Every now and then I come across a cigar that deserves a special shout out. Today, that is the Blanco Cigars Liga Exclusiva Family Reserva. The Liga Exclusiva is a beauty of a stick, from the velvet smooth Connecticut wrapper, the sweet tobacco aroma on the foot, to the fresh and vibrant band that adorns the cigar all wrapped in a cedar sheath with a bright green footer band. Underneath the Liga Exclusiva’s wrapper is a blend of 100% Nicaraguan tobacco that provides an impeccable smoking pleasure.
Blanco Cigars – Liga Exclusiva
The Liga Exclusiva is offered in 6 vitolas:
- Double Corona: 7×54
- Gran Toro: 6.2×60
- Robusto: 5×54
- Saloman: 6×54
- Toro: 6×54
- Torpedo: 6.5×54
I really like the band on this cigar, it is bright and fresh with green and orange colors along with red, gold, and black. It is very indicative of the fruit and tang you will experience in this gem of a cigar. After clipping the cap and taking a few dry draw puffs, the Liga Exclusiva offers a hint of some pepper and sweetness. The pepper lingers on my lips between puffs.
Blanco Cigars – Liga Exclusiva
I toasted the foot and I am greeted with a delightful cedar flavored smoke. The smoke is full and thick and an early nut aroma fills the air around me. The retro-hale has a slight sting, just enough to awaken the nasals. About an inch in, as the pepper fades, the smoke turns creamy and fruity with a delightful smoothness on the retro-hale. The ash is snowy white with just a bit of flake to it. I really like how the fruit lingers on the palate just enough to savor the flavor before the next puff. The burn is all but perfect so far with an excellent burn line and no dips or waves to it. There is a terrific volume of smoke being produced as the flavor moves towards a delicious almond nut. The ash is amazing, for a Connecticut wrapper, tight and white through two inches of burn.
The flavors are well-balanced as it burns through the 2nd third – dried fruit, almond, and a background of cedar. The Liga Exclusiva is a well constructed stick in all aspects of flavor, burn, and ash.
As it transitions into the final third, there is a resurgence of pepper the enters the profile, spicing up the already flavorful smoke.
Overall the Liga Exclusiva is a mild to medium strength cigar with a full body of smoke and excellent flavor. I would highly recommend this cigar for anyone looking for a morning or mid afternoon smoking experience. It would pair well with a Cafe Latte, aged Rum, or glass of Pinot Noir or a Chardonnay if you prefer a white wine instead of red.
I would like to thank Blanco Cigars for the samples they provided for this review. Did I mention what amazing construction went into this cigar.
