The Liga Privada No. 9 line — released to the public after years of being confined strictly to in-house consumption at Drew Estate by former company president Steve Saka and his top brass — has slowly built a cult-like following among the brand’s fans, to the point where these cigars can now be hard to come by.
As a partial reaction to this, Drew Estate released a second Liga Privada line, the T52 series, which is both stronger and more robust than the No. 9. Indeed, the T52 line has arguably found even more favor in Cigar Aficionado, as that magazine accorded this vitola — the T52 Robusto — a highly respectable rating of 92.
Just like its cousins in the No. 9 line, the smokes in the T52 range utilize Brazilian Mata Fina binders and Nicaraguan and Honduran long-filler leaves from seven individual tobacco farms. But as opposed to the No. 9 sticks, the T52 smokes make use of a stalk-cut, Connecticut-grown, Cuban-seed Habano wrapper, which endows these cigars with richer, bolder and earthier qualities than their No. 9 counterparts.
Stalk-cutting is a process whereby the leaves of the tobacco plant are left on the stalk, which is cut below the leaves and left in the sun for a bit before being hung up in a warehouse prior to aging. During this time, the leaves remain on the stalk, continuing to absorb its nutrients, which produces the aforementioned traits that make these types of leaves a valuable commodity among cigar makers.
Only the top veteran tercedors (rollers) at Drew Estate’s Gran Fabrica cigar factory in Estelí, Nicaragua are allowed to assemble the Liga Privada T52 sticks, in low quantities per day. The T52s are then sold exclusively through select outlets.
The Liga Privada T52 Robusto offers impeccable construction, a full draw and an even burn, with a full body and full strength. Attractively dark, with a deep reddish tone, the T52 Robusto generates woody, leathery notes of coffee beans and dried fruit, including orange peel.
Simply put, the Liga Privada T52 Robusto is one of the highest-rated and most acclaimed smokes in the T52 line. If it happens to be in stock, don’t wait to order a box, because it’s impossible to predict, given the great demand for these sticks, when they’ll be available again.