Those who are familiar with tobacco know that there are many instances where a type of leaf changes when it’s transplanted to a new region. One example is Corojo-seed tobacco, which was originally grown in Cuba before the 1959 revolution; when this seed was transplanted to other regions, such as Nicaragua, Honduras, and Florida, growers experienced less-than-stellar results. To try and make up for these shortcomings, growers attempted to utilize a Hibrido (hybridization) technique to try and make the seeds more resistant to disease while preserving their famed potency. With the Liga Privada H99 — the “H” stands for hybrid — Drew Estate has taken a Corojo-seed wrapper that originates not in Central America or Florida but in the Connecticut River Valley, where it’s been influenced by the Connecticut Broadleaf grown there.
The H99 takes the Corojo capa (wrapper) and wraps it around a Mexican San Andres Otapan Negro Último Corte capote (binder) on top of a blend of well-aged Honduran and Nicaraguan tripa (filler) leaves. Identifiable notes in these sticks include peppercorn, cherry, dried cranberry, and beef jerky. The contrast between the spicy capote and the naturally sweet Corojo tobacco gives the medium-strength H99 a luxurious, rich flavor that can be experienced in these medium-to-full-bodied smokes’ memorable finish.
The H99 was actually one of two blends in contention to be the Liga Privada 10-Year Aniverserio in 2018. While it wasn’t ultimately chosen (a Criollo-seed blend also hailing from the Connecticut River Valley was selected instead), the H99 was so good that Drew Estate’s top brass decided it deserved to be its own released creation. In 2022, the H99 was finally put on the market, and the rest is history. This vitola — the Toro — is six inches in length and sports a ring gauge of 52.
Pick up a box of 24 today, and try for yourself the cigar that many critics say outdoes the stick that Drew Estate chose for Liga Privada’s anniversary in 2018.