Liga Privada Feral Flying Pig

This week's review (and my first review of 2012!) is of the new Liga Privada Feral Flying Pig. This is part of the Unico series from Drew Estate and is larger than the previous Flying Pig releases. This one measures in at 5 3/8x60 and features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Brazilian Mata Fina Binder and a Nicaraguan filler. This is also finished off with a great looking pigtail cap. I was told that unlike the previous pig releases, this won't be as limited. The Feral Pig will supposedly be a sporadic release, much like the Dirty Rat. 

This is such a funky looking cigar with its cinnamon bun pig tail cap and its fat perfecto size. Like the rest of the Liga Privadas, this looks to be perfetly constructed. After cutting just below the pigtail cap, the prelight draw seems spot on and the flavor is really unique. This doesn't taste like any of the other Liga Privada's on the cold draw, I am getting some dark sweetness and some musty tobacco flavors and something I just can't put my finger on. once lit the classic Liga aroma fills the room immediately and the flavors up front are deep expresso, dark chocolate and some light spice on the tip of my tongue. The amount of smoke this cigar is putting off is staggering. The 60 ring gauge is a little big for me but the tapered head definitely helps. While I liked the original pigs, I did find the size sort of odd to smoke. The extra length on this one seems to make it more comfortable to smoke. Flavorwise I would compare this more to the Liga no.9, which isn't really a surprise since it has the same wrapper. I was told that this Pig was more powerful than previous releases, but through the first inch I would say its medium strength and very full flavored. The burn is been very even and the ash is holding strong at over an inch. 

This big piggy is smoking really well and the strength is entering the full realm as I close in on the halfway point. The spice is pretty much gone and I am left with smooth dark chocolate, espresso and leather. The retrohale delivers a really great woody character I hadn't noticed until I passed the smoke through my sinuses. The burn is still nice and even as I enter the final third. The flavor profile has stayed consistent and quite tasty. It's no secret to anyone that knows me or reads this site that I am a huge fan of Liga Privada and so far this one isn't letting me down. The strength is picking up even more at the end, making this the strongest of the Pigs in my opinion.

What can I say, another great Liga Privada! The Feral Flying Pig is yet another solid release from Drew Estate and a great addition to the Unico Series. This is the most powerful Pig release but the strength never overpowers the flavor profile. The extra length on this Pig compared to the previous Flying Pigs really makes for a much more comfortable smoking experience. I am glad this isn't going to be a one time release because I would like to pick up a few more of these occasionally, even at the $14-15 they sell for. Its a fun cigar to smoke and definitely a conversation starter with the unique appearance. Anyone who is a fan of the previous Liga Privada releases should really enjoy this offering. 

Liga Privada L40 Pre-release

Today's review is of a pre-release of the upcoming Liga Privada L40! This 7x40 Lancero is one of the new Ligas that will be released in the near future and will be part of the Unico line like the Dirty Rat. A traditional Lancero is a 38 ring gauge, but Steve Saka wanted to add one more tobacco to the blend so he added just a little more girth to it to get the blend he desired (hence the name L40). This Liga Privada blend is unique for the Lancero vitola. I received this cigar from Steve Saka during my visit to the Drew Estate factory, as well as a few other treats that I hope to review soon. Steve told me this Lancero might be a little on the young side, just a month or 2 shy of what the final release will have on it as far as age goes. 

The Liga Lancero is a fantastic looking cigar. The dark, oily wrapper seems to be applied perfectly. While this isn't a traditional lancero, I must say i really like the size of this cigar. The prelight shows a perfect draw for a lancero with rich tobacco and barnyard flavors. Once lit, the L40 starts out with a mouthfull of rich flavor I expect from a Liga Blend. This has plenty of woody, leathery and black pepper flavors. While the spice is present, it's no where near as intense as it is in something like the Dirty Rat blend. Like all the Liga Privadas, this cigar produces a ton of resting smoke. There is some fruityness on the finish of this cigar that really sets it apart. Even with the fruityness, this is a rich, dark flavored cigar. The ash only wants to hold on for under half an inch, but that is pretty typical for a thin ring gauge cigar like this. There is plenty of coffee bean with the leathery and spicy flavors. While this is a full flavored cigar, it isn't nearly as powerful as the other Liga's. This is more of a finesse cigar. 

As this cigar develops, the spice backs down and more of the woody flavors come up to the front. That fruity tartness is a really intriguing flavor and it balances out the rich coffee and leather. At the halfway point this lancero is going great. The burn has been nice and even. The flavors are still rich and tasty. This is definitely an elegant cigar. I would say it has more complexity than the other Ligas. The other blends like the T52 are more powerful (but still very flavorful), this one has a full bodied feel to it without the kick. That being said, it isn't a mild cigar at all. I would say it is full bodied and medium strength. The smoke really coats the palate and is almost chewy. In the final third, some bitter dark chocolate has shown up with the return of some of the black pepper spice. 

The Liga Privada L40 was a killer cigar! I cannot wait for these to be released, I know ill be buying plenty of them! I am a huge fan of the lancero size, and this beefed up version smokes very well. This really stands apart from the other Liga blends for me. This is more complex and elegant, but you still know you are smoking a Liga blend. I'm not sure what the price on these will be, but I recommend everyone try them when they are available. Liga Privada has become one of my favorite lines of cigars and this one rounds out the line nicely.