Liga Privada T52 Staff Review
Liga Privada T52 is blended and produced by the folks at Drew Estate in Nicaragua, and it’s been one of the company’s bestselling non-infused cigars alongside Liga Privada No. 9. I’m smoking the 6-by-52 Belicoso in the T52 for today’s review.
The story goes that Drew Estate brand founder Jonathan Drew discovered an unusual crop of Cuban-seed wrapper from a tobacco farmer in the Connecticut River Valley back in 2006. This oily, reddish-brown leaf caught his attention, and after purchasing the crop, they began tweaking their popular Liga Privada No. 9 blend to create the cigar that became T52. Under the wrapper is a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and long-filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras.
Liga Privada T52 cigars come in cabinet-style boxes of 25 cigars bound in a wheel by a ribbon over a thin sheet of cedar. When I crack open a fresh box to pick out the Belicoso I’m smoking, a strong aroma of leather, cedar, and earth permeates my nose. Because the cigars are not individually wrapped in cellophane sleeves, they give off a pungent cold aroma that carries through in the cold draw after I clip the cap with my V-cutter and take a few puffs before lighting up. I prefer a V-cut on a Belicoso or Torpedo-shaped cigar because the blade permits deeper access in the draw without chopping off the tapered portion of the head.
Leathery notes of pine, herbs, and dark-roast coffee combine with a potent spice in the first few minutes of Liga Privada T52 after I’ve fully toasted the foot of the Belicoso. Notes of pepper and wood dominate the cigar’s profile throughout the first quarter while a tangy sweetness lingers around the edges. I’m glad I ate before smoking today. The T52 is hefty and shouldn’t be smoked fast or on an empty stomach. A stable light-gray ash develops, but the burn falters a few times in the first twenty minutes, requiring me to perform a few touch-ups with my torch lighter.
As the second half of Liga Privada T52 gets underway, the cigar’s tangy undertones are more apparent. Savory notes of hickory and syrup come together to create a rum barrel quality that balances the Belicoso’s robust spices. Meaty notes of nuts and coffee bean come into play as the cigar intensifies in the final third. The draw is sufficient despite having to fix an uneven burn a few times. The T52 also pumps a phenomenal amount of smoke into the air. Its big room note overwhelms my office at times, even when I’m pausing in between draws.
I’ve had the band off for a solid fifteen minutes by the time I’m indulging in the nub. I’ll get over an hour out of the Belicoso. Liga Privada T52 finishes with a strong profile of sweet wood and pepper with a touch of anise in the aftertaste. I’m impressed by the cigar’s complexity but moderately disappointed in its performance. A medium to full-bodied finish lingers over my palate considerably after the cigar has expired.
Liga Privada T52 cigars hover in the vicinity of $20 apiece. They’re not always easy to find because there is strong demand for the brand, and the tobacco that goes into them comes from several different sources. For the price and the fanfare, I expect a more consistent performance with a flawless burn from start to finish, but the T52 isn’t a bad smoke. I’m settling on a respectable 85-point score for the Belicoso. Add a few to your next order and let me know how much you enjoy them.
