Agile Cigar Review: Liga Privada No. 9 Petit Corona by Drew Estate

Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Liga Privada No. 9 Petit Corona by Drew Estate. This is a cigar line we have assessed several times before, most recently back in February 2016 in the Box Pressed Lounge Exclusive size.

Wrapper: Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf Oscuro Wrapper
Binder: Plantation grown Brazilian Mata Fina Binder
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Petit Corona: 4 1/2 x 46

In 2018 Drew Estate commemorated ten years of its Liga Privada brand. The brand was front and center on what Drew Estate brought to the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show. Most of the attention surrounded the Liga Privada 10 Year Aniversario and Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo releases. At the same time, the current core Liga Privada lines also had some new offerings. In particular, Liga Privada No. 9 and Liga Privada T52 lines received three new sizes: Petite Corona (4 1/4 x 46), Short Panatela (4 1/2 x 40), and Corona Viva (6 x 46). These sizes are among the shortest and thinnest offerings in the No. 9 and T52 lineup to date. Today, we take a closer look at the Liga Privada No. 9 in the Petit Corona size.

Liga Privada No. 9 was the first offering for Drew Estate under the Liga Privada brand. The blend consists of a Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf Oscuro Wrapper, a Brazilian Mata Fina Binder along with a combination of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. The cigar is produced at the La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate factory in Nicaragua.

The Liga Privada No. 9 Petit Corona started out with notes of smooth mocha, earth, and black pepper. Then during the early stages, the mocha notes developed a richness. As the cigar experience progressed, the cigar developed a more rugged profile. The mocha notes transitioned to coffee and then earth notes. As the mocha sweetness diminished, it was replaced by a dark cherry note which still imparted some sweetness. The black pepper was omnipresent on both the tongue and retro-hale.

The Liga Privada No. 9 Petit Corona might be a small cigar, but it’s quite a bold one. It’s a cigar that is full-bodied from start to finish and countered by medium to full strength.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

Back when I smoked an unreleased size of the Liga Privada No. 9 in the Pequeno, I found it smoked very good in that short, thinner ring gauge format. Now with my experiences with the Petit Corona (and Short Panatela) blends, I have had a similar experience. It’s quite ironic because when it comes to the No.9’s sibling the T52 I find it has smoked better in the larger ring gauges. The Liga Privada No. 9 Petit Corona is a small cigar, but its a bold and flavorful one. It’s a cigar I’d steer to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. It is one that I would smoke again – and it garners box worthy consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Mocha, Coffee, Earth, Black Pepper, Dark Cherry
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Plus
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Full
Finish: Very Good