Liga Privada - Dirty Rat

Liga Privada - Dirty Rat - HOOOOO-F'IN  RAY!!!! That is what I said and how I felt when I saw a Dirty Rat on the shelf at my favorite Cigar Shop.  I'm a huge Liga Privada fan and have been waiting to get my hands on one of these for months.  The No. 9, The T-52, The Flying Pig have all been winners in my book.  So, while I enter this smoke and review a tad biased, I also enter it with high expectations.  I guess that balances things out.

The Tale of the tape:
Size - 5" X 44 Ring Gauge
Wrapper - Stalk Cut - Sungrown Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder - Brazilian Mata Fina grown by J. Fuego
Filler - A mixture of 5 different Nicaraguan and Honduran leaves

On to the Review - click below


Initial Thoughts -
Amazing construction, topped off with a nice pig tail cap.  Not a flaw on the wrapper leaf, but it has all the rugged beauty you expect from a sungrown leaf.  The cigar has a thick sheen of oil and the hue of a roasted coffee bean. 
The cigar puts off a fresh, sweet aroma - and the thick scent foreshadows the power of tobacco.  The prelight draw is smooth and has a desirable amount of resistance to it.

Smoking it -
The cigar is everything I hoped it would be!  Delicious, slow burning and thoroughly enjoyable.  I know I'm being a bit of a fan-boy on this cigar, but if you like any of Liga's stuff, you've got to smoke one of these.  The cigar definitely shares alot of the flavors and aromas of it's older brothers (No.9 and T52) - but the smaller ring gauge packs the flavor and keeps you satisfied.

If blindfolded and told to determine the smoke between the No.9, T52 and the Dirty Rat, I would be hard-pressed to have the right answers.  But, while they share a similar flavor profile, this cigar is a unique experience.  I'll list a few of the flavors I catch through the smoke: fresh-roasted coffee, dark chocolate, raw honey, a variety of earthy and woody notes.  That is just the beginning.  This cigar, while not the biggest cigar, has variety, evolution and complexity. 

Overall -
I couldn't be happier with the Dirty Rat.  Admittedly, this review is based on a cigar I smoked today, but I've smoked a few of these over the past few weeks and absolutely love them.  The cigar is a little pricey, $13 a stick off the shelf - but this is a cigar I feel comfortable buying at that price (the same with all Liga's products).  I wish these were $5 a pop (they are worth much more), but I also with I woke up in mansion with millions of dollars every morning too.

Steve Saka's vision for Liga Privada as a brand has come to fruition.  In my opinion, their cigars are top class and deserve to be mentioned with the likes of the Padron Anniversary Series and other premium brands.  It is a shocker that Cigar Aficianado has yet to list one of these on their Top Cigars list.  But then again, those lists are a little suspect.

Grade - A+
If this cigar were a woman it would easily be a Victoria's Secret model - but it wouldn't marry Tom Brady, because it would be too cool for that shit.