It has taken a little while, but recently I was able to cross Drew Estate’s Liga Privada Unico Serie L40 off my shopping list. (Provided I don’t smoke all of them for this review.) I thought about setting these aside for a while and letting them rest before reviewing, but then I decided we’ve waited long enough already. And the last thing I want to see is a Genghis Cruz video of them now that an L40 Tower of Burn is in sight.
The L40’s background has been covered at length all over the cigar interwebs, so we’ll just touch on the basics here. (For the official in-depth scoop, check out the L40 Spec Sheet on the Drew Estate Blog. You’ll see where the ornate wrapper, binder and filler descriptions below come from.) The name, L40 is an abbreviation of the size’s name, “lancero” and its ring gauge. It is also an acknowledgement that the cigar exceeds the traditional 38 ring gauge girth of a lancero. The additional size was needed to house the five tobaccos required to give the L40 the flavor profile desired.
If you have the good fortune to find them at your preferred puro provider, the L40 will be in boxes of 15, running somewhere around $13 per stick, plus applicable taxes. And that about does it, let’s smoke the skinny thing already.
Cigar Stats:
Size: 7 (177mm) x 40
Wrapper: CT River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano Leaf
Binder: Plantation-Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: 3 “Extra-Choice” Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Smoking Time: 2 hours
Beverage: Water
Source: Purchased by reviewer
Price: MSRP $13.00
The Pre-Smoke
When I got a closer look at the L40, I noticed it wasn’t quite as uniform in appearance as some of the other Liga Privadas I’ve seen. The wrapper had oily, toothy, veiny and rustic look to it that seemed somehow appropriate, and dispels any notion of aftermarket cosmetic improvements. The cigars were also heavier than they look, feeling firm and consistent. I didn’t pick up much of an aroma off the wrapper, faint compost and cedar, but the cold taste had an enticing chocolate, molasses and earth flavor. In short, the cigars looked like they had character, not flaws.
The Burn
Generally speaking, the L40 performed well in the burn department. Solid, white ashes, even burn lines, good draw and few, if any, touch ups or relights were required. I did have an issue with wrapper cracking in the first third of one cigar, but once past the problem area, the other two thirds smoked just fine. As it was just one case, and considering that I was nearly smoking these right off the truck (and it has been very cold and dry here in Atlanta), it seems fair to give it a pass.
The Flavor
In the first few puffs there was a great savory, aromatic quality to the profile, which consisted of meaty, earthy and chocolate flavors. As the cigar warmed up, the an the dominant earth component developed a pleasant lingering creaminess. At points I picked up pepper, a little char and subtle sweetness.
Creamy earth continued into the second third, and at times it had a bit of a gritty or dusty mouth feel. The profile seemed to get creamier along the way and a little sweeter. Coffee and milk chocolate made appearances, and I noticed a growth in spice.
The L40 was spicier, more savory and meatier toward the end, but the earthiness didn’t going anywhere. As expected, it was the consistent thread that tied the cigar together. There was a sweetness to the spice that I particularly enjoyed as the cigar burned to its conclusion.
The Price
The price seems to be in line with all things Liga Privada and I didn’t have any problem laying my money down.
The Verdict
I love just about everything about the L40. I love the flavor, I love the size, I love the look, and I’ve even come to enjoy the river of smoke that pours off the foot while it burns. (You never have to wonder if the cigar has gone out or not.) I don’t even mind the price, which is at the top end of what I’d ordinarily pay for a cigar. The only thing I can think of that I don’t like about the L40 is the difficulty in finding them. If you enjoy Drew Estate’s other Liga Privada offerings, and you like small ring gauges, this is a cigar you should try. If not, please leave them for those of us who do.
Liked It: Yes, box-worthy
Buy It Again: Yes
Recommend It: Yes
Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn. (Featuring the Liga Privada River of Smoke!)
Very nice…Love the size.
How about you run a contest like Charlie and give some away?
But to be different make only UK residents eligible? (that’s me if I’m being too subtle).
Cheers (Do you want my address?)
Excellent stick and great review!
Love the Tower of burn great shots. I have heard great things about this stick, I haven’t had much time spent with the Liga lines but the small amount of samplings I have had they were great. I would love to get my hands on a couple of these. I’ll be on the look out
I gotta get me some of these.
This is easily one of the best cigars I have had the privilege to smoke so far this year! Another was the 262 Paradigm Lancero. This might just be the year of the lancero!
The liga line itself is just astonishing. All of them are good. Pricey to someone who spends 5-9$ per stick but I get them monthly just to treat myself when I’m not in the mood to try something new.
At first I thought those sticks looked a little light in the first picture. Good review I hope I can get my hands on a few!
nice review, i hope to get a hold of these soon i love every other Liga Privada ive tried
Good review as always, good photos as always, like you mentioned, if you can find them,and a little pricey, but some thing to indulge in once in a while.
Nice review Brian. I was afraid to try these because the only liga I had that I didn’t like was the dirty rat. Tasted ok, but coulda had a better profile, no finess (and 12 bucks for a corona I better be getting some complexity, not just an ok strong cigar).
I was afraid drew estate just couldn’t handle a small ring gauge. I’m definitely going to check these out now.
Great review! I’ve only had one (a pre-release), but it was fantastic. Haven’t been able to find a box, but I’m not going to stop looking.
I have yet to try the L40 but the FFP is amazing!
Great review! I have yet been unable to find any of these, but want to score some badly. How does the smaller ring gauge affect the flavor as compared to the other Ligas? And have you tried a Dirty Rat? If so, how does the L40 compare?
I was fortunate to pick up 5 LP Feral Pigs a few weeks ago, but they are resting in the humidor now. It’s been hard resisting the urge to light one up.
Been looking for awhile, finally a botl came through for me. Should be getting this week. Beyond excited. I rarely spend more than $4-5/cigar so this is way up there. I’ve had the undercrown but have yet to smoke any of the liga privaasas