Over the past few years, Liga Privada has become a household name for cigar aficionados. Many of their releases such as the No 9 and T-52 have become instant hits leading to a supply shortage due to demand. I feel the product put out by Liga Privada is of high quality and while some people may have different preferences the overall opinion is that they produce a good solid cigar. I’ve smoked every release that they have put out over the past few years and felt it would be good to put down in writing my unbiased opinion of the Dirty Rat.
4/6/2012
Liga Privada Unico Serie Dirty Rat Review
Wrapper: Connecticut Sun-grown Habano
Binder/Filler: Brazilian Mata-Fina/Dominican, Honduran & Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 44
Vitola: Corona
MSRP: $12.00
Smoke Time: 1hr 10 min
Drink: Rootbeer/Water
Days In Humidor: 400
Location: Tobacco Haven
Construction/Appearance:
The Dirty Rat has a rich wrapper with a beautiful oily sheen. Everytime I smoke a Liga Privada, I just marvel at the overall construction and appearance. The cigar is somewhat toothy but the veins are minimal when I run my hands over them. The “Rat Tail” is small and the one I smoked for this review was somewhat damaged though no fault of Liga Privada. The wrapper as with all Ligas feels thick with some solid weight. I love the band as it’s simple, unique and came off easily during the review. The cigar doesn’t have much give when squeezed though it feels very well rolled. In my opinion, a beautiful cigar such as the Dirty Rat does a good job selling itself to the consumer just based upon looks.
Burn/Draw:
Even though I felt my Xikar cutter made a clean cut across the head, the cold draw was slightly loose. I hope the draw tightens up a bit once I start smoking the cigar. I noticed from experience that dry boxing or maintaining Liga Privadas at slightly lower RH (62-65) makes a tremendous difference with the draw and burn. The Dirty Rat had a razor sharp burn without any need for corrections. The draw did tighten up which felt pretty good for a Corona sized cigar. Double draws did enhance the flavors of the cigar. As with all Liga Privadas, there was plenty of smoke which was dark grey on the exhale but whitish when coming from the foot. I can’t stress how much smoke Liga Privadas put out. The ash was a little fragile lasting around 3/4 of an inch.
Flavor/Aroma:
The wrapper is giving off notes of cedar and spice and the foot was similar, just a bit stronger. The initial draw reminded me of spice and coco which transferred well into the 1st third. I tasted coco and spicy/peppery notes on the finish. The flavors have a chalkiness sensation to them. In the second third, I am picking up plenty of pepper though coffee notes are beginning to play a role. There are occasional notes of wood though the overall flavor profile isn’t changing dramatically. The cigar feels on the upper end of medium strength as the flavors are more prominent. In the final third, there is a bit of mocha, wood with a peppery finish. I also noticed that there was a subtle syrupy sweetness but I couldn’t pinpoint the exact flavor.
Final Thoughts:
- This is a full bodied cigar with a unique flavor profile and medium complexity. The end of the 2nd into the final third is the most enjoyable part for me.
- I enjoy the No 9 as a regular production Liga Privada, but the Dirty Rat is probably my favorite limited release cigar.
- Liga Privadas never disappoint when it comes to the construction or burn categories but rarely am I “blown away” by the flavor profile. I believe they make a quality cigar that is very consistent.
- I understand the reason behind the higher point for a Corona cigar as it requires more labor to make the Dirty Rat, but it is hard to justify the price based upon smoke time alone.
- I think letting them sit for a year and change does affect the flavor profile and whether it’s positive or negative, that’s up to the consumer and if they like a cigar with more robust characteristics.
- Without a doubt, I think this is a cigar that should be tried at least once for the experience.
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