finish: I wish I could say this Liga Privada fulfilled the desire to light one up this morning, but it is not the same cigar it was 5 years ago. It seems to lack the complexity my memory recalls. It was ok at best, and for $17.39 a stick I can think of others I rather reach for next time.
Score: 88
Price: $17.39
Liga Privada No. 9
Liga Privada No. 9 Foot
Liga Privada No. 9 Burn
