Liga Privada - T52 - Robusto

Liga Privada - T52

I'll try and keep this short because this cigar is so damn good that it doesn't need a lot of explanation.  The processes that go in to making this product are note-worthy, so I will explain them.  In short, go smoke this cigar now!  I love Liga Privada cigars and have never been disappointed by one of their products.  It amazes me they've never found a place on Cigar Aficianado's Top 25 list.  Furthering my belief that the list is crap.  Maybe the editors are too busy drinking Scotch blended by magical wizards on the peak of Mt. Everest or smoking $1000 Cubans hand-rolled by Fidel Castro to have heard Liga Privada; or maybe they've got a beef with Drew Estate's President, Steve Saka  being a contributing-editor to a competing publication.  Just a thought.
I've always enjoyed the T52 and have smoked a number of them.  But honestly I never differentiated them too much from the #9.  You can see my #9 review HERE (#9).  But when I realized I still hadn't reviewed the T52 I decided to sit down with one and really give it some thought.

To give you a quick background on some things that make the T52 a unique stick, I have to include the fact that Liga Privada uses 'stalk-cut' tobacco for the wrapper leaf.  Stalk cut is a process by which the tobacco leaf is not cut off of the stalk at harvest, rather the entire plant is cut at the base and hung upside down during early stages of curing and fermentation. 
Damn good cigar
To my knowledge, Liga Privada is the onlyu company doing this as it is expensive.  Not only is the American Habano used for the wrapper leaf an expensive crop, but because you cut the plant at the stalk, you lose much of the lower primings (levels) of the plant due to immaturity.
The idea is that the leaves collected will take on more nutrients left in the withering stalk and result in some unique characteristics.  Having no known stalk-cut cigars to compare the T52 to, I'm going to say it worked because this thing is insanely delicious.
The cigar is a carefully selected blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican tobacco; bound by Brazilian Mata Fina and wrapped up with the 'stalk-cut' American Habano I explained before.  At 5" X 52 ring gauge, this is a chunky Robusto.

With that mentioned, go smoke one.  This Robusto was one of the best cigars I've smoked in a while.  I enjoyed every second of the smoke.  The burn was impeccable, the flavors rich, complex and savory.  I considered the T52 a bolder twin brother of the #9, but with careful thought I realize the qualities that make the T52 a cigar all its own.  While the #9 has a lot of chocolate, coffee and sweet, creamy flavors; the T52 leans toward the earthy, hay, mild spice,cinnamon - all the while maintaining rich, creamy texture.
The cigar's construction was amazing and it smoked like a champ.  Its full bodied and full flavored, all without smacking you in the face.  A great cigar after a big meal.  Or anytime for that matter.

Overall - A+