Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Drew Estate, Halfwheel, and Cigar Aficionado websites)
For the first time since 2009, a new blend is being added to Drew Estate’s immensely popular Liga Privada family, and for now it will come in only one size.
Patience and a never-ending drive to craft the world’s most exceptional cigars are deeply rooted in the 10 year history of Liga Privada. Maintaining the core tenants of the Liga firebrand, the H99 features a Corojo capa from the heart of the Connecticut River Valley, where we grow the mighty leaf that graces Liga Privada with a San Andres Otapan Negro Último Corte capote over a core blend of well-aged Nicaraguan and Honduran tripa leaf. The marked contrast between naturally sweet tobacco spice with dense earthy layers produces a luxuriously rich smoke that fully reveals itself in an epic finish.
From the Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew, President and Founder of Drew Estate, “Following the revolution in Cuba, the Corojo seed took roots in Florida, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Growing Corojo in new climates produced mixed results and much heartache for those who chose to grow it. By creating hybrids of Corojo the leaf was reborn keeping all of its spice and potency intact. Hibrido or Hybridization is a farm-level process utilized for decades to create tobacco that is disease resistant, but also to display the qualities of an unmatched capa.”
From Little Havana, Miami, Willy Herrera Master Blender, “We started the process of fermenting Connecticut Corojo alongside Connecticut Criollo tobacco at the factory. The factory team and I conjured up numerous blends but ultimately, we selected the blend featuring the Otapan Negro Ultimo Corte capote for its spiciness that pairs with the sweetness of corojo. Our job now is to continue working with the farmers to increase the wrapper yield with each harvest year over year. It’s been long hours preparing for the national release. This leaf is unique.”
Drew Estate has said that it planned on additional H99 vitolas.Currently, the H99 is only offered in a single 6 x 52 toro vitola.
The cigar is a dark brown and has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a nice citrus/cedar, citrus peel, sprinklings of cinnamon, dry nutmeg, a little leather and a little black coffee base. There was nice black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice start.
At the first third (30 minutes) there was a small amount of citrus/cedar, brown sugar, toffee, light leather, and a light black coffee base. There are a lot of sweet notes. I did not have the citrus peel any more. The cigar has a very good sweetness. The finish is a heavy brown sugar and toffee with average lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied leaning heavily toward medium to full. The flavor notes align with my palate. I rated the first third 95.
As I moved through the second third (1 hour) the black coffee, which had been light previously, has really risen. Even the leather is a little more noticeable. I still had the citrus/cedar sweetness and lower levels of toffee and brown sugar. The black pepper seems to have moved up. The cigar is now full bodied. This is one of those cigars that have what I term, a sneak ligero. It doesn't taste overly full bodied but you can really feel the ligero. The finish is a nutmeg and toffee combination with improved lingering black pepper. The sweeter notes seem to have suffered by the elevated black coffee. I rated the second third 93.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 25 minutes. In the final third I lost the citrus/cedar but had nice amounts of brown sugar. There was also some toffee, light leather, and nutmeg. There was quite a bit of elevated black coffee. The cigar is very full bodied. Again, it has a sneaky ligero. The finish is toffee and a little nutmeg with decent lingering black pepper. The cigar went through some transitions. I really liked the citrus/cedar notes. I rated the final third 91. Overall a pretty good cigar.
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