Liga Privada "Dirty Rat"

Overall Score

1 review for Liga Privada “Dirty Rat”

  1. A****

    Liga Privada Dirty Rat

    Origin : NicaraguaDrew Estate
    Format : Corona
    Size : 5 x 44
    Wrapper : Connecticut Sun-grown Habano
    Filler : Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan
    Binder : Brazilian Mata Fina
    Hand-Made
    Price : $12 each

    Please welcome Aaron, our newest reviewer! He begins with a review of the delicious Liga Privada “Dirty Rat”. Enjoy!

    Down here in Texas, we have been getting very unusual, very cold weather. Hanging around Dallas for pre-Super Bowl activities, I needed a cigar to warm my soul and get me through the wintery blues. No better cigar to do the trick than the Liga Privada Unico Serie Dirty Rat. Its unique blend of tobaccos was combined to produce a spicier, fuller bodied cigar that packs more of a punch than their regular T-52 line. Though technically not a limited release, the Dirty Rat will be distributed as a small batch cigar to fit demand. This particular stick was one of several I smoked prior to the Super Bowl and had purchased at a local B&M in Arlington.

    The Dirty Rat has been a very controversial cigar for a lot of cigar devotees; opinions appear to be very polarized. Some think the cigar tastes much like its name, but I am one of those that completely differs. This cigar may just be too bold for many, because it definitely packs a wallop! Not a cigar I could smoke regularly, I would leave this to special occasions and for a change of pace from other sticks. I am confident in saying that this could be one of the best cigars I’ve smoked in the last two years.

    Appearance : [rating:3/5]
    The Dirty Rat is definitely not the prettiest cigar in the humidor. It has a very thick, dark mahogany wrapper with medium sized veins throughout (some had no veins), which is very rough to the touch. I kind of think of the cigar feeling like dinosaur skin! The cigar is heavy which is probably due to packing so many different tobaccos into a 5×44 package. It has a clean cap with a pigtail that isn’t twisted up entirely. This one won’t be winning any beauty contests.

    Construction : [rating:4.5/5]
    Besides its looks, the construction is top notch. The cigar is packed pretty tight with tobacco. No loose leaves and the sides of the cigar are smooth and straight. No bumps or lumps on this one. The cap is flawless with its unique tail. Just took a half star away due to the cigar not being the prettiest thing out there.

    Liga Privada Dirty Rat

    Flavor : [rating:5/5]
    Wow!!! That’s all I can say about the flavor of this cigar. I’m more about the flavors than anything else, and this is a winner in my book. This was a bold and in-your-face type cigar. Not for the faint of heart, this stick packs some power. The nicotine will hit you hard if you are not used to smoking regularly; would not recommend this one for novices. Upon initial light, the “gar” tasted oaky and after a few more puffs had hints of citrus and dried raisins. The dried raisins reminded me of fine cognac or brandy, which I might add would be a good pairing with this cigar. An abundance of coffee bean notes ended the first third and the second third was dominated by dark chocolate notes. The last third continued the previous flavors, and an underlying spiciness seems to be felt throughout the entire stick. Many flavors seem to characterize the Dirty Rat which easily gets my highest score.

    Value : [rating:2/5]
    $12 for a small corona sized cigar is not something I would call a value. But it’s not like I would be smoking these everyday neither. So it can be understood why they could charge this amount for this cigar. I could say the flavors matched the price tag, but I don’t see myself buying a box of these due to the retail value.

    Overall Rating : [rating:4.5/5]
    The only thing taking away from this cigar is its limited availability and price tag. But if this cigar sold for anything less than $12, I think it would be even harder to get a hold of due to it selling out so quickly as it has already done at its current price. There is nothing lacking in the flavor department though, because the Dirty Rat is as complex as they come. So if you got the dough to spend and you can find these online or at your local B&M, it would be a sin to pass this one up. Hopefully Jonathan Drew will put out more of these soon. Time will tell…

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • C**** G****

      I should not have to remind people that everyone’s taste is different, and there are so many factors contribute to tasting the same profile between what you eat, drink, etc with your cigar or just before. Also speed of consumption was mentioned, and I have to agree this is a huge factor. I have found several great cigars were tasting terrible till I slowed the rate of smoking. I am some times in a rush, and Cigars are not to be rushed. It is like shoveling food down at a fine dining establishment. Not everything is to everyone’s liking and this is one, along with a few others that are not daily smokes for me. It takes a special occasion, but that is what makes cigars so special for me.

    • M***

      I smoked about 2-5 boxes of each of the Liga Unico with the exception of Ratzilla. This occurred with the last 12 months. I love Drew Estates a cool guy and Stev Saka knows his stuff. I just finished up 2 more today that I aged for 9 months. I must say the weight and perfect smoke for a corona is brilliant. I have noticed some to be really straight forward Ligero but kicker, but had some others that seemed a bit more complex with some bacon and BBQ’d chocolate that I loved. I can understand folks that think the cigar is all power of spice and dart, but pick up another one, slow doen the puff pace, and residual on the retrohale seem more complex in flavor bomb. I love the T52 doble and the FFP in more social settings, but one alone and looking for somehing special, I always come back to the rat. In 30 years of smoking premiums, this stood at as my favorite FTW smoke. I only have two more boxes, but when you are in the right mood there is no Cuban (even the Patagas D) hat makes me happy. I rather thing this are great and $12 cigar seems reasonable for the experience. The key is to keep it in the rotation and experience some time between them to really appreciate there is nothing out there like them. Cheers whether you like them or not….because I think it would be difficult to call these anything but great.

    • R***

      Hey Aaron,

      How would you compare this to the flying pig?

    • c******

      I have to agree with Guy.The two my friend and I smoked tasted exactly like pepper and dirt.The construction was horrible also.I Love the #9 and T52 but they can keep these .I really wanted to like the dirty rat but at $12 I am probably better off.
      Great sight guys. I visit everyday and love the reviews.

    • Avatar photo

      I********

      As you said, Aaron, “controversial with polarized opinions” 🙂

    • J***

      Not liking peper in a cigar pretty much handcuffs you to less than an tenth of the cigars on the marked, wouldn’t you say Guy?

    • G**

      Hi Aaron,
      Great review, thanks.

      I’ve had the chance to smoke the Dirty Rat
      Thanks to a friend in the states, yes, It will
      never win a beauty contest for sure, other then that I found the construction to be perfect.
      However, I didn’t find anything special about the cigar itself. As to being complex, REALLY ??
      I didn’t find it at all complex, PEPPER & DIRT,
      that’s all I found.
      For me, it’s pure strength with no body, Very one- dimemsional and no evolution. The end is very harsh and bitter. I’m sorry to lay it down soo thick but it’s FAR from being complex.
      Pepper in my dishes, Yes. Pepper in my cigar, No. I would replace it with a Touscani anytime.
      Of course, this is just my opinion for what it’s
      worth. On a side note, keep up the great work on the site, I enjoy the site very much.
      Amicalement,
      Guy,
      France

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Cigar Region Nicaragua
Filler Select Honduras and Nicaragua Seed
Wrapper Hybrid Connecticut River Valley Stalk cut
Length 5
Ring Gauge 44
Vitola Corona
Construction Hand Made