[caption id="attachment_267" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Liga Undercrown at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

The much-anticipated Liga Undercrown cigars by Drew Estate debuted in September, 2011 all across the country.  Co-founder, Jonathan Drew describes the Liga Undercrown cigars as an "inverse Liga Privada."  The Liga Undercrown cigar is blended with several of the same tobaccos found in Drew Estate's Liga Privada No. 9 cigar and the T52 lines but with a twist.

The story behind the Liga Undercrown cigars goes like this… The torcedores at the Drew Estate cigar factory were smoking far too many Liga Privadas so they decided to blend the Liga Undercrown line for their personal use after they were asked to stop smoking their way through the Liga Privada inventory.  Instead of using the short supply of Connecticut wrapper used on the Liga Privada blend, the rollers decided on an equally oily and dark Mexican San Andreas Negro wrapper for the Liga Undercrown cigar. The torcedores took an extra step and inverted the Liga Undercrown cigar's binder and filler tobaccos using the same leaf in a Liga Privada blend but from different vintages and primings from the plant.  As an example, the Connecticut used as a wrapper in the Liga Privada T52 cigar is the binder in the Liga Undercrown blend.

The wrappers on the Liga Undercrown cigars are not harvested right away, instead they delayed the process by 4 weeks allowing the natural sugar content to be higher which results in a richer and creamier flavor on the finished product.  Along with the Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan longfillers, the T52 Connecticut stalk cut and cured Habano binder the Liga Undercrown  cigar delivers a medium to full-bodied, complex, smooth and sweet smoking experience with hints of coffee and spice.  We have great faith in Drew Estates's rollers, and if they approve, we approve too! Try a Liga Undercrown cigar in one of the 5 sizes available (2 more sizes to be added soon) at My Discount Cigar today and see what the buzz is all about.

Liga Undercrown cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read a great review on the Liga Undercrown Belicoso cigar at PUFF.com.

For more information on other Drew Estate cigars and products visit them at DrewEstate.com.

CIGAR REVIEW OF LIGA UNDERCROWN BELICOSO BY SETH'S HUMIDOR

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Negro Maduro
Binder: Connecticut River Valley
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

It is safe to say that the Liga Privada lines/brand are one of the most popular brands on the market. I remember when it was first released in 2007, and it was still a low profile cigar on the market. In fact, I remember in 2008 when I was up in Bethlehem, PA at Cigars International and the No. 9 was still no where near as popular as it is now. I believe I had my first No. 9 in the Cigars International Super Store while taking with Marvin Samel about the SCHIP tax, great guy by the way! Throughout the years, the Liga Privada lines have become comparable to Fuente Fuente Opus X in the fact that you can never really get them, and when retailers get the cigars in, they are gone as soon as they got there.

With the growing popularity of the Liga Privada lines, Drew Estate asked their most skilled torcedores who rolled the Liga Privada lines to cut back on their smoking of them. As we can all imagine, they got upset, and instead of them enjoying their Liga smokes, they began rolling their own line, the Liga Undercrown Cigars line. The Liga Undercrown cigars were composed of most of the same tobaccos, but were made with tobacco that was of lower primings, and different vintages. The Liga Undercrown cigar became so well known and popular that Drew Estate decided to produce the cigar for all of us cigar smokers and still give the credit to their torcedores. The Liga Undercrown cigar has had lots of publicity in the media since it was first announced, and I am hoping the cigar lives up to those comments.

The Liga Undercrown line is very similar to the other Liga blends in the fact that the cigar is made with extremely limited and rare tobacco, offering the possibility for a great cigar. The wrapper to the cigar comes from Mexico and is a unique strain of San Andreas Negro maduro seed grown exclusively for Drew Estate. The harvest is intentionally delayed by several weeks to allow for additional field and sun time resulting in a higher natural sugar content and a richer, creamier flavor. The leaf is called Otapan Negro Último Corte. Otapan is the name of the vega, farm, in which the tobacco is grown, and Último Corte is Spanish for last cut, and is a reference for the delayed harvesting in which the tobacco is cut. The binder is the same wrapper that is used on the T52, and is a Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut that is cured Habano. With all that great tobacco listed so far, we now look at the filler which is composed of selected Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed tobacco.

The Liga Undercrown cigar is beautiful to look at, and I love the packaging. To begin with, I love the band and logo of this cigar. The lions/dragon head with the upside down crown underneath is awesome, and is one of the coolest bands in the cigar market right now. Now the Liga Undercrown cigar itself is also gorgeous, and the wrapper has a really dark brown almost black color to it, Maduro almost Oscuro. There are some veins throughout the cigar, and it is also toothy to touch. Holding the Liga Undercrown cigar to my nose I pick up wonderful aromas of dark cherries, chocolate, wood and anise. For this review I smoked several of the Belicoso vitola formats which measures 6" and have a 52 ring gauge.

The Liga Undercrown Belicoso was a wonderful cigar, and I will say that I was very surprised every time I lit this stick up. The cigar was packed with wonderful flavors throughout the smoke, smoked wonderfully, and was always at a constant medium strength the whole way through. I will say that I think this is the most consistent cigar of theirs I have had, and it was one of the best made cigars I have had as well. I love that this cigar was very complex with its flavors. The cigar didn't change character dramatically a lot, but what it did do was constantly provided you with tons of flavors making you have to really take your time and analyze the smoke. I think this line is going to be very popular, and deservedly so. The pricing is perfect on this cigar, and everything about it yells quality! My only concern with this cigar is that it might some day turn into the rest of the Liga Privada lines and become very limited, but if that does not happen this will be an amazing cigar all the time. I look forward to trying all the other sizes, and also look forward to reviewing it again in a couple months. I am giving the Liga Undercrown Belicoso cigar a 93 and I love the Mexican San Andres wrapper on this cigar. Great job Drew Estate, continue your great work!

Thank you for the indepth review Seth!!!

My Father cigars will take you by surprise from your first puff till you nub it! The My Father cigar is blended by Jaime Garcia, who is the son of Don Jose Pepin Garcia, in their factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. It was Jaime's way of paying tribute to his legendary father. At first Jaime kept it a secret, but eventually Jose discovered it and fell in love with his son's blend. In his blend of the My Father cigar, Jaime uses Nicaraguan long-fillers (grown from Cuban seed in Esteli) and an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado/Criollo hybrid wrapper.  There is a second blend where they use a Habano Oscuro wrapper and that line is called the My Father Le Bijou 1922 (available in 3 sizes).

The My Father cigars are available in 8 sizes.  The My Father cigars are packaged in an elaborate wooden box, with beautiful bands, a light chocolate brown satiny wrapper (with just a few veins) and their popular triple-caps. The blend combines the ultimate of Nicaragua with a twist of old-world Havana. My Father cigar is a very well constructed cigar and is well-balanced to boot.  The distinct creamy wood notes of the My Father cigars are rounded out by hints of leather and pepper with a long finish. The smoke is robust, velvety and complex. The My Father cigar is a firm cigar with a tight ash and you can actually see the layers of tobacco its constructed with as you smoke through this beauty. My Father cigars will leave your palate satiated with their medium-to-full-bodied rich, floral, woody undertones, earthiness and satisfying creamy sweetness. There is a distinct spice to the finish but it tapers off progressively to a creamy and nutty smoothness toward the 2nd half of the cigar.

If you love his father's blends, just wait till you take a puff of Jaime's My Father cigars! The My Father cigars, as well as the My Father Le Bijou blend, are classy and pleasing from start to end and are definitely a must-have addition to anyone's smoking repertoire. The My Father No. 3 Cremas were voted 2009's "Best Cigar of the Year" by Cigar Aficionado with a rating of 94!

My Father cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read more about My Father cigars  at www.myfathercigars.com.

Cigar Review of the My Father Cigar Limited Edition 2010 by Smoking Hot Cigar Chick

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Flavor: Medium to Full

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado

Binder: Nicaragua Filler:Nicaragua

Size: 6 1/2 x 52

Quantity: 12

I had the pleasure of tasting a very special cigar with limited availability- the My Father Limited Edition 2010. I want to thank Jose Ortega for giving me this cigar for review. I knew I wanted to enjoy it on a day that would be important to me, and that I definitely did. We often discuss "special occasions" but this was an important day of reflection for me and I wanted a cigar that would represent it well.

The My Father Limited Edition is particularly special in that the bunching is done by Jaime Garcia and the rolling and wrapper is placed by Don Pepin Garcia. The production of the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar is limited to 2000 cigars (individually wrapped in their own coffin and numbered) and marks a great and important relationship between father and son. This is instantly seen in the construction of the cigar and enjoyed throughout the duration of the smoke.

There are five different types of seeds used to make the blend for the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar, and it should be noted that two leaves within this cigar are known as Pelo de Oro- hair of gold. This is a leaf that was banned in Cuba because of its tendency to produce blue mold, making this a difficult leaf to grow. Pepin took special time and care to growing this leaf and though he has used it in the past, it can be seen here in this cigar for what is my understanding, the last time.

The construction really stands out in the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar as you smoke, and the burn is a slow and even one. For me this was a solid medium bodied cigar with maybe a bit more strength in the finish- but still in my mind in the medium bodied style. The balance is wonderful and something to be appreciated. The flavors were all there as if to tell a story- nothing overpowered or masked the others. I tasted many woodsy notes throughout the cigar, primarily cedar, and a subtle sweetness. There were some earth and peppery notes, pepper especially in the beginning which would make an appearance only as necessary throughout the rest of the smoke. It didn't stay or distract the palate from enjoying the other flavor characteristics going on.

The My Father Limited Edition 2010 is a cigar I look forward to enjoying again (I have had to fortune of finding a box at a local shop and saving some for another special day). I like to make occasions out of every day.. some stand out more than others but there is always something to take the time to pause and appreciate what is important to you. For those who asked, the restaurant location that closed was the Pappas Grill just off of Highway 59 near the Beltway. It was a happy/angry night... happy to enjoy the moment but angry to see it go. The staff all still have employment in the company but all at different locations. It was a night I certainly won't forget, nor will I forget the many happy experiences I have had there with my friends.

Thank you Teresa!!

A great short video featuring former Penthouse Pet Aria Giovanni instructing how to properly cut a hand rolled cigar. (My eyes are up here!)