First, is there anyone who is shocked at this point by the quality cigars Drew Estate puts out. I am to the point where I should be trying them all. They do not all fit my taste, but most do. The Liga Privada No. 9 Flying Pig is no exception. I am a huge fan of the nub sized cigars (4x60). The beauty here is this is not necessarily a quick smoke. It can be enjoyed slowly, as it should be, to get every last bit of flavor.
Stats:
Profile: Medium Full
Wrapper: Connecticut / Maduro
Shape: Parejo
Length: 4"
Gauge: 60
Country: Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras / Nicaragua
Binder: Brazil Mata Fina
Pricing: (Box of 20) - $286.80
(per stick) - $14.30
First Impression:
Any private blend cigar with a major players name attached ot it has to raise an eyebrow. This cigar specifically was created for Drew Estate President Steve Saka. I was very excited to see the one year aged, seven-tobacco blend in action. This stick is rolled ticght and feels great in the hand. It has a sturdiness to it and some weight.
Pre-Smoke Ritual:
This ritual never changes for the most part. If it does the change is so small it would go unnoticed in text. This cigar was pulled form the humidor three hours prior to smoking it. That was not planned that way, it is just how it happened. Once I got to sit down and enjoy everything it had to offer I gave it a straight cut with my Le Petit by Les Fines Lames. A strong slow sniff was taken followed by an solid pre light draw. The oily wrapper and tight rolling provided me with cedar, spices, leather, and some sweetness. I was ready to move forward.
Lighting, Draw, and Burn:
After a generous toast this cigar light right up. Due to how sturdy and heavy this felt in the hand I expected a difficult draw and maybe a shot with the draw poker. I was wrong on every level. There was zero issue with the draw and it seemed to be perfect. Tight, but not to tight. Just enough resistance to know and feel a great draw. Throughout the smoke the burn itself did wave a bit, but touch-up was not required. It would even itself out with minimal effort. It also produced a thick white smoke cloud that I actually enjoyed.
Flavor:
Right from the start the hint of sweetness was hanging around in the background. I gathered great flavor of cedar and spices with a touch of leather. The second third had the leather fading just enough to let the cedar and spice take control. On the final third I had all the flavors coming through. They seemed to have evened out. Every flavor had an equal part in the process and they all did a good job. I am trying to place which spice I was tasting, but I just could not single it out. The one thing about it that I did know is the spice was pleasant in all the right places. cedar, spices, leather, and some sweetness
My Preference:
This cigar had a 6 week rest inside the humidor. Once removed it was not cut for three hours. A straight cut was made with my Le Petit by Les Fines Lames. The lighter of choice for this was a Punch due flame cigar punch combo lighter. A very generous toast was given before lighting this up. During my spice hunt for this cigar I smoked it down to nothing with a Bio Hazard Cigar Dagger.
Final Thoughts:
This is a pricey cigar. It is always a gamble with the higher end sticks because it is plain terrible if you pay good coin and dislike the cigar. With Drew Estate I did not have that worry. Luckily, I was correct. I really enjoyed this cigar. I got a solid 70 minutes smoking this and enjoyed what ti had to offer. It would be easy for me to recommend this cigar by just saying it. I can go one step further and say that I have ordered a box of 12. If this fits your budget and you have not tried one yet I would definitely go find two. The first to try and the second for a later date so you do not have to hunt down another one.