Liga Privada No. 9

Overall Score

1 review for Liga Privada No. 9

  1. DrFever

    Liga Privada No. 9 Robusto

    Origin : NicaraguaLiga Privada
    Format : Toro
    Size : 6 x 52
    Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero Oscuro
    Filler : Honduran/Nicaraguan
    Binder : Plantation-Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$12

    Manufactured by Drew Estate, the Liga Privada was actually blended to be the exclusive cigar for the company president. Then the company thought that it was good enough to sell as their premium blend and voila, the Liga Privada No. 9 (Private Blend) was born. Of course, being a fickle aficionado myself, I often take the back stories with a grain of salt. I often wonder if these niche ultra-limited cigars are made more to capitalize on the trend in limited cigars. My research told me that it was heralded the Hottest Cigar in America in the July 13, 2013 issue of Cigar Aficionado’s online newsletter, Cigar Insider. Funny thing is, when I purchased this cigar I had never heard of it, or read the article yet. I bought mine in June of 2013. What made me buy it was its stunning appearance and classy look.

    Appearance : [rating:5/5]
    The Liga Privada No. 9 looks stunning. The slightly toothy wrapper is flawless and has a nice oily sheen to it. Sure there is some veining visible but the seams are extremely tight and compact. It has no soft spots or lumps. The band is simple yet very elegant. The lion logo appears on the back of the band and the front features a script font with the simple Liga Privada No. 9 on it, as if it was written on each band individually.

    Liga Privada No. 9 Closeup

    This cigar is NOT a maduro. It is classified as an oscuro which is the darkest wrapper you can get. Sometimes referred to as the double maduro, they often have slightly more sweetness and richer flavors because they are fermented longer.

    Liga Privada No. 9 Foot

    Construction : [rating:5/5]
    The draw was perfect. The cigar burned razor sharp. I was impressed with the smoke output even when resting it. The white ash was extremely firm, tight and never flaked, holding on the cigar for long periods of time. The company merchandising actually features their ash and let me tell you, those ads you may see featuring their ash are not propaganda. Not once after lighting did the cigar ever see more flame.

    Liga Privada : cap & band

    Flavor : [rating:4/5]
    The Liga Privada No. 9 started with wood and earthy tones with mild hints of chocolate and coffee. There was a blast of spice on the first few puffs. The smoke itself was dry and the cigar had some very familiar maduro-like flavors. There was sweetness on my lips from the wrapper with hints of semi-sweet chocolate and coffee with a medium cayenne pepper heat on the medium finish.

    The second third saw much of the spice disappear. I got oak and toasted nuts in the flavor with mild hints of leather and rich chocolate. Earthy flavors were there but it seemed every puff offered something slightly different. The smoke remained dry but extremely thick. There were hints of dark chocolate with sweeter oak and roasted coffee bean. As I neared the middle of the cigar I again got some rich chocolaty flavors with occasional hints of leather and some caramel.

    By the halfway mark hints of orange peel, creamy milk chocolate and coffee notes were noticeable with a toasted nuttiness on the finish. The smoke evolved into a thicker, creamier smoke with honey-like residue on the palate. The finish was shorter and earthier with lush coffee bean flavors emerging.

    Liga Privada No. 9 Ash

    Some mild spice came back during the final third with some more coffee bean and creamy sweetness. Hints of dark chocolate were noticeable on some puffs but for the most part the cigar went from semi-sweet to full sweetness with no real bitterness to complain about.

    As I neared the end of the No. 9 some notes of unsweetened espresso entered the profile with more dark chocolate and oak. The smoke had lost most of the velvety texture and went back to being dryer but still incredibly thick. By the end of the cigar, it still managed to fill my mouth with a melody of flavors. Hints of spice on the draw came back with the finish being primarily oak mixed with some toasted nuttiness, leather and semi-sweet chocolate and roasted coffee bean. The chocolate notes were not as rich and lush as they were during the middle part of the cigar which was in fact the most enjoyable part of the stick.

    The cigar was medium to full bodied and medium to full strength. I didn’t have a large meal before smoking this but at no time struggled with nicotine effects until the final couple of inches.

    Value : [rating:4/5]
    Was it the best? No. However, Liga Privada No. 9 was one of the best cigars I’ve had this year. Unfortunately, I hadn’t heard of them and on this particular purchasing trip I focused on getting some cigars I had never tried before. They are truly tough to find now. I recommend buying a few if you can find them and if you can afford to spend this much on a cigar. Not an everyday stogie, but again, it isn’t priced to be. The primary question I ask when assessing value is whether I would spend this money again on another one. Would I go out of my way to hunt these down? No but I would certainly buy a couple more if I were to come across them. It is heavily marketed and that ends up being passed on to the consumer. Thanks to the Cigar Insider rating, getting these apparently has become even harder. Wait… all trends eventually end.

    Overall Rating : [rating:4.5/5]
    A complex, tasty and quality made cigar. I can see why it is so popular. I wish the price was a bit less and they were easier to find but this is a very flavorful cigar that burns nicely and offers some great complex flavors.

    [sz]liga privada no 9[/sz]

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Daniel van Moll

      Smoking one while reading all this. Totally agree with the reviews! I’ve been restricting myself to Cubans for years and – because moving to the US – wanted to taste something more accessible over there. These are among my favorite cigars right now. Smoking the second today and will most likely not be buying Cohibas again in a long time (reminds me a lot of the Cohiba Maduro).

    • Mark Long

      I can see why the President of Drew Estates Micheal Cellucci would have these made for his private collection. I tried to be critical of this cigar as I smoked it and I honestly could not find anything wrong with this cigar. Perfect from start to finish. Obviously experts roll these babies and the draw is spot on. It burns razor sharp. One of the silkiest and smoothest cigars out there in the full bodied category. I too wish the price would come down on them as well. Expensive to purchase even in the cigar auctions, but if you love cigars you have to try them. You won’t be dissapointed.

    • Wayne Mabry

      My first Liga Privado#9 was a gift from a friend in San Diego,and I was very impressed by the flavor,strength and burn of this BEAUTY! Will have to get a few to keep in my humi….a bit pricey but worth it.

    • F.M.

      Smoking one while I’m typing lol, I have to agree it’s pricey but I don’t feel cheated . the smoke from this cigar gives unbelievable the taste constantly changes, burns slow, leaves your palet like not even smoking. It’s everything I ask from a cigar. I’m smoking it with Four Roses Single Barrel. PURE HEAVEN!!!!

    • Julio

      Waiting for a box to arrive. Smoked one that had spent about a year in a humidor and it was excellent. It will be the only non-Cuban leaf in my collection. A little pricey but they are outstanding.

    • Gabriel B

      I had just finished dinner and was walking home in 10 degree windy and cold night and ducked into an unassuming smoke shop which didn’t carry the liga privada # 9. No surprise there as it is usually found and sold in more upscale cigar lounges here in NYC. I used to only smoke true Cuban Cohiba Robustos until I found the #9 and paired it with an 18 year old McCallen. I was converted on the spot and haven’t looked back since. Rather than spend money on an alternative cigar which wasn’t my passion I chose to wait till the opportunity arose to smoke the liga privada # 9 again.

    • Rome

      I’ve been smoking the Liga Privada No.9 for about two years now and I must say I have never been disappointed. As the article states it has excellent flavor and burns as slow as molasses. Once it’s lit, that’s it. No relighting required. The ash is one of the best I’ve seen and the flavors will take you places tastefully that one would expect from a great cigar. My recommendation is that you buy without hesitation. Great cigar!

    • Gary D

      I just heard about the Liga Privada No. 9 about two weeks ago. I check Havana Mix in downtown Memphis and they had them stocked so I bought one and put it in my humidor. I hadn’t tried it yet but looking forward to enjoying it with a nice bottle of scotch or cognac.

    • Joey L

      Speaking of liga privada no 9 I just so happened to come across two of them in my brothers humidor. He gave me one so now it’s in my humidor and getting to the way I like it then smoking it so all in all thanks for the review

    • David

      I discovered the Liga Privada No. 9 a year ago this past February while in New Orleans. I bought one on a whim, and I was blown away by how good I thought it was. They are very difficult to find, but if you can get a hold of one do yourself a favor and pony up the $$. As the review noted, they may not be the “best” . . . but they’re damn good.

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