Before diving into things, let’s clarify where this cigar comes from. There is a bit of confusion as to how this cigar came about, and who created it. Here are the details:

 “The Collaboration: “My UZI Weighs a Ton” by Subculture Studios and JDN is the first formal cigar blending collaboration between Drew Estate Tobacco  Company and Joya de Nicaragua.”

“The 411: The UZI story began on the very first final consumer blending session at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in late 2010 during a Cigar Safari tour with the B.O.T.L. group. After conducting blending sessions for the previous 3 years at the Drew Estate factory, we were amped up to extend the concept to JDN.  While the B.O.T.L. group crafted their blends, I worked with the JDN team utilizing DE tobaccos, including a San Andreas Negro Wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Binder and hearty Brazilian Mata Fina Filler, coupled with Nicaraguan fillers provided by JDN. The blend proved to be rich and earthy, with a bright, sweet undertone.”

“As months of blending passed, I felt this blend was most noble in the 6×60 format and began calling this cigar “The Uzi.” We all had a good laugh at the name, but when I went back to their factory to pick up the round of 50 sticks, I said, “Damn, My UZI’s Weigh a Ton!” – and the brand was officially born. The initial sizes are 5×60, 6×60, and 7×60 – with the infamous “Bait Shop” (4×44) to follow.” – Jonathan Drew

There you have it. One thing to note is the “Bait Shop” is actually now released and carries the name “Bait Fish”.

Size: 6×60  -  Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro  -  Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade  -  Filler:  Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro, Nicaraguan Seco Jalapa, Nicaraguan Viso Condega and Nicaraguan Esteli Ligero

Prelight: Damn, this is one beautiful cigar. My Uzi Weighs a Ton starts with a very dark, incredibly consistent brown wrapper. This thing looks like a candy bar. The construction is perfect, only carrying a few smaller veins throughout the huge body of the cigar, before coming to a nice, stubby, round double cap. The band is just badass, I love the design and typography on it as it lays out the words “My Uzi Weighs a Ton, by Subculture Studios & JDN, XXL”. XXL of course, referring to the size of these cigars. I know it’s a larger format cigar, but even for it’s size, this cigar really does weight a ton. The Uzi also gives off a ton of resistance as I try to squeeze it between my fingers. This cigar is tough.

The wrapper is crazy oily, and you can see the oils reflect the light off the cigar from all angles. Despite its blown out character the wrapper only gives off a slight, sweet, chocolaty aroma while the foot of the cigar lets loose a modest tobacco along with earth tones.  The cap is easily cut on My Uzi Weight a Ton using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw produces a really mild, yet flavorful graham, and tobacco flavor.

First Smoke: The Uzi starts off with only a slight pepper punch, just the first few draws, and only really enough to tease my lips. After the pepper fades I am left with a very strong cinnamon, dark chocolate, cherry, and sweet tobacco flavor. The cigar definitely didn’t start off as powerful as I thought it would. The draw is awesome, it does take a few extra puffs to get going due to the larger ring gauge, but it’s a smokehouse once it’s off and running.  The burnline has a few smaller waves as it leaves behind a trail of semi-flaky, medium grey ash. The ash held on for about an inch, and I am sure it would probably hold on a bit longer, but its windy as hell outside and I didn’t want to risk it falling.

Halfway There: The flavors in this Uzi just keep ramping up, while the body remains smooth, and easy to smoke. The chocolate has really started to take over. Along with the chocolate so has the cherry while the cinnamon and graham faded out letting way for some really nice sweet tobacco. The retrohale is different on this cigar. Usually I get a lot of cedar and tobacco flavor while this cigar coats with this really malty, chocolate milk flavor. It’s strong too, so just be ready for it. The ash is still kind of flaky, but the burnline is rocking solid while leaving me with almost no nicotine kick at all at this point.

Finish: My Uzi Weighs a ton has really kept me on my toes while it changes up, and ramps up it’s flavor profile even into the final third of this massive cigar. Again, that dark chocolate is just a beast in this experience, the Cherry, which started out mild is a big contender as well while the graham has really crept back in and the sweet tobacco is still mixed in there. The burnline has started a few more small waves, but they didn’t bother me at all. I think the wind had a lot to do with them. It took me just under 2 hours to smoke this massive cigar while I experienced no harshness at all, it actually finished just as smooth as it started. Despite the wind and waves, this cigar also required no extra attention from my lighter throughout the entire smoke.

Overview: Don’t be fooled by the name, and the production, My Uzi Weighs a Ton isn’t the strongest cigar out there. In fact, I found it a perfectly balanced, medium/full cigar with a ton of character. This cigar is a flavor bomb with a really smooth palate of Chocolate, Berry, sweet tobacco, and graham cracker. It really packs the flavor in there, even for the larger ring gauge. I really want to get my hands on the new baitfish size now, as I would love to taste what the smaller format’s wrapper has to offer. This is a solid cigar through, and through and will delight the most experienced smoker as well as help that novice smoker experience the next level in premium cigars without breaking their stomachs, or the bank.

Pairing: Why another great Belgian beer? Yes Please. And this brew in particular is no stranger around these parts, in fact, I think this is the third time I have featured it in the pairing section of this site. Pauwel Kwak. This is a badass beer, and spoilers aside, I couldn’t possibly think of a better pairing with My Uzi Weighs a Ton. Pauwel Kwak is a 8.4% Belgian Strong Ale from Brouwerij Bosteels is Bugeenhout Belgium.  Kwak is a deep, amber ale with a fruity, malty, sweet character. The main flavors are a sweet banana tossed in with mild hops, caramel, and citrus. Seriously, mix those flavors in with the cinnamon chocolate and cherry from the Uzi and you have a knock out pairing.

The Good Stuff: I was one of the very many people intrigued as rumors began to fly about a possible Liga Privada in “A” format. Not that I am an “A” kinda guy, but that’s a huge departure from anything currently in the Liga Privada line. Not to mention that I am an open Liga Privada Fan Boy. That won’t make this review biased though, trust me. After about a years worth of rumors Jonathan Drew confirmed that they would in fact be making an “A” sized Liga Privada, and began to hype it up with some Jonathan Drew style tweets and Facebook posts.

I just had to put the "A" next to a Dirty Rat for size comparison. And for laughs.

As time went on, we discovered this wasn’t a real release, but instead a special type of product. What I mean by that is, Drew Estate actually created the Liga Privada “A” as a special promotional product.  The “A” is actually a tweaked T-52 blend. More than likely they needed to refine the blend and mellow it out a bit to fit the format. I’m glad too, I don’t think I could handle a straight up 9 inch T-52. These cigars will not be available to purchase, instead, they will be given out at certain Liga Privada events due in part to the limited amount of T52 leaf as well as Drew Estate wanting something special as a thanks to it’s customers. Plus, in my opinion, I don’t think the format is easy to sell. I was actually on Smoke Inn’s radio show “Kiss my Ash Radio” this passed weekend with Erik Espinosa from EO Brands and he made mention that he was actually present some time ago when he and Jonathan Drew opened the first box of Liga Privada Unicos “A”. That being said, I think it’s safe to say these will be readily available at Liga Privada Events.

I don’t smoke “A” sized cigars often at all. But there is a reason for it. “A” sized cigars were created to honor celebrations. This is a special treat sort of size, to be smoked to celebrate special occasions. With good reason too, they are normally 9” long and usually take around 3 hours to smoke.  That being said, lets get started!

Size: 9 ¼” x 47  -  Wrapper:  Connecticut Stalk Cut Habano  -  Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina  -  Filler: Nicaraguan/Honduran/Dominican – keep in mind this is just an assumption, knowing that it’s a tweaked T-52 blend.

Prelight: This is a GIGANTIC cigar. It almost feels too heavy to hold and wants to fall from my hand when I hold it near the head of the cigar. That goes with all “A” sized cigars I guess. They aren’t the most practical cigar, but they aren’t trying to be. Once you get passed the size of this cigar you are greeted with the beautiful T52 style wrapper that we have all grown to love. The wrapper is incredibly oily with medium to dark browns and oranges mixed in. The construction is perfect with only a very few larger veins. Usually veins of that size would run the entire body of a robusto sized cigar. I just though it was funny that the Liga Privada Unicos “A” had 2 longer veins stacked one after another, and they still only ran about half the body of the cigar.  Anyways, the wrapper and the entire cigar in general is very solid and durable. There aren’t any soft spots on the entire cigar. The cap is very similar to the pig tailed, rounded cap that the Dirty Rat carries, only twice the size. And the band is identical to the  Unicos Series bands that all the Liga Privada carries, blue and gold with a gigantic “A” on them.

The body of the cigar gives off a nice, strong cedar and sweet tobacco aroma while the foot of the cigar gives off nothing more than a very subtle spice. The cap clipped extremely easy and clean using my Liga Privada Double Bladed cutter. The cold draw was interesting, instead of greeting me with a nice pepper I was expecting, The “A” let loose this crazy strong cedar and sweetness which got me interested in just how “tweaked” this blend really is.

First Smoke: Right away the Liga Privada Unicos “A” kicked out the flavors I expect from the T-52. Cedar, spice, sweet tobacco, and cocoa. One thing was still missing, the pepper. In all honesty I’m glad too, a 9 inch pepper-bomb just doesn’t seem like it would sit too well with me. Despite the distance in which the smoke must travel, the draw was perfect and plentiful. It only took me my normal 2 puffs to get a mouthful of thick, white smoke. The burnline is a bit wavy and thick, but nothing too concerning, white the stationary smoke, as with most Liga Privada blends, is crazy. This cigar is spewing out tons and tons of thick, cedar scented smoke as it sits in my ashtray. The ash left behind is somewhat flaky, and really dark grey with spots of lighter grey. It only held on for about two thirds of an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: The sweetness has really started to pick up into the second third of this Liga Privada Unicos “A”. By this point, I’d be finishing a robusto format cigar, but this cigar is still keeping my attention by adding a ton of spice and the sweetness I mentioned to the already sweet mashup of cocoa, and cedar. The burnline has completely corrected itself and is burning dead even now. The retrohale is BADASS coating with an absolute blast of cedar each time I do it. I am feeling a very slight nicotine kick after the second third, but no where near what I was expecting form a Liga Privada blend.

Finish: Switching it up again, I started to get this nice, subtle floral flavor during the last third of Drew Estate’s Liga Privada Unicos “A”.  The sweetness has mellowed out quite a bit, and I am left with a really smooth cedar, cocoa, coffee and floral mixture. Surprisingly for the size I’m really not picking up much more than a really slight nicotine kick. The burnline has been perfect since the second third, and I haven’t had to relight, or even touch up this cigar once. All in all it took a few minutes shy of 3 hours to take down this beast of a cigar. It’s crazy how the final picture looks similar to the length of a “First Smoke” robusto picture. This thing is huge.

Overview: I have a short attention span. Very. I blame the internet and technology for that. That being said, I never really got bored while smoking this Liga Privada Unicos “A”. It had just enough change ups to keep my attention, but at the same time was smooth and seamless enough not to overpower me with each jump. I think finding balance in a cigar as big as this, and keeping the cigar’s complexity has the be an incredibly difficult task for the blender, and Drew Estate did a hell of a job with it. The cigar wasn’t as powerful as the other blends in the Liga Privada Line, with good reason. I don’t think I could handle a 3 hour T-52 It would leave my crying on the floor. Although this isn’t a cigar I’d smoke often, I really enjoyed it a lot. And in terms of the format, it’s not made to be consumed often. As stated, it’s a celebratory cigar. And I really think it’s a great addition to my humidor when I want something special and have a few hours to burn, pun intended.

Pairing: I said it many times, and will say it again, Winter is the season for beer. With all the awesome porters, stouts, and Christmas ales it’s a wonder why I’m not trashed from morning to dawn. St. Bernardus isn’t a stranger to this blog. In fact, it’s one of my favorite breweries out there. This Christmas season Abbey Ale hits the mark on all accounts. It’s strong (10% ABV), sweet, flavorful, and well balanced with fruity, malty flavors and just a hit of spice. Needless to say it went perfectly with the Liga Privada Unicos “A”. At about $13 a bottle, it’s not something you can drink everyday, but when you find it, pick it up. It pairs great with any full bodied, full flavored cigar.

The Good Stuff: The L40 name actually comes from the format, and ring gauge. Traditionally, Lanceros are sized at 7 x 38. Steve Saka, being the pain in the ass he is, didn’t feel that the 38 ring gauge gave room to create a cigar that he personally could deem worthy of the Liga Privada stamp. It’s this perfection that has always made Drew Estate and their Liga Privada lines stand out. After all, the line was originally created solely for the enjoyment of Saka himself.  Anyhow, cheating just a bit Saka decided that a 40 ring gauged lancero complimented the blend much more and decided to run with it. Thus, the L40 was created. These cigars made their debut at this year’s IPCPR trade show and are due out “soon”. Not sure how soon, but judging by how much Drew Estate has been kicking out lately, it wouldn’t surprise me if they start hitting shops in the next few months. They should retail at about $13 a stick I’ll let this information pulled form the L40’s product sheet explain the blend in detail as it says it all better than I could.

In our ongoing creation of the Liga Privada line, hundreds of different, distinct blends and vitolas are crafted in our ceaseless search for the perfect smoke. Most samples are dismissed with only a rare, select few being deemed worthy, but regretfully due to tobacco limitations, costs, construction limitations, etc. most of these blends can not be made into a their own stand-alone line. However, they are so perfect in flavor and aroma, we continue to selfishly make them for ourselves to smoke. This is not our desire, we want the Liga Privada connoisseur to enjoy the very same cigars our “El Jefe” smokes regardless of any reason. And with this in mind, we have created the Único Serie – a home for these unique ones. All of the cigars within this series are not only different in size and recipe, but they are extra special, extremely limited and exceptionally delicious.

Blend Summary for Único Serie “L40” Lancero:

Capa: CT River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano Leaf

Capote: Plantation-Grown Brazilian Mata Fina

Tripa: 3 Extra-Choice Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

Strength: Medium-Full

Packaging: 15-ct SBN Cabinet Boxes

Additional Info:

- The “L40” Lancero is a unique blend, differing from other LP blends.

- “L40” refers to the slightly larger ring size than is typical of a lancero format. This additional girth was necessary to accommodate the desired blend of tobaccos. Contains 5 different tobaccos – extremely unusual for this vitola.

- Most lanceros are “one note”, this one is a symphony.

- Its recipe was in development for 2+ years prior to release.

The being said, it’s time to get into this review.

Size: 7 x 40  -  Wrapper: Stalk Cut Habano  -  Binder: Brazilian Mata-Fina  -  Filler: Nicaraguan

Prelight: The Liga Privada Unico L40 is a toothy little beast. Rubbing my fingers down the body of the cigar feels almost like fiving a stick of sandpaper a massage. Not only is it toothy, but man is this cigar oily. Every time I handle the cigar I am left with a nice, silky, layer of oil on my fingertips. This cigar looks awesome in the sun. I sweat it looks like it’s wet from all the reflection of the oil. The wrapper feels very durable and tough, and shows lots of smaller veins. The wrapper is a very, very dark brown with lots of darker, almost black spots throughout the body leading up to its round triple cap. Maybe it was just me, but I was really expecting this cigar to have a pigtail. Maybe I am just stuck on the Dirty Rat, but I personally feel it would have gave some nice character to the visual aspect of this cigar. Anyways….. The L40 is a lot softer than I thought it would be. I am probably used to the smaller ring gauges in lanceros making for a much stronger cigar. Each time I compress the cigar it feels almost spongy, resulting in a lot of give. I doubt this will really effect the overall experience, but I do hope it doesn’t mean this will result in a overly-loose draw.

Right away, as soon as I removed the L40 from it’s cellophane,  I could smell the strong, pungent aromas of the cigar. The powerful smell of the wrapper gives off this really sharp, spice, herb, and potpourri smell while the foot is more of a sweet cedar. Wow, I really don’t think I have ever smelled a cigar with this much aroma before lighting up.  The L40 cut very easy and clean using my Liga Privada Double bladed cutter. Strangely enough I am getting a really woodsy, earthy flavor from the cold draw. I was expecting something much more spicier. But the draw is clean, and a not really loose at all.

First Smoke: The Liga Privada L40 leads in with just a hint of pepper, backed by some nice spice, coffee, chocolate, very sweet tobacco, and the nice earthy undertones. I can actually pull out this nice nutmeg/wheat flavor. The starting of this cigar doesn’t disappoint. I know the draw was a worry for me since the cigar felt so lightly packed, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem at all. Each draw delivers a massive amount of smoke. I am only hitting this cigar once or twice, usually I’m a three draw guy. The stationary smoke, like any Liga Privada is very plentiful. I really think it has a lot to do with all the oils on these wrappers. You can literally see the oil burning off the wrapper as the cigar sits in my ashtray. The burnline is a bit thick, but dead even leaving behind a very nice trail of tightly compacted black and dark grey ash which held on for a little under an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: Into the second third of this Liga Privada Unico L40 and I am already starting to experience some nice change up in the flavor profile. The more earthy notes have really began to fade out while there is a nice, sweet cedar coming in pairing excellent with the sweet tobacco, coffee, and chocolate notes. There are a few hints of the potpourri I picked up in the cold draw too, although they are a bit hard to pick apart. The burnline is still rocking dead even. The retrohale on this cigar is incredible. It coats the nasal passage with this really warm cedar and leaves behind this neat coffee priming. The L40 is milder than I expected. I am feeling a little nicotine kick in the second third, but not nearly as much as I expected.

Finish:  Wow, the cedar is REALLY taking command into this final third of this L40. Another neat addition is the reappearance of the pepper that only lasted a few draws into the beginning of this Liga Privada L40. I am still picking up some really nice chocolate and coffee notes but they are only an afterthought compared to the sweet cedar that dominates the final third. I am actually feeling quite a bit of nicotine at this point, but it isn’t anything like what I get form the Liga Privada No.9. This is a full cigar, but seems much more toned down. All in all it took me about an hour and a half to take this cigar down. The cigar finished smooth and creamy with absolutely no signs of harshness. On a side note, I had to relight this cigar twice during the entire experience. This isn’t anything that bothers me at all, in fact, I think simple touch-ups and relights are part of any cigar smoking experience. But it also makes me thing that I need to monitor my humidity levels in my humidors a bit better. They might be a bit high. A local cigar lounge owner actually let me know that Boveda has a subscription based option where they will actually send you Boveda packs routinely so you never really have to pay attention to your humidity levels. Has anyone tried this? I’m really considering this but I would love to hear your thoughts.

Overview: Although a Liga Privada in a lancero format seemed a bit odd to me, Drew Estate really did a heck of a job creating a blend that not only lives up to the Liga Privada standards, but also has the flavor and build, to stand alone as part of their Unico Series. I really can’t compare the L40 to the 9 or the T52. It’s a completely different cigar. It doesn’t have nearly the strength of pepper of either of the two blends, but does share a lot of sweet, woodsy, and spice flavors from both. If anything, the L40 tasted similar to a more premium Undercrown on crack. The price is right where I expected it to be, and although I don’t think the L40 holds a candle to my personal favorites the no. 9 and Dirty Rat, I would openly say this is very box worthy and a great cigar to have around when you are looking for a medium/full flavor bomb in lancero format.

Pairing: The L40 is a treat of a cigar. With that in mind I wanted to make sure I did the cigar justice by pairing it with a treat of a drink. This is where one of my all time favorite beers come into play. Liefmans Goudenband. This 8% Flander’s style Bruin ale is brewed at the famous Brouwerij Liefmans in Belgium. This beer is another one that may require an acquired taste. The beer boasts of very tart cherries, tea, and tart citrus malt and caramel. It’s got a lot of flavor so you really need to make sure that you pair it with a cigar that can compliment the beer, or it will be easily overpowered. Outside of a Bruin or strong brown ale, this cigar would go great with any amber, or abbey. I hate to say it but a great pairing would probably be one of Daniel’s ports. The L40 has would compliment a port incredibly well.

This was one of the few “talked about” cigars that made it’s release at the trade show last week. I did quite a bit of research on this cigar before smoking it, but I think that the description comes best from Steve Saka himself:

-  Undercrown to be debuted at the IPCPR – initial delivery to retailer in Sept 2011.

-  Undercrown is a blend that was developed by the Liga rollers for their own smoking pleasure because we had to ask them to cut back on smoking the LPs they were making – they were crushing us. The name represents this – if LP was made exclusively for the king/boss initially, this cigar was made initially for themselves, the princes, i.e. Undercrown.

- Imo, it is just a touch stronger than Medium bodied with a great natural tobacco sweetness and earthy flavor. Very creamy core and sexy smooth – like all LP’s** it is very balanced – this cigar probably won’t satisfy some of the pepper junkies.

[Disclaimer: this of course is my personal opinion of the smoke - you will have to decide for yourself... some folks will say it is too strong, others will say it is mild, one guy will say it tastes like bing cherries and pencil lead, and on and on and on - lol]

- Made with many of the same tobaccos as other LPs, but utilizes different primings, crops from different sections of the same fields, different ages etc… or change-ups – for example the binder is our exclusive T52 stalk cut habano.

- Prices are NOT set on the brand yet, because we price all of our cigars based one what they cost to produce and it takes us a few months of true production to know for sure what the indexes and run rates will be – I am going to Nica next week to do a final review – we expect the prices to range between $7 – $9…
BUT I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO BE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT THIS!!!

- LP-grade pairs are rolling these.

- Initial launch will be in the same 4 sizes as LP + the 6 x 60 parejo Gordito. Complain to JD about it, he wanted it, he is on a 60RG rampage… <snicker> Look when I first wanted to do Dirty Rat JD was not really on board because he always preferred larger cigars, but he let us run with it and fell in love with it. I in turn, am not a 60rg guy, but I gotta admit I am impressed with the MUWAT he did over at JDN. I do not think you have to choose between doing all big or all small.

- If the brand proves to be popular with smokers of course we will add sizes… I already have been smoking a 5 5/8 x 46 version. But launching with the most popular sizes is what makes sense… tell you what I will make up some more of the Corona Gorda UC to share cause you ain’t gettiing mine. Lets plan a BOTL herf somewhere this Fall an I will show up with these to share…

- It will not be limited to LP accounts only – this is a more sustainable blend so in the long run is will have better availability – hoorah!

In my opinion the price, and availability from the above statements are golden. Not just Liga Privada appointed retailers?! This cigar is going to FLY off the shelves! Keep in mind this is a “First Look” at the cigar, since it is still pre-release, so the review will be very loosely written. Saka himself had told me once though that any Liga Privada that gets handed out is the Final blend, and they do not change then from that point. That being said, I think it’s safe to say that this is in fact the final product. Anyway, let me get on with the review. ( PS. I didn’t read the above statement before writing my review. So please disreguard any “cherry” flavor I pick up )

Here is a little more info on the blend:

Undercrown is a liga blended on our factory floor by the best of our Liga Privada torcedores for themselves due to our request that they smoke less of the cigars they were crafting. Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos, but of different vintages and primings, the cigar they created was no mere replacement. Earthy, creamy, spicy with a delicious black tobacco sweet finish, Undercrown is an exceptional smoking experience of uncompromising quality and flavor that deserves to be smoked by all.

Capa: Otapan Negro Último Corte
Capote: T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano
Tripa: Select Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
Packaging: 25-ct Display Cabinet BN Boxes
Taste Profile: Lush, smooth and creamy with a natural inherent sweetness.
Cigar Style: Refined and balance with excellent depth for the smoker.

Additional Info:
- The Undercrown blend was originally created by our torcedors for themselves to smoke in Nicaragua – their own “liga privada.”
- The capa is a unique strain of San Andreas Negro maduro seed grown exclusively for us whose harvest is intentionally delayed by 4+ weeks to allow for additional field and sun time resulting in a higher natural sugar content and a richer, creamier flavor.
- “Otapan” is the name of the vega on which it is grown and “Último”
- Corte” translates to “last cut”; a reference to its delayed harvesting.

For more info you can view Drew Estate’s Spec Sheet Here.

Prelight: The Undercrown is a nice, dark cigar. The wrapper obviously bears a lot of resemblance to that of the No. 9, but to me, it has a lot more reddish mixed in with a slightly lighter brown wrapper. Not that the wrapper is light by any means, just not nearly as dark as most of the No.9’s that I have smoked. The wrapper gives off a slight shine from it’s toothy body which only had one larger vein running about half of the length of the cigar. The cigar is very meaty, and only slightly soft. Other than that it gives a great bounce-back when pressed between my fingers. Before coming to the round, double-capped head of the cigar I was greeted with a really badass band. The band isn’t like all the rest of the Liga Privada blends that we have seen before in the past. This one starts with a dark blue (similar to the “Unicos  Series” blue) paper, with a similar god Liga Privada Lion in crested in the center of the band. The only difference is, like the name, the crown is actually placed below the Lion’s neck instead of above his head. Tracing the band to the back, the sides are the words “Undercrown” in the same gold metallic ink before coming to a nice “Drew Estate” logo on the back. I really like what they did with the band. It stands apart form the rest of the Liga Privada lines without being overly different.

The wrapper gives off this incredible cedar and almost potpourri smell. No joke. It’s very interesting and I can’t wait to see what it does to the smoking experience. The foot of the cigar, while giving off the potpourri smell also has a lot of spice, and a more subtle tobacco scent. The cap clipped right off of this Undercrown using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw was surprisingly very sweet giving off smoke nice spice and cedar flavors. Not a lot of pepper which I expected from a cigar in the Liga Privada Line.

First Smoke: Right off the bat you can tell this isn’t going to be like the other Liga Privada experiences. The Undercrown starts off with a ton of cedar, sweet tobacco, honey, spice, and floral flavors, much like the No. 9, but there are two things missing. First is the pepper, second is the body. You can tell this is a milder cigar right away, but that’s not a bad thing. Usually the Liga Privadas start off with a huge bang, instead the Undercrown kindly welcomes you in. This cigar has a very easy draw and the smoke released is ridiculously thick. I don’t find myself having to hit the cigar more than once or twice to get the my desired mouthful of smoke. The stationary smoke on this cigar is just like any other Liga, VERY strong and heavy with some really nice cedar aromas. The burnline is perfect from the start leaving behind a nice trail of bright white, compacted ash that held on for a bit over an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: During the second third of this Undercrown I experienced a slight ramp up in flavor. The cedar, floral, sweet tobacco remained the same but now there is a really nice black cherry being thrown into the mix. I’m still stretching to pull the spice from this cigar. It’s probably the main characteristic that makes it stand apart form the Liga Privada line at this point. That and the medium body of course. The retrohale is incredibly smooth producing a really nice cedar and sweetness, priming my nasal passage.

Finish: The final third of this Undercrown proved itself worthy when it finished just as smooth as the first. This was pretty much my only concern going into the cigar as the flavors ramped up way early, that the harshness would as well. It’s safe to say that they didn’t, in fact the flavor even increased slightly into the last third with no harshness as all, even into the final inch. The cedar and black cherry have totally taken over for a remarkable finish. The burnline remained sharp, and clean requiring no tough-ups and no relights the entire experience. All in all this cigar burned pretty slow taking a little over and hour and a half to take down. Needless to say I enjoyed every minute of it.

Overview: Needless to say I think Drew Estate has a winner on their hands. There is a little more to creating a winning cigar that goes into that statement though. I, along with countless others, am a HUGE Liga Privada No. 9 fan. This cigar stands as an almost perfect substitute for the No. 9 as quantities become even more limited. I WILL being purchasing a few boxes of these to satisfy my cravings while not dwindling down my No. 9 stock. Along with the less-limited quantities, this cigar also comes with a lower price tag. That was pretty much the only thing really keeping a lot of smokers away from purchasing cigars in the Liga Privada blends. Now that price is no longer an obstacle these cigars will be flying off the shelves. Especially since they will/may be available at almost any Tobacconist, not just Liga Privada appointed retailers.  The last piece to the success of this cigar is the strength of the past Liga Privada releases. Now that there is a release that still carries the same flavors, at a lower cost, and a lower strength category many more smokers will be turning to this cigar.

Pairing: I decided to pair this undercrown with a long-time favorite of mine, St. Bernardus Abt. 12 Quadruple Abbey Ale. This best of a beer is brewed at the Brouwerij St. Bernarus in Belgium. Starting out with a boasting 10% ABV and finishing with a nice, bitter, fruity, composure it’s no wonder why this beer is named by some as the best beer in the world. If you aren’t a fan of strong beer you may want to stay away from this one, the alcohol shines through the clove and anise flavors with every sip. This bold beer made a perfect match with the Undercrown, not just cause of the fruit flavors, but it really helped to add that extra bite I think the Undercrown needed. But then again, I am a stronger cigar smoking kind of guy.

EDIT: I made a quick change to this review. Thanks to this video, and the guys at Stogiereview.com, I realized that Drew Estate decided to drop the “Liga Privada” from the Undercrown name. It is know as just “Undercrown”.

Prelight: Cigar #6 starts off with this absolutely beautiful, extremely toothy wrapper. This bad boy is oily! Bits of oil were rubbing off on my fingers every time I hold the cigar. The wrapper is a really dark, and consistent dark-chocolate brown. The construction on this cigar is immaculate. The only visible veins are very slight, and smooth. They blend so well in with the cigar they were hard to even find. Despite how lightweight this cigar is, it seems incredibly durable with very little give heading up towards the round double cap.

The wrapper of this cigar gives off a really nice cedar aroma while the foot lets loots a really, really deep spice. The cap clipped with extreme ease using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw is really interesting. It starts with just a ton of pepper, spice, cedar, and some sweet raisin. Strange I know, but if the cigar bears as much flavor as the cold draw I know I’ll be impressed.

First Smoke: Cigar #6 lit and toasted really quick, and really easy. This cigar starts off with a ton of pepper. After the pepper simmered down a bit the cigar’s real flavors kicked in. Starting out with a ton of cedar, some really sharp spice, sweet tobacco, and this really interesting grape/plum flavor I pulled from the aftertaste. The burline started out completely solid, and razor sharp producing a very beautiful, tightly compacted white ash. Despite the beautiful ash, it only held on for about an inch before taking a dive right into my lap.

Halfway There: Going into the second third of cigar #6 and the pepper has completely faded leaving room for this cigar to really take off. The deep cedar flavor is still the main flavor backed by subtle spice, sweet cinnamon, and that strange plum flavor I pulled early into this cigar. At first, I thought the wrapper on this cigar was Connecticut Broadleaf, but the more I smoke it, the more I find myself leaning away from that. Stalk Cut Habano maybe? It just doesn’t have to same sweet characteristics that Connecticut Broadleaf normally does. Anyhow, getting back into it, the retrohale on this cigar is really sharp and spicy, I don’t find myself doing it too often at all. Not to mention the fact that I can already feel a bit of the nicotine from this cigar.

Finish: The complexity of this cigar never stops amazing me. Into the final third of this cigar the pepper flavor from the start of the smoke made a brief reappearance. The main flavor is still this plethora of cedar. My mouth taste’s like I have been chewing on a black of cedar. At this point the Plum flavor is really taking off too. What a neat mixture of flavor. The body has really started to jump up as well.  I am scared to get up and walk around. There was a little harshness in the end, but nothing that I didn’t mind smoking through. All in all this cigar took about an hour to take down. Probably too fast for me to call it the cigar I am about to, but that’s just part of the game.

Overview: This was a damn good cigar. Extremely complex, bold, strong, and interesting. It really kept me on my toes. Not for the faint of heart. Just make sure you have a nice meal, and something to drink handy before taking on whatever cigar this happens to be. (on a side note, all these blind reviews are paired with water. Since I don’t know what they are I don’t want to risk pairing them with something that could ruin the experience. )

So now, for the part that makes me look like a complete dumbass. What did I think this was?

First off all, I really want to say this is a Nicaraguan cigar. It had all the characteristics, but the flavors were so interesting that I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a crazy mix of tobacco in there. What Nicaraguan cigar did I think it is? Well, I really couldn’t get over the wrapper. It looks like something I am so used to be the experience didn’t match. That being said, my first guess is this is some crazy Liga Privada blend. The wrapper REALLY identified with the wrapper seen on the T52. The rest of the experience didn’t, but with all the experimenting that Drew Estate has been doing lately, and Brooks’ ability to get ahold of just about anything, it wouldn’t surprise me. Second guess? Viaje. I haven’t had the pleasure of smoking too many Viaje, but this is something that would definitely fit within their line. Flavorful, strong, and different. Now lets see just how far off I was.

And the cigar is, Tatuaje’s Fausto. Is this cigar even out yet? Brooks doesn’t mess around.

Tatuaje’s Fausto is a new blend being released this year. New blend? Kinda. If any of you remember the extremely limited T110 blend that Pete made for R. Fields in Hawaii then this cigar shouldn’t been unfamiliar to you. The Fausto is the same blend form the T110, only in different sizes. After all the success of the T110 Pete wanted to eventually turn it into a fully produced line. The Fausto is a damn strong cigar. This is a full ligero cigar composed of Jalapa and Estelí grown Nicaraguan tobacco. At least I got that part right. And the wrapper? Ecuador Habano Maduro. Again, I was close!

If you want to find out more about this cigar, and see a great review of it, head over to this link to check out what brooks over at Smokingstogie.com had to say about it.

I have been dying to get the chance to smoke this cigar, and thanks again to the wonderful group over at smokingstogie.com, this time in particular Steve Valle, I finally have a chance to take on Drew Estate’s Liga Privada MF-13.

If you haven’t checked out smokingstogie’s site before, then I suggest you do so, NOW. Steve, Brooks, and now Patrick work hard over there bringing you some of the best reviews and photography of some of the most expensive, rare, and exclusive cigars the internet has ever seen. Alright, now onto the review!

The Good Stuff: The Liga Privada MF-13 is a new, pre-release cigar that may, or may not ever see full Liga Privada production. Drew Estate is still in discussion as to if they will release the blend to the public or not. As for now, the MF-13 is only seen when it is shared with Drew Estate’s friends, or at Drew Estate events. The MF-13 pre-release I have is in fact the final blend, not just a sample. As with all Liga Privada samples shared, Drew Estate will not alter the blend should they decide to release it. The MF-13 is a reblending using the Liga Privada T52 as a starting point. The blend has been tweaked numerous times, the initial blend being the MF-4, and now all the way up to the MF-13. One thing to note is, Steve Saka actually told me that if they were to release the MF-13 it would not be added to the T52 line, but would be a new feature in the Unicos series. The main difference between the T52 and the MF-13 is the filler recipe of the MF-13 is more Esteli Valley-centric, which makes it a much spicier, bolder smoke. The “MF” in MF-13 stands for what you think it does, but not due to the strength but rather the first thing Steve Saka said when he sampled the blend; “This is Mother F’ing Good”. Gotta love those guys.

Size: 5 x 52 Parejo  -  Wrapper: CT Grown Stalk Cut Habano – Type 52 Seed  -  Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina – Sungrown – Plantation Harvest  -  Filler: 5 fillers, all Nicaraguan.

Prelight: The Liga Privada MF-13 starts out with a very nice, orangish dark brown wrapper with a whole ton of different darker and lighter spots. This cigar is said to contain the same wrapper as the T-52, but it seems so much darker than any of the ones I have on had. I know there is color differences in all leaf and cigars are boxed by closest color, but it’s almost as dark as the No. 9! Anyways, the wrapper is very tough, very firm, and very toothy. This thing feels like a rock giving almost not resistance as I squeeze it. The construction is perfect with only mild veins running through the length of the body up to the round, double cap. The band is identical in design to the Liga Privada No.9, only it has different text. This one actually says “Pre-Release Sample Blend  – Liga Privada”. And of course, the “MF-13” markings. I really like that Drew Estate takes the time to put finishing touches on the band of even their pre-release blends now. Not just ink and paper thrown through a inkjet-printer.

The wrapper gives off a very bold, woodsy aroma. Really deep with slight hints of cherry. The foot is a bit more interesting. There is just a ton of spice coming out of there with nice little notes of chocolate, and wood. This cigar smells like a lumber yard. The cap was very easy to cut, and clipped clean using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw is nice and loose giving off this really robust, strong tobacco and wood flavor with little hints of berry.

First Smoke: Holy Crap! The MF-13 starts off with this just ridiculous amount of pepper. Wow! After a few initial draws the pepper lets up just enough to pull out some really interesting, very strong grassy, earthy, woodsy flavors with even a tiny note of lime, and what I could only imagine weed would taste like. Of course I haven’t even tried the stuff, but the scent of it reminds me of a very small note I picked up in the beginning of this smoke. All I can say is be ready for this one. It starts off with a bang and quickly separates itself from the T-52. As I mention Saka said it was a “tweaked” version of the T-52 blend which only goes to show how much of a delicate process each blend actually is. The draw is perfect, kicking out massive clouds of thick white smoke with every puff.  The stationary smoke on this cigar, as well as any other Liga Privada blend is insane. Tons of lightly scented cedar smoke spills from the cigar while it rests in my ashtray. The burnline started slightly wavy but quickly corrected itself during the first third and is now burning dead even leaving behind a nicely compacted trail of medium grey ash which held on for a little over an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: Now into the second third of this Liga Privada MF-13 and it is still the flavor bomb it started out to be. The pepper is still present, but no where near as strong as it once was. The flavor profile now consists of really deep oaky wood flavors with still a tons of earth tones, spice, and just a little bit of the black cherry I picked up in the cold draw. This cigar is strong, and I am feeling it already, but at the same time it’s smooth and really easy to smoke. Very well balanced. The retrohale is still packed with spice and I don’t find myself doing it too often at all. It’s a bit much for me with this cigar.

Finish: Into the final third of the Liga Privada MF-13 and the body is still steadily increasing in strength without losing any flavor. The final flavors in this cigar are still a very robust woodsy flavor, a bit of leather sneaked in, still holding on to the pepper and some spice, and a tiny bit of the cherry. Being that this is such a strong cigar, it is relatively easy to smoke developing no harshness at all, even into the final inch. This cigar was very hard to put down, it smoked really slow but even then only took me slightly over an hour to finish.

Overview: Before getting a chance to try the Liga Privada MF-13 for myself, Steve Valle and I had a quick conversation on how he actually liked this cigar better then the No.9. As you can imagine, this shocked the hell out of me, and going into this cigar I was a bit biased and compared it greatly to the No.9. Was it better in my opinion? No. But was I disappointed? Not in the least. Despite being based from the T52 blend the MF-13 is (if released) part of the Unicos blend for a reason. It isn’t anything like the T52 or the number 9, it stands alone. It’s kind of funny, Steve was talking to Jonathan Drew and I on twitter and actually made mention of the MF-13 being like the No.9, the T52, and the Dirty Rat all rolled into one. He nailed it. Imagine that concoction of a cigar and you have a MF-13. The cigar is VERY strong, and that alone puts it in another category. The craziest part about it was just how smooth, and relaxing the experience was for such a strong cigar. It takes a lot to get that sort of balance, and for me, that says a lot about the cigar. The MF-13 was strong yet smooth, very complex, and just an all around damn good cigar.. For SURE it’s not a cigar I would recommend for the casual or novice smoker. But if you are a seasoned cigar smoker, or a Liga Privada lover, then you may want to pick up quite a few of these, they are well worth it. I’m not certain on the price tag, but I would guess for the robusto it would be in similar Liga Privada range, $10 – $12, albeit a bit expensive for most, I think it’s a completely legit price point and would gladly pay it towards a box purchase.

Pairing: Knowing that this was a strong cigar going in, I decided to pair it with a very strong beer. The Asylum Quadruple Ale from Left Coast Brewing Company in California. Asylum is a spicy, fruity, tart strong Quadruple ale. Boasting an 11% abv, this isn’t a beer for the faint of heart. The beer paired nicely with the cedar notes from the cigar, but I found it overpowering at times, and even a bit sour. Needless to say I took my time with it as to not hinder the taste of the cigar. I think I actually only drank about a third of the bottle before finishing the cigar, then gulping down the rest. Ideally, with the deep flavors from the MF-13 one would want to pair it with a nice light stout, a porter, or a brown ale. But I’m stupid and like I often do chose power over flavor. It wasn’t the worst pairing, just wasn’t too great. If I had to pair the MF-13 with anything else I think it would go perfect with a nice glass of port, some Dr. Pepper, or some black coffee.

The Good Stuff: Royale with Cheese, you heard that right. Drew Estate always has quirky code names for all of their pre-production blends. Will this be the final name of the vitola? Probably not. But the master minds at Drew Estate never fail to surprise me. (EDIT: I was notified by Steve Saka that this is actually NOT the Royale with Cheese! See the comments below for his explaination.)It’s (from what I know) the same blend as the T52.  For more information on the T52 blend you can navigate to my review of the toro or my review of the flying pig. Same blend, just in gigantic form. I used to love the hell out of larger ring gauged cigars, but lately I will almost always go for the corona. I just think the smaller ring gauges kick out so much extra flavor. Will the monster size dull-out the massive flavors of the T52? Let’s find out.

Size: 6 x 60  -  Wrapper: Stalk Cut Habano  -  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan/Honduran/Dominican – Brazilian Mata Fina

Prelight: Quickly touching on the prelight characteristics, they are completely identical to the T52’s, just WAY bigger. Super, super, super oily wrapper. Toothy, and a dark chocolate brown with tons of orange spots. One of two big veins running the length of the body,  but nothing too crazy. Nice rounded cap, and the standard Liga Privada T52 band. This cigar is heavy as hell, and carries a very firm, and thick wrapper with absolutely no soft spots at all.

The cigar smells like straight up cedar, a ton of spice, and some nice espresso notes. The foot smells almost identical, only with a much more pronounced aroma. The cap took a bit of convincing from my Liga Privada double-bladed cutter before clipping off. The cut was clean, it just took a bit of extra pressure. The cold draw matched the aromas I picked up earlier to a tee. The only difference was the cedar was much more pronounced and there was a butt-load of pepper in there.

First Smoke: This T52 6×60 took quite a bit to light up using my single flame butane torch. I almost forgot how much work it took to get bigass cigars lit. The cigar didn’t start off with nearly as much pepper as I expected. A lot smoother, with a ton of cedar, espresso, cocoa, and spice. The draw is REALLY open at the start of the first third. It gives out a nice, full mouth of smoke, but takes a few draws to get there.  After about a half inch though the foot was nice and ashy and the draw tightened up. And if you thought the normal T52 gave off a lot of stationary smoke, this T52 is like a wildfire.  The burn line was perfect and the tightly compacted light grey ash held on for and inch and a half before giving way.

Halfway There: As I thought, the T52 6×60 is a lot smoother, and more open than what I was used to in the other T52 vitolas. Not to say the flavor hasn’t been there, but it’s not as powerful as the other vitolas. The second third flavors match the first only a bit smoother, creamier, and not as strong. The cedar has really taken off though, mixed with a nice, creamed coffee with the spice in the background. The retrohale is good, tons of cedar, but very strong with spice and pepper. I am also already feeling a lot of nicotine from this cigar early in. It’s not for the faint of heart. Burn line is perfect, and draw has been wonderful since it tightened up in the first third.

Finish: The flavors really haven’t changed much into the final third of this Liga Privada T52 6×60. Mainly, the spice and pepper have completely disappeared, but the cedar and the coffee and creamy notes have ramped up as well as the strength of the cigar. This thing really has a bite and I really don’t recommend it if you aren’t one for strong cigars. The ash has been kind of flaky into the final third too, which is strange cause I really didn’t feel any soft spots, nor could I find any mis-construction. The ash seems to fall off at random times too, twice in my lap. But that’s what I get for always waiting for the last minute to tap my ash out. Towards the end there was no harshness at all. I was REALLY surprised with how smooth this cigar faired out from start to finish.

Overview: This is a beast of a cigar. It took me about two hours to take it down entirely. Ever heard the saying “you can never have too much of a good thing?”, this cigar goes to show that you can. At least, in my opinion. This cigar was just too much for me. The flavors where there, the smoothness let me finish it, and the creaminess resulted with no harshness at all. But still, this was just too much cigar for me. Anyone who loves the T52 and is looking for a larger vitola to fit those days when you are just looking for a little more “relaxation” time will find this cigar absolutely perfect. Maybe I’m just not one for the larger sizes?

Pairing: I paired this Liga Privada T52 with a with a beer I absolutely adore. New Belgium’s Lips of Faith Series Dunkel Weiss. Usually I don’t pair the only cigar I have with a beer with so much flavor, but I knew the blend was similar so I already knew that the T52 6x60would pair perfectly with this beer.  This Dunkel Weiss if a hell of a flavor-bomb. Really, be prepared for it. It’s not anything like a traditional Dunkel. This thing tastes like just a whole crap load of fruit, apples, berries, plum, tons of banana, mixed with a bunch of malt, caramel, and a VERY strong cinnamon aftertaste. Needless to say this was an absolutely wonderful pairing with the soft fruit notes, espresso, spice, and cedar picked up in this Liga Privada T52 6×60.

The Good Stuff: Drew Estate’s Double Signature Reserve has an interesting little story. As most of you know, Drew Estate sponsors what they call “The Cigar Safari”. The Cigar Safari is basically a 5 day long tour of Nicaragua, and many of the high end cigar factories hosted by Drew Estate. One of the interesting activities on the tour is one where you actually get to blend your own cigar, rolled in the Drew Estate factory. I’ll be the first to admin I’d totally bomb this, and probably make the crappiest cigar ever. But some people have made cigars using tobacco they absolutely love, and become very partial to the blends they put their names on. One of these lucky Safariers (I’m sure that’s not even a word) is Tobacco World owner Robert Wachtel. He created a blend that he fell so in love with, that he actually commissioned Drew Estate to create a mass of these sticks (100 boxes of 24 to be exact) that would be sold only at Tobacco World. These babies went FAST! So as I continue this review, bear in mind that Drew Estate did not blend these cigars, it was created by the mind of Robert Wachtel from Tobacco World in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prelight: Let me just start out by saying, this is a crazy looking cigar. The Double Signature Reserve has such a crazy, toothy wrapper. I even wrote the words “Stupidly Toothy” in my review notes. It feels almost like sandpaper. And to go with it, the wrapper is VERY hard, and gives off such a shine that it actually looks like it could be made form plastic. Outside of the crazy wrapper characteristics, the cigar carries the same orange, and dark chocolate colors as the Liga Privada T-52, in fact it’s the same wrapper as the T-52. The Double Signature Reserve itself is a very beefy, heavy stick. The thick body leads up to a nice, huge double cap before banded off with a dark brown, orange, and gold embossed band. The Front of the band shows the Double Signature Reserve name, by Drew Estate. While the only other markings are the “Dual Signatures” of the cigar blends creators, both Jonathan Drew and Robert Wachtel.

There are no soft spots or any misconstruction on this cigar what so ever. If anything, this cigar is so hard, heavy, and tightly bound that I could probably use it to break into a car of some sort. It seriously has no give to it, no matter how hard I squeeze it, within reason of course. The wrapper had a very nice floral, and cedar scent. The foot however had mainly a  strong barnyard and cedar scent.

Probably due to the tightly packed tobacco, the thickness, and the strength of the cigar’s wrapper, The Double Signature Reserve was really tough to clip using my Palio double bladed cutter. Once it pierced the wrapper though, the cut was perfect and clean. The cold draw kicked out some really interesting strong floral, and cinnamon flavors.

Size: 6 x 54 (estimated) -  Wrapper: Stalk Cut Connecticut Habano  -  Binder: San Andreas Mexican  -  Filler: Dominican Pilito Seco, Brazilian Mata Fina Viso, and 2 different Jalapa-grown (Nicaraguan) Criollo Habana Leaves -  Body: Full

First Smoke: As expected, the Double Signature Reserve starts off with a butt-load of pepper, and surprisingly a lot of rich, dark chocolate flavors. I didn’t get the floral taste I was expecting, in fact, the cigar starts out a little flat in the flavor profile, but after a while a bit of grape decided to slip in, brightening up the flavors a bit. Despite the tightness of the tobacco, the draw was extremely loose, but it kicks out a huge cloud of thick, white smoke, as well as a heck of a lot of cedar scented stationary smoke. You would think, due to the cedar aroma the smoke gives off that the cigar would carry more of a cedar flavor. The burn-line has been dead even right off the bat, and produced this awesome tight, white, consistent ash that held on for almost two inches before giving way.

Halfway There: And there it is! The cedar that I have grown to love from the Liga Privada T-52 has finally shown it’s happy face in the Double Signature Reserve. Along with the cedar, there is still quite a bit of pepper, as well as some more dark chocolate, and even a bit of orange peel coming it. I know that sounds like some sort of dessert, but I swear those were the flavors I started pulling out of this. Outside of the flavor change-up I really started to feel the body from the cigar as well. The retrohale was a little too harsh for me, so I didn’t find myself doing it too often. The burnline was still absolutely perfect well into the second third.

Finish: After all was said and done, the Double Signature Reserve took me about an hour and a half to take down. Keep in mind, I am a faster smoker. The final third actually started getting a bit bitter, sadly. But on the plus side, some of that floral taste I picked up from the cold draw started to sneak into the mix, masking a lot of the harshness. The cedar was still in full effect, with the dark chocolate backing it. I got a nice little nicotine kick from this cigar.

Overview: All in all, this was a pretty good cigar. Would I consider it over a Liga Privada? Not in a million years. But when you take in consideration that Robert isn’t someone that comes up with new cigar blends for a living, he did a hell of a job. This cigar was good, but the flavors seemed to fall flat at times. The harsh build up early into the final third was a big turn off for me as well. I really wonder what this cigar would be like in a corona. I think it would be damn good actually. Would I buy it again? Maybe, but not by the box, if they weren’t already sold out, which they are. Would I recommend it? Honestly, not to everyone. Maybe people who love the Liga Privada lines and are interested in a departure from the norm.

Pairing: I paired this cigar with some Obsidian Stout from the Descutes brewery in Oregon. What a wonderful, full bodied stout this is. It’s seriously like drinking cold coffee in beer form. The chocolate, coffee, and malt notes really gave another dimension to a cigar that otherwise wouldn’t have held my attention as much as it did. This cigar would pear perfect with any stout, porter, port wine, black coffee, tea, or something flavorful that would really help bring that little something extra to the cigar.

This beer will be paired with a cigar that I have waited far too long to review. Drew Estate’s Liga Privada T52 Flying Pig. I reviewed the No.9 flying pig sometime ago and you can view the review here. In any case, I finally decided it’s time to tear through this review.

Again, if you know me, you know how much I love the Liga Privada line. I could smoke these cigars back to back, day after day. My poison is the No.9 Robusto. Needless to say, this may sound a bit biased, but I am always 100% honest. If a cigar sucks, then it sucks. And if a cigar is great, I have no problem boasting.  I smoked a ton of these prior to doing the review and I can already tell you (and apologize for the spoiler), but there won’t be any “sucking” this time around.

The Good Stuff: The Liga Privada line is very exclusive. It originally started as a private blend created solely for the smoking enjoyment of Drew Estate’s President, Steve Saka but due to pressure from the Drew Estate staff, was finally released to the public. At that time, the only blend available was the No.9 which consists of 7 different tobaccos including an absolutely beautiful, Oscuro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. That wrapper is one of the main reasons why Drew Estate was forced to create a new, similar blend using a different wrapper. The wrapper in question is the Stalk-Cut Habano and the blend is called the Liga Privada T52. The wrapper on the No.9 is very expensive, and very rare. In order to fulfill demand Drew Estate created the T52 which is more of a permanent addition to their portfolio. I personally enjoy the No.9 more, but the cigar community is split right down the middle. The Flying Pig size was originally released in the No. 9 blend and limited to only 2,000 boxes of 12 ever to be released. Because of the difficulty in rolling these cigars the T52 Flying Pig will be limited as well to 3,250 boxes of 12, and run about $12 a stick. I’m not sure if they still have them, but I picked mine up over at Bonita Smoke Shop. These cigars were released in November of 2010 so I highly doubt there are very many left on shelves. Get them while you can!

Size: 4.25 x 60  -  Wrapper: Stalk-Cut Habano  -  Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina  -  Filler: Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan  -  Body: Full

Prelight: The Liga Privada T52 Flying Pig is a strange looking little cigar. The obvious shape is the real story here. It’s a very short, very stout, very chubby perfecto cigar. It starts with a small point which quickly grows into a very large ring-gauged body filled with a very dark brown and orange, toothy wrapper. This cigar feels like sandpaper. The wrapper is very thick and tough showing only little veins throughout the entire body. After the thick body, the cigar begins to taper off, much like the foot, into a very small point only to be capped of by a nice, spiral pig tail style cap. This is a crazy looking cigar, and despite it being so different that I am used to, it feels a little strange holding it in my hand. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s not comfortable, if that makes any sense. Not to mention this cigar is so heavy due to being so jam-packed with tobacco.

The wrapper gives off a very, very woodsy aroma with just a bit of grass mixed in, while the foot smells just like my humidor, very cedary with only a slight bit of spice.

Clipping the Flying Pig was a breeze using my double bladed Palio Cutter. The cold draw seemed a bit loose, providing me with a very bold, in your face cedar mixed with a ton of black pepper.

First Smoke: The Liga Privada T52 lit up nice and easy with my triple flame torch. Usually I have problems lighting the tips of perfectos evenly, but none of that this time.  The draw on this cigar is beautiful. It’s so smooth, without being too open, pumping out this massive cloud of thick, lingering smoke. The Flying pig also lets loose this huge trail of stationary smoke. You can see the oils just burn off this wrapper. The smoke smells sooooo good! Very cedary with some sweet spices in there. But it’s probably not something you’d want to smoke around people who can’t stand a lot of smoke.  The flavors were interesting. I was really anticipating this huge pepper punch right off the back, but I didn’t get it. There was only slight pepper notes mixed into the very bold, woodsy cedar, nutmeg, and a bit of prune. The burnline is a bit thick and probably as even as I could have hoped for from the start of a perfecto. The ash left behind is this very tightly compacted white ash with dark grey mixed in.

Halfway There: Going into the second third of this Liga Privada Flying Pig T52 I started to get this neat little bready taste. It’s still just an afterthought compared to the strong cedar, cinnamon, and slight plum flavor but it’s bringing in a very nice little balance to an otherwise bold cigar. This thing is a smoke machine. I can’t stress that enough. You could use a few of these in place of a fog machine at a dumb little emo-goth rock concert. The retrohale is a bit sharp for my liking, but I find myself throwing a few in every here and there just cause I love the strong cedar coating it gives me. This is a strong cigar no doubt. It’s about noon here and I haven’t eaten in a couple of hours. Needless to say I’m already feeling a bit of a nicotine buzz off of this stout little cigar. The ash held solid until I accidently knocked it off while trying to remove the band after the second third. If you check out the picture on the Flying Pig No.9 review, the ash actually held on until I could no longer keep the cigar in my hand before burning my fingertips.

Finish: Despite taking my time on this cigar there was still a bit of harshness into the final third. I guess that’s expected  with a cigar this size. Outside of the harshness the cedar has really been the dominant flavor in this cigar. Towards the end all the other flavors really faded out letting that cedar flavor really take off. The body on this cigar is just ridiculous. It’s not for the faint of heart. I got a very mean nicotine kick within the hour it took to smoke this cigar. Make sure you have something to eat before decided to take this cigar on!

Overview: Although I really enjoyed this cigar, the No. 9 will always have a special place in my heart. That blend is just, perfect. The T52 flying pig is a great cigar. Very strong, flavorful, and interesting. My only gripe is that harshness. I don’t remember that in my No .9 pigs, and I encountered it on just about every one of the T52 pigs that I have smoked. The other sizes in the T52 lines don’t produce it either. It’s probably just the size. Either way, these are still an awesome cigar to have around. The price is a bit steep, but anyone who smokes, and appreciates the Liga Privada lines are already expecting to shell out top dollar for each of their cigars. I do, and I don’t mind the prices at all. I think ever one is well worth it. If you find these, grab them. They won’t be around for very long.

Pairing: FINALLY! This is my first beer in almost 3 weeks. I know I pre-empted a little bit and I am hoping that I don’t pay for it later, but I needed it. As winter is coming to an end, I wanted to get this pairing out of the way before it was too late. I paired my T52 Flying pig with some of Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome ale. This is another one of my favorite winter seasonal ales. This brew was brewed in Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (Tad caster) in England. It’s a bubbly orangish amber ale producing a very smooth, lightly floral, sweet ale. The pairing really helped bring the body of the T52 down and smooth it out. I wouldn’t suggest anything too strong with the T52 as it’s already a strong cigar to begin with. Sweet Tea is the perfect, ideal pairing with this cigar, but apple juice, or any sweet brown ale would go perfectly as well.

The Good Stuff: The newest, un-released blend is called the Liga Privada JD#4. The Liga Privada line was originally created for the sole purpose of Steve Saka’s (Drew Estate’s President) personal enjoyment. After massive amounts of pressure from Drew Estate’s sale staff, Saka was forced to release his personal blend, the Liga Privada No.9 to the public. The Connecticut Broadleaf used on the Liga Privada No.9 is so limited, and the No.9 was in such high demand that Drew Estate was forced to come out with yet another Liga Privada blend that they could produce year round. Hence where the Stalk Cut Habano wrapped Liga Privada T52 comes into play.

I can only assume that the success of each of these blends had caused Drew Estate’s Production Director and Saka’s partner in crime Jonathan Drew to create a Liga Privada blend of his very own. Alas, the Liga Privada JD#4 was born. I’m not entirely sure where the “#4” comes from, but I can only assume it was similar to the “No.9” and is the actually blend number assigned during tasting.

The specifics of this blend are still extremely fuzzy. The only details I have is that the blend has been around for about 2 years, and Jonathan Drew has been smoking them religiously and the release date, if it ever does get released won’t but until at least sometime next year. The blend carries the same Havana Seed Connecticut grown stalk-cut wrapper as the T52 but has a completely different core with an even more ramped up body. The samples sent to me are toros, and look to be 6 x 52/54 The ring gauge seems bigger than 52 but not quite 54.

Prelight: The Liga Privada JD#4 is hefty, toro sized cigar. The wrapper is very toothy, with a consistent dark chocolaty brown mixed with a few lighter orange shades. The JD#4 is pretty much identical in it’s physical appearance as the Liga Privada T52, with what I can assume is the same stalk-cut Habano wrapper that the T52 carries.  Topped off with a nicely round double cap, the JD#4 has only one noticeable vein that I don’t foresee pestering the experience.  The wrapper feels much like a softer sand-paper with no soft spots at all or any signs of mis-construction.  The wrapper of the JD#4 gives off a massive cedar scent with hints of cinnamon, cocoa, and a very, very interesting almost cologne scent that I have never picked up from a Liga Privada cigar before. Whatever it is, it smells damn good. The foot gives off a totally different scent, one more composed of natural tobacco, and earth tones. In this case, the wrapper is the more dominant player. The cap clipped off with ease using my double bladed Liga Privada cutter. The cold draw producing a surprising organic, earthy, and musky flavor. Totally different than the cedar-heavy Liga Privada blends I am used to.

First Smoke: The Liga Privada JD#4 started out with the same power punch of pepper as I have grown to expect from the Liga Privada lines. Caught off guard yet again is the fact that the most prominent flavor is actually the cedar that I didn’t think came through much in the cold draw. Other strong notes are organic tobacco and cocoa mixed in with hints of spice, cinnamon,  and even a tiny bit of citrus off the aftertaste. The JD#4 is really starting off with a bang, if the body stays as strong as it is right now this cigar just might knock me on my ass. The draw is effortless and pumps out a massive amount of extremely thick, dark brown, cedar scented smoke as well as a crap load of stationary smoke. You can actually see the oils burning off the wrapper. I really don’t think the scent of the smoke will bother anyone that doesn’t smoke cigars, but the amount of smoke just might. The burnline is perfect, sharp, and even and the ash left behind is a medium grey, and tightly packed with only slight flakes. The ash held on for a little over an inch before tumbling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: Wow, the strength of this cigar is already starting to hit me. The best part about it though, is its very balance with the flavor, smoothness, and creamy experience of this cigar. I think there are a lot of blends out right now that are just boasting power but lack in the flavor department, luckily up till now the JD#4 isn’t a casualty of this trend. The dominant flavor is still cedar but I am starting to get a sharp raisin, cocoa and coffee mixture in there as well as strong tobacco. The retrohale primed my nasal passage with a very enjoyable bold cedar. The burnline is still rockin’ sharp and perfectly even.

Finish: Well into the final third of this Liga Privada JD#4 and the flavors had an interesting switch up. The cedar began to fade just slightly enough to product a very creamy mocha flavor backed up by raisin, leather, tobacco, and even a slight return of spice. Then, within the last inch the cedar ramped the hell up and came on full force. Usually I’m not one for the final inch of a cigar. But the JD#4 kicked ass with a completely smooth experience with no harsh build up. Well into the last inch and my fingers didn’t even get warm which I didn’t expect with a cigar with such a huge draw. The strength? Dead on. I would compare it to something like the Oliva Serie V just without all the harsh Ligero. I’m sure there is some in here, but it takes the backburner to the flavor.  After all was said and done, the JD#4 took about 2 hours to smoke.

Overview: The Liga Privada JD#4 is something quite different than the T52 and the No. 9 but still holds true to the rest of the Liga Privada line. As if the other twp blends didn’t already have enough strength the JD#4 comes in with a perfectly balanced powerhoused flavor bomb. This isn’t a beginner’s cigar. The body is too ramped up for a novice, or even an experienced medium bodied smoker. But I think it goes without saying that Drew Estate has another winner on it’s hands. I still think the No.9 trumps both the JD#4 and the T52, but the JD#4 is right up there with the T52. From what I have seen the reviews are torn between which one is favorited, and I am sure that the JD#4 will be adding another strong contender to the competition.

Pairing: I decided to pair this cigar with a cup of sweet tea. See the picture? That’s cause I didn’t post one. We all know what tea looks like. Not to mention I really don’t want to do the dishes so I drank out of a plastic cup that wasn’t very photogenic. Sweet tea is probably one of my absolute favorite pairings for a cigar. The brisk tea notes really help pick apart the tobacco while the sugar helps calm the nicotine kick produced by stronger cigars. The Liga Privada JD#4 would pair perfect with any strong whiskey or scotch, port, stout, porter, or coffee.

The Nosotros cigar line bears the Illusione label but Dion Giolito had some help with this blend from Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate Cigars. They collaborated to come up with a completely new cigar. One side of the simple but very attractive band says “Dion” and the other side says “Drew”. This cigar had a lot of hype around it and due to that I’d say many people had very high expectations for it. Judging by the reviews and comments from others, it seems the reactions to this cigar are fairly mixed.

I want to give a mention to the source I got these cigars from. I placed the order from Jason Shepard at “J Shepherd Cigar Boutique and Gentlemen’s Accessories” in Louisville, KY. He is a great guy who gave me excellent customer service, friendly chats, great selection and even better prices. I found him on twitter, his name is @cigarsource, or check out his website at http://www.jshepherdcigars.com

After reading initial reviews I decided to let these cigars sit for a little while before lighting them up, hoping some age would do them well. I’ve had them for about two months now, so lets see how they fared.

Cigar: Illusione Nosotros
Drink: Chimay Premiere (Dark Red Label)
Vitola: Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Corojo ’99
Binder: Connecticut Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: About $8 – $10
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• Very even and symmetrical
• A couple medium sized veins but nothing that looks to cause burn issues
• Wrapper is a nice golden brown, slightly dark
• Wrapper is a bit oily and very appealing
• Cleanly applied triple cap
• Even firmness throughout, a little bit of give but a perfect spring back
• Foot looks to be well packed
• Cut was smooth and even, no mess
• Draw is perfect, just enough resistance

Burn:
• Toasting took a bit of extra time to get the whole foot glowing nicely
• Burn line is slightly wavy for the first couple inches
• Having trouble staying lit in the first couple inches, needing extra attention
• Burn improved after first ash, staying lit better now
• Cigar started burning a little hot but after a small touch up it seemed to even out

Smoke & Ash:
• Good amount of smoke, maybe a little less than expected
• Resting smoke is minimal and has a strong woodsy aroma
• Ash is splitting down the middle but holding fairly steady
• Although the ash appeared fairly messy, it still held on for an inch or so each time
• Made a bit of mess when I ashed it

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is mostly of a soft hay/tobacco smell with some spice and earthiness to it
• The foot introduces some nuttiness and a more prominent spice, also a bit of floral aroma
• Pre-light draw focuses mostly on the nuttiness, spice and floral. I’m excited to light this up at this point and discover what else it might give me
• Initial draws are primarily toasted cedar and nuttiness
• The cigar is very dry on the back of my throat
• This cigar is starting in the medium range for body, I expect it will get stronger as I smoke it down
• Retrohale has a nice bite to it a good woodsy finish
• Some floral notes and a bit of cinnamon spice started making an appearance just past the halfway mark but were not very prominent
• Body is definitely ramping up to full in the last 2 inches, already feeling a slight nicotine kick
• The last two inches of the cigar did not turn harsh but they did lose most flavor and I was left with a strong tobacco flavor

Final Thoughts:
The beginning of this cigar left me wanting more. The flavors were not bad by any regard but a little less than expected from such a powerful duo of blenders. The cigar opened up a bit around the halfway point and start burning a bit hotter, this in turn affects the flavors making them slightly harsher. I tried to slow down time between draws but the cigar began going out. After a small correction we were back on track though and some new flavors came in. I wasn’t blown away by the flavors here but they were still enjoyable. New cigar smokers need not apply here, these will likely be above your tolerance range.

I can’t complain about the pre-light construction here, all my sticks were excellent although they did take a few extra draws to keep lit and burn was fairly wavy. I tried to let these rest a bit before smoking them but I just had to light one up and see for myself. I think these definitely need some age, they have some great potential that seems stunted by their youth. I will keep a couple of these sticks aging and re-visit them in the future.

Pairings:
Chimay Premiere (the dark red/burgundy label) is a strong ale brewed by monks in Belgium. The sales from the brew actually contribute to assisting the Trappist Monastery in their charitable works. A feel good purchase that does not disappoint. This ale checks in at 7% alc/vol and is bursting with some great hoppy flavors with just a slight bitterness. It definitely doesn’t feel like a strong ale, until after you’ve downed a coupe pints! It paired very well with this cigar for the most part until it got a lot stronger and was drowning out the brew. I think this cigar would pair much better with a scotch, port, strong coffee/espresso.

Liga Privada T52Liga Privada T52

Liga Privada T52

The Liga Privada line is extremely exclusive, and sometimes near impossible to get your hands on. Although most cigars that take that road end up selling just because of the hype, the Liga Privada line has the flavor, experience, construction, and overall product to back the hype up and then some.

The Good Stuff:As stated before the Liga Privada line of cigars is extremely exclusive. Drew Estate puts mass amounts of time and effort in each one of their cigar blends, the Liga Privada is the cream of the crop. The Liga Privada was originally created strictly for the sole enjoyment of the Steve Saka, the President of Drew Estate. Steve wanted a blend that he could call his own private reserve, and only cherish for his own personal enjoyment. Each Liga Privada is custom blended to perfection using only the most premium Nicaraguan tobacco farmed from the Drew Estate tobacco farm in Esteli, Nicaragua amongst 6 other regions of the world.. Not to mention each Liga Privada is then hand rolled only by the best hands in La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate.

Up until this point the Liga Privada No. 9 and the T-52 are the same. The main difference between the two lies in the distinct wrapper the T-52 carries. The Liga Privada No. 9 comes wrapped in a very dark, oily Maduro like Oscuro Wrapper, Where as the new T-52 comes wrapped in a stalk-cut Habano wrapper just a shade lighter than the Liga Privada No. 9, making for a much more bold, and robust smoking experience.

Liga Privada T52 and No. 9

Liga Privada T52 and No. 9

If you’d like to find out more on the Liga Privada No.9 feel free to check out the review I did here. It’s an older review, so unlike this one it doesn’t have all the pretty pictures and my pallet was still used to infused, but there is a lot of good research there. From what I can gather unlike the No. 9 the Liga Privada T-52 is only available in Robusto (5 x 52) and Toro (6 x 52). I was lucky enough to get my hands on the toro.

Size: 6 x 52  -  Wrapper: Stalk Cut Habano  -  Filler/Binder: Nicaraguan/Honduran/Dominican - Brazilian Mata Fina

Liga Privada T-52

Prelight:The habano stalk-cut wrapper isn’t one that I have encountered often, if not ever before. It is very dark brown with flourishes of cherrywood. The texture is really toothy and rough with many thick veins. It almost looks like a cat’s tongue up close. And the density is beautifully thick, and hard. I don’t think I will have any problems handling this cigar, its far from fragile. The Liga Privada T-52 has a very rounded, tough double-cap.  The only construction flaw that I can spot is a thick, bump just before the band of the cigar. Hopefully this won’t hinder the smoking experience. I am a huge fan of the simplicity of the Liga Privada’s bands. The band on the T-52 is almost identical to the No .9 except gold instead of silver. It is all white, with small metallic details and writing. One of the quotes actually reads “Hecho Exclusivament Para El Jefe” or “Made Exclusively for the Boss”. The wrapper gives off a light mossy scent where as the foot of the T-52 smells very earthy, mossy, and cedar-like. The cold draw matched the scent of the foot almost precisely. Very woodsy, almost like sucking on a stick of wet cedar. I will be cutting this cigar with my Palio double bladed cutter, and lighting it with a vector single flame torch.

Liga Privada T-52

First Smoke:The Liga Privada T52 took quite a bit of convincing to get lit under my single flame torch. I expected a very small draw due to how tightly packed this cigar is. To my surprise my mouth was soon full of large amounts of thick, heavy smoke with little, to no effort at all. The smoke was very dense, and just kinda hung around with a strong cedar like aroma. I really wouldn’t be at all surprised if me neighbors couldn’t tell the difference between the cigar smoke and an actual fireplace burning. The stationary smoke was incredibly large too, this is something to keep in mind if you plan on smoking the Liga Privada in public places. The flavor the Liga Privada started off with a huge punch of pepper, and then transcended into a very cedar like taste with hints of earthy, mossy flavors and grape. Smoking the Liga Privada T-52 tastes much like sucking on a plank of cedar wood. The burn line started out pretty consistent, and the ash was very tightly packed in its off grey, speckled white color. I got about an inch in a half into this smoke before the ash finally gave way. One thing to note though is the ash fell a great distance before landing in my ashtray. Most of the time when this occurs the ash almost explodes on impact. In the case of the Liga Privada there was almost no destruction to the ash log, it was that tightly packed.

Liga Privada T-52

Halfway There:About halfway in I started feeling the nicotine hit me. This is an extremely bold cigar vs. the no.9 which is a good thing. The flavors are still very consistent with cedar taking center stage only to be accompanied by creamy hints of leather, and soft fruit with the great tobacco aftertaste we have grown to love. In the case of the Liga Privada T-52 the after taste wasn’t bad at all, and only lasted a few seconds then disappeared. The burn line is pretty consistent up to this point with a few vein traces here and there.

Liga Privada T-52

Finish:Just before hitting the band I reached that thick bump in the cigar that I noted before. This did in fact throw off the burn just a bit, but not enough to require any touch-ups of any kind. Towards the end of the cigar the pepper taste made its return, but not nearly as powerful as it was at the beginning. Outside of the pepper the exact same flavors were picked up all the way through the Liga Privada. Some cigar smokers may frown upon this consistency in flavors but I for one love it. The ash held tightly through the entire cigar only dropping three times, which in my opinion is awesome for a Toro. The final stretch of the cigar packed a bit more punch than expected, again this is one characteristic that sets the T-52 away from the No. 9. The Liga Privada T-52 took just a little over two hours to finish.

Liga Privada T-52

Overview:The Liga Privada T-52 was one of the many cigars released in 2009 and it just may be top on my list for the “best of the best”. With its complex profile, bold strength, great aroma, and perfect flavors the Liga Privada T52 is a sure fire winner. Due to the exclusiveness of this cigar if you are ever lucky enough to stumble upon them, buy them! But all of them! and if you aren’t happy with them, rest assured they have  a home with me. I would recommend this cigar not only to any aficionado, but to anyone who is blessed with the opportunity to get their hands on them.

Liga Privada T-52

Drew Estate ACID Kuba Kuba

The Good Stuff: The ACID Kuba Kuba is the most popular infused cigar in the ACID line, and the first ACID infused cigar fully embraced by the United States. It is part of ACID’s Remi, or blue banded selection. Accordingly, The Remi line is Drew Estate’s most popular line if ACID cigars holding cigars such as the Kuba Kuba, the Kong, the Blondie, Krush, and my personal favorite, the 1400cc.

Size: 5 x 54  -  Wrapper: Natural Sumatra  -  Flavor: Medium – Full Bodied

Prelight: The ACID Kuba Kuba is a chubby, toothy robusto cigar. The first characteristic I noticed was the dark, very oily, sumatra wrapper. In infused cigars 60% – 70% of a cigars taste comes from the wrapper alone. VERY floral scents, mixed with spices, coffee, and tobacco could be smelt even through the cellophane wrapper, and only increased in strength once the Kuba Kuba is removed from the wrapper. The cigar is very soft, and loosely wrapped. There were no signs of defects. The Kuba Kuba had very little veins. My only complaint is the wrapper seems a bit thing although, I haven’t had problems with this cigar in the past I could see some future un-wrapping complications.

First Smoke: The ACID Kuba Kuba is a VERY flavorful cigar, more so than most people prefer. The first tastes are that of floral arrangements mixed with soft spice, clove, cinnimon, and even a mist of mocha. The draw is extremely large, and very very thick. This may annoy most traditional cigar smokers, keep that in mind when choosing the right time to light one of these up. This Kuba Kuba carries such thick, infused oil that the wrapper even looked a bit sticky, although it didn’t feel that way in my hand. The cigar lit right away, and had a very even burn. I got about an inch of loose ash before it gave out.

Drew Estate ACID Kuba Kuba

Halfway There: An earlier concern of mine was the thin wrapper. As you can see on the top image it became a problem. Luckily it was near the burn and it only happened for a short period of time. The cigar is still burning evenly, and the draw is still just as huge as it was when I started smoking the cigar. The taste is still pretty much the same, its just hard to nail down. Thing about getting a Hawaiian tiki dancer in full uniform, throwing her in a boiling pot, add a couple of green tea bags, some ground coffee, and some cinnamon for good measure. That didn’t sound too enticing but you get the jist of it. It is a VERY great tasting cigar, just a bit over-powering at times.

Finish: The finish of this cigar is always a bit rough. Since the Kuba Kuba isn’t wrapped very tight (personally, I prefer this) the tobacco towards the end of the smoke is always a tad bitter, and strong. I didn’t have any other problems with the unwrapping of the cigar, but I could see that as a trend in the Kuba Kubas. The Kuba Kuba is a bit strong for a medium bodied cigar, and very flavorful.

Overview: The Kuba Kuba is a great cigar for anyone looking for infused selections. It carries with it a great balance, not too strong, not too smooth. The flavor is a bit much, but that’s what makes the Kuba Kuba such a popular cigar. I would steer clear of these if you don’t enjoy smoking aromatics, but if you are looking to start, or already enjoy them the ACID Kuba Kuba would sit well with you.

Drew Estate Ambrosia Vann Reef

These were part of a gift sent over to me. Prior to receiving them I had yet to hear of the Ambrosia line which struck me odd as I am such a huge Drew Estate follower.

The Good Stuff: Jonathan Drew, founder and  Production Director of Drew Estate is always looking for new blends, spices, oils, and aromas to concoct his next infused cigar. The Ambrosia line is nothing short of his best. Ambrosia is very similar to the ACID line in construction but is infused with only the best spices and botanicals found throughout Europe and Asia giving it a very unique taste. From Clove to Star Anise, Ambrosia cigars are nothing short of masterpiece.  Each Ambrosia Vann Reef Cameroon Cigar is carefully blended with sweet, mild tobaccos from Drew Estates’ own hand – tended fields in the mountains near Esteli, Nicaragua and wrapped with rich Cameroon tobacco. It is said that these infused cigars are in fact the toughest blends produced by Drew Estate to date.

Size: 5×50  -  Wrapper: Cameroon  -  Flavor: Medium  -  Country: Nicaragua

Prelight: Upon unwrapping the cellophane you are hammered with a smell of fresh cloves, hints of pine, and sweet ginger. The wrapper is a creamy medium brown with very small veins. The construction is as close to perfect as it gets. There are no soft spots. The Ambrosia Vann Reef cigar sports a very rounded cap and its wrapped very tight, maybe even a bit to tight for my liking. The construction reminds me very much of the ACID liquid.

Drew Estate Ambrosia Vann Reef

First Smoke: One noticeable difference between the ACID Liquid and the Ambrosia Vann Reef is lighting. The Liquid took quite a bit outta my little colibri butane torch to get started where as the Vann Reef lit up right away. The first tastes are a little hard to nail. The clove by far is the most overpowering flavor, followed closely by notes of ginger, pine, toasted nuts, and even green tea. The draw is really tight, which I am not a fan of. I’d rather burn the heck out of my hands than deal with a tight draw, but for sake of the review I’ll deal with it. The draw itself is pretty large and incredibly thick, this part I do like. The Vann Reef isn’t very strong at the beginning, hopefully that adjusts a bit further in the smoke as well. The cigar begins burning very evenly. I got over an inch and a half before the ash first gave way which was pretty far considering it was a windy day out on my patio. This cigar was paired up with a Lindeman’s Peche Peach Lambic beer. An almost perfect combination. One note is the Ambrosia line banding is very un-like all the other Drew Estate cigar lines. Most of the others are very detailed, and embossed with hints of metallic silver and gold ink. A lot of time goes into their banding. The Ambrosia line, not so much. I can totally see where he was going with it (tiki – india, asia, Eurpoe spices) but it caught me a bit off guard.

Drew Estate Ambrosia Vann Reef

Halfway There: There are still absolutely no signs of any flaws. Drew Estate is known for the perfection in construction and this cigar represents that to its fullest. The strength has increased a bit, but not too much. The draw is still very creamy but much too tight. At this point I ended up giving the cigar another quick cut, increasing the draw drastically. Now that’s what I am talking about. The flavor doubled. More clove, Pine, and tea but what taste almost paired up with floral and leather-ish notes. It’s incredibly tasty. The draw has increased as well. I have yet to have to touch up this cigar and it is still burning perfectly. No unwrapping or cigar flaws whatsoever.

Finish: I took this cigar relatively close to the nub. My head began to hurt so I gave in a bit earlier than usual. The only taste that still remains is the clove, and it is strong. I’m not a huge clove fan, but I did enjoy this cigar. A big brownie point was the fact that I didn’t have to touch this cigar up once. Perfect burn. The Vann Reef finished off creamy, and didn’t increase in strength a whole lot throughout the cigar. All in all it was a great aromatic.

Drew Estate Ambrosia Vann Reef

Overview: The ambrosia line is definitely an acquired taste. I really enjoyed this cigar, however I wouldn’t recommend it if you weren’t a fan of infused cigars, or strong flavors period. The Ambrosia line is a great step-up alternative to clove smokers.

Drew Estate Natural Root

Natural is a long-time running blend from Drew Estate’s Production Director Jonathan Drew’s insane mind. There are many different blends, wrappers, and shapes to this line, each one very different from the other, all equally enjoyable.

The Good Stuff: Each cigar from the Natural line is composed of all-natural black smoking tobacco leaves farmed in Syria, Turkey, St. James Parish, and other exotic South-American countries, and then combined with the finest Nicaraguan leaf, mostly grown in Drew Estate’s own farms in Esteli Nicaragua.

Size: 5 x 50  -  Wrapper: Maduro  - Filler: Nicaraguan  -  Strength: Medium – Full Bodied

Prelight: Much like the Natural Dirt Torpedo, the first characteristic you notice about this cigar is its dark, chocolate colored wrapper. The cigar itself carries a few larger veins, but not anything that will get in the way of enjoyment. I have had more than 3/4 of Drew Estate’s Natural line and I must say that I am deeply impressed which each and every cigar. This cigar is as usual, perfectly constructed with no signs of soft spots, unwrapping or any overall flaws. The head sports a large rounded cap, and the foot is yet another “shaggy foot” profile. I enjoy lighting these. The cigar itself smells VERY sweet with hints of brown sugar and creamy cocoa. As usual I am using a Cuban Crafters “Perfecto” double bladed cutter, and a standard single flame colibri torch.

First Smoke: Because of the shaggy foot the cigar is incredibly easy to light. It takes the pain out of having to constantly rotate the foot of the cigar under the flame. Instantaneously a strong smell of creamy mocha, herbs, brown sugar, with hints of fruit and wine fill the area. The cigar itself is incredibly sweet, not as sweet as the Dirt Torpedo, but pretty damn close. The cigar at the point is burning perfectly. The Root puts out a large draw, and it is very, very, thick and smooth. This may annoy some second-hand smokers, but the pleasant scent makes up for it. I got a good inch of ash before it gave way.

Halfway There: The Natural Root is still very flavorful and is getting more and more creamy by the draw. This is one of the first cigars I have had that started out strong, but became smoother as it progressed. At this time the fruit taste has vanished, but the mocha/brown sugar still remains. I am showing no signs of unwrapping, and the cigar is still burning as clean as ever.

Finish: About halfway through the cigar got a lot smoother, and stayed smooth all the way through the nub. The fruit and wine tastes are completely gone at this point, but the mocha brown sugar and almost espresso taste are still very present, but not over-powering. There were absolutely no signs of mis-construction. The cigar took me just over an hour to smoke, and that had to be the only bad part about it. Not that is burned fast, it was just a smaller sized cigar.

Overview:

Would I try it again? In a heartbeat.

Would I suggest it? To anyone and everyone who enjoys cigars. One great thing about the natural line is it’s not as powerful in taste as the ACID infused line. So not only aromatic smokes, but more traditional smokers and both enjoy and appreciate it. These cigars are VERY easy to fine, and at a very reasonable price.