Drew Estates' Liga Privada Unico Serie UF-4 Review

Cigar: Liga Privada Unico Serie “UF-4”
Size: 6 x 52
Filler: Nicaraguan
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Wrapper: Connecticut Valley Stalk Cut and Cured Sun Grown Habano
Price: $13 each
Individual Weight: 16.77g
Press Release: “Stronger than the T-52, as it has more Ligero leaf within than the T-52” – Top Quality Cigars

Pre-Light: This is a cigar that I’ve wanted to try since first hearing about it last year. Knowing what little information is out about the Liga Privada UF-4 is what is driving my need to smoke this one. Originally dubbed the JD-4, after Jonathan Drew, the UF-4 features extra leafs of Ligero amping up the flavor, strength, and body of this Drew Estate offering. Coming only in a Toro size, the UF-4 we received for review is absolutely flawless in construction. The wrapper is as oily as I’ve ever seen, with the only being being extremely minimal in size. The triple-cap head is evenly applied, and the foot shows dense folds of tobacco tucked inside a plantation-grown Brazilian Mata Fina binder. A pre-light draw presents sweet flavors, starchy in nature similar to the taste of a raw potato, with a bit of sugar on it. Tobacco flavors then come through the back of the sinuses to remind you that it’s a cigar, not food you’re tasting.

1/3rd: I’m instantly inundated with unforeseen spice in the back of the throat. There hasn’t been a cigar I’ve smoked in recent memory that instantly peppers my tongue with flakes of cayenne pepper quite as much as the first few puffs off this UF-4 has. The spice lingers for about 15 seconds before being washed away by a wave of cedar that seems to be crested in leather. Big flavors on this bad boy, that’s for sure. Heavy leather taste starts overtaking the spice as the cherry gets up to temp an inch into the cigar. Dabs of dry cocoa pop out, but are quickly overtaken by the cedar notes that seem to linger on the palette for minutes after puffing. As I near the final bit of the first third, the cedar notes change and develop a bit into a more hickory flavor, as it starts to pepper the sinus a bit with a very dry woodiness.

½ Way: A bit of dark chocolate greets me at the halfway point, draped in the Liga’s usual wooded cape, begging to be tasted. The oils seem to be rolling from the cherry on the wrapper, drenching the bit of tobacco to be burned next in a wash of terpines and flavinoids. The woodiness continues to dominate the majority of the second third of the UF-4, with minor changes in background and finish flavors. Near the end of the second third, I notice a slight hint of marshmallow flavor, but not its sweetness. Earthy notes also come into the fold here nearing the beginning of the final bit of cigar. Mineral notes and a slight clayishness seem to intensify an already amazing set of flavors.

Final 3rd: Just after removing the band, I start to feel the effects of that extra Ligero leaf. Beads of sweat start to build on my brow and nose, and my eyes start to get a bit droopier than normal. The strength on this cigar is what I would call full, with the body being extra-full. The smoke itself is lighter in nature than other cigars offer, but the sheer volume of smoke that this cigar puts off keeps this UF-4 on par with the strongest cigars in the market. The flavors are extremely sharp and in your face with this stick, with it having all the character of the L40 Lancero, but with extra boldness and spice added to up the ante. The smoke has become thick and almost meaty in texture by this point. I’m finding myself struggling to finish this cigar due to the sheer strength of it keeping me from picking arms up to grab it from the desk.

Final Thoughts: The Liga Privada UF-4 seemed to burn for hours on end. I can’t exactly remember when I sparked this one, but I know it was over two hours ago. The flavors of the UF-4 are extremely lucid and bold, keeping the smoker interested throughout the cigar. The aromas are also just as nuanced and tactile, as people in the room with me mention how good this cigar smells. Having experienced just one of these cigars so far, I can say without a doubt that if you are planning on smoking one of these UF-4s, you definitely want to eat a full lunch or dinner prior to lighting one up. The nicotine in this cigar is no joke, and with the flavors lingering on the palette nearly as long as the nicotine keeps you sedated, you will probably want to keep a glass of cold water nearby as well (along with a sugar packet or two). Just when I thought that the Liga Privada line couldn’t get much bolder, they hit me with this, the most powerful Liga Privada to date, the UF-4.


A+ is the final grade.



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