Today, we’re featuring the Liga Privada H99 Super Ancho, a 6 x 60 cigar from the Drew Estate H99 Connecticut Corojo line. It was first introduced in 2023 at events for retailers in the Drew Diplomat program. The H99 line debuted in 2018 at the IPCPR Trade Show as part of Liga Privada’s tenth anniversary. As a part of the milestone, the company unveiled Connecticut-grown Corojo and Criollo releases with the Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo and Liga Privada 10 Year Aniversario releases. Connecticut is not known for growing Corojo and Criollo tobacco, so these releases were considered to be groundbreaking. These releases were also extremely limited due to the yield of the tobacco. Over the past two years,  both the H99 and Liga 10 releases have now seen more availability as well as additional sizes. As for the Super Ancho size we are looking at today, it’s the first time a 6 x 60 has been released under the Liga Privada brand.

Liga Privada H99 Super Ancho by Drew Estate – Agile Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Corojo is a seed that is difficult to grow and get tobacco yields from because it is susceptible to disease. As a result, hybrid seeds are often used to produce it. This was the case with the Liga Privada H99, where a hybrid seed was created from both a Connecticut Corojo leaf and a Connecticut-grown Stalk Cut Habano leaf.  The remainder of the blend uses a San Andres binder and a combination of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Pennsylvania tobacco.

  • Wrapper: Connecticut Corojo
  • Binder: San Andres Otapan
  • Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania
  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
  • Super Ancho: 6 x 60

PERFORMANCE

The H99 Super Ancho opened up with classic wood notes, baker’s spice, cherry sweetness, cream, and black pepper. Early on, the cherry and cream notes moved to the forefront. The black pepper was present on the retro-hale and the finish of the cigar. As the cigar moved through the first third, notes of earth emerged. By the second third, the earth joined the cherry and cream notes in the forefront. The cream notes receded from the forefront during the second third. The second third saw a gradual increase in the black pepper on the tongue. By the final third, the cherry and earth notes remained primary, with the pepper notes a close secondary note. There were also some residual wood notes remaining.

The flavors delivered by the H99 Super Ancho started out medium to full-bodied and progressed to full-bodied by the second half. As for the strength, it also started out medium to full, and while it increased slightly, it never got out of the medium to full range. Meanwhile, the H99 Super Ancho required frequent touch-ups to maintain a straight burn line and straight burn path. The touch-ups did the trick, but the cigar required more than I prefer. The draw was flawless, as it had a touch of resistance – something that I like.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The last time I assessed an H99 blend was the 2022 event edition of the blend, the Phineas Gage lancero – and I was quite impressed. Since I really enjoy a good 60-ring gauge, I was quite excited about the Super Ancho. The Super Ancho delivered an outstanding smoking experience for the most part. The burn wasn’t quite up to the level of the Phineas Gage, but otherwise, the performance was quite good. If you wondered whether or not Drew Estate could deliver a 60-ring gauge Liga Privada, the answer is yes. The H99 Super Ancho is a bolder blend, so I’d recommend it to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar (if available) I would buy and smoke again.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cherry, Earth, Baker’s Spice, Wood, Cream, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw:  Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full (1st Half), Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Buy One
Score: 89

REFERENCES

Previous Assessment: Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo Phineas Gage
News: Drew Estate Announces Details Around Liga Privada H99 Super Ancho
Price: $21.14
Source: Drew Estate
Brand Reference: Liga Privada

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop

Note: Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments using a lightweight, shorter format. They 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, or it might be a blend we are looking at in a different size.