Cigar Info
Last year Drew Estate Released the Liga Privada Único Serie Ratzilla As DDRP Exclusive. The Liga Privada Único Serie Ratzilla was launched as a limited release to retailers participating in Drew Estate‘s Drew Diplomat Retailer Program.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The Ratzilla is one of the most sought-after blends in the Liga Privada Único Serie line and has only seen a handful of retail releases to date. The Ratzilla, presented in a 6 ¼ x 46 parejo vitola, is a favorite among collectors and this last launch marked the largest release to date.
From the Dominican Republic, Jonathan Drew stated, “There are many blends of diverse tobaccos that have been created throughout the years, which have never been sold nationally. Ratzilla, Velvet Rat, Piglets, Black Rat, Royale with Cheese, are just a few examples of hundreds that we have on file – to be used when the time is right, or to be left as relics of the past. The think tank energy at Drew Estate continues to evolve like killer bees around the hive.”
The Liga Privada Único Serie Ratzilla, produced at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua, features a Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Sun Grown Habano Wrapper, a Plantation Grown Brazilian Mata Fina Binder, and Nicaraguan and Honduran Fillers. The new batch of Ratzillas is available in 10-count boxes, emblazoned with the Único Serie branding. The MSRP for the 10-count boxes is $154.50, and the first shipments arrived August of 2015.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Length: 6.25″
Ring Gauge: 46
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Sun Grown Habano
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blender: Jonathan Drew
Number of reviewers: 5 —– Steve (ThaGreatWazoo) Kent (Throck) Eric (smalls29) Jeff (ExpendableYouth) Kevin S. (KBS1153)
Price: $15.45
Age: 5 Months
Release Date: August 2015
Contributed by: Drew Estate
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 95
“What a great cigar. Smooth, clean lines. Very nice dark brown oily wrapper. This cigar just looks amazing. The cap has a nice flattened tail. Very firm to the touch. Lets get it started.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
Aroma: 93
“The prelight reveals some earthy notes as well as cedar. Sure to be enhanced in the next stage!” –Kevin S. (KBS1153)
First Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Initially, the cigar is smooth and crisp from the first couple draws. There is a real nice chocolate forming with a sweet pepper finish. The retrohale is very calm and has some nice extra notes that round it out. Towards the end of the first third, a nice dark coffee flavor comes forward. Very dynamic smoke.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
“My first retrohale of the day and it delivered a punch full of flavors like the smell of coffee beans over a campfire. Very white ash at this point with a precise burn line. The draw is very good. About 1/2″ in and I am picking up nodes of oak over that same campfire! The ashes are solid. After letting the cigar rest for a few minutes it does not require a relight. In this first third I am also noting some sweetness. The complexity of the transition of this cigar is very good. Each flavor and aroma subsides so you may experience the other flavors.” –Kevin S. (KBS1153)
Second Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“The flavors continue to entice. The soft flavors of cedar and other sweet woods are very enjoyable. The peppery flavors are still present and making this a very enjoyable smoke. I like how the complexity has remained constant and not leave you wondering what you taste now. I am very much enjoying this cigar. My only gripe is that I cannot keep a good chimney. The ash falls away after about an inch. However, i do not feel it has hampered the burning.” -Eric (smalls29)
“The pepper is still pretty strong and upfront, but I can now pick up coffee, mineral, and tobacco notes as well. The construction has been spot on, and it has a clingy ash. The draw is really nice as well and has the perfect balance between resistance and smoke output.” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
Final Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“The final third is just as clean and impressive as the beginning of the cigar. The strength and complexity are dynamic. Still, coffee and leather are the forefront of the profile. Very rich profile with a clean smoke and retrohale. Amazing throughout.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
“The pepper was still present but it mellowed out a bit toward the end of the smoke. The coffee and pepper were still present, but I picked up a bit of semi-sweet chocolate. The construction was spot on until the end and the smoke output was spot on the entire time.” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 94
“Nice draw throughout the entire smoking period. It had a good amount of resistance and perfect smoke output.” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
Burn: 95
“Very good burn on this cigar. Clean lines and no needed touchups. The cigar burned perfectly and smoked like a freight-train. Amazing job.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
Construction: 95
“This cigar burned even throughout and transitioned awesomely with the flavors and aromas. If there was poor construction none of this would have transpired.” –Kevin S. (KBS1153)
Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Overall Experience: 94
“Hands down, this cigar was the best I have smoked for blind mans puff. Very solid build, great flavor profiles, and clean finish all combined to make this cigar extraordinary. The amount of smoke and amazing aromas coming off were enchanting. This cigar is a must smoke for anyone reading these reviews. Sit back and enjoy the nuances that are coming your way as the flavors send you down a slope of cigar smoking that will undoubtedly have you chasing this cigar down.” –Steve (ThaGreatWazoo)
“This cigar did not have a dynamic profile. It became fairly monotonous as it contained only one note during my entire smoke. I choose cigars to smoke based on complexity, and this on just did not hit that mark for me.” –Kent (Throck)
“Where do I start. The flavors of cedars and spices were very enjoyable. The tingle left on the palate and tongue were very enjoyable. The smoke enticed you to want more. I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. I would pair this with a dark beer or a red wine. I did not want it to end. For the length, I was a bit surprised at the time it took to smoke it. I thought it would have been longer. Very enjoyable and I would recommend this to my friends.” –Eric (smalls29)
“This was a solid medium-full body cigar. It had a nice balance of strength and flavor and a slight floral retro-hale that would pop in and out. I would pick up a few of these to have when I felt like having a stronger smoke. The nicotine level was a bit high toward the end of it though so I would recommend having a meal prior to lighting this one up.” –Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
“Blind tasting a cigar really enhances the experience. You have no clue what you are smoking and this could be a cigar that I would walk by in a walk-in-humidor and not know what I would be missing. This cigar has been a very good smoke.” –Kevin S. (KBS1153)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 74
|
Reviewer
|
Appearance
|
Aroma
|
1/3
|
2/3
|
3/3
|
Draw
|
Burn
|
Constr.
|
Overall
Experience |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve | ThaGreatWazoo) | 95 | 95 | 95 | 97 | 97 | 95 | 95 | 97 | 97 |
| Kent | Throck) | 95 | 93 | 88 | 90 | 85 | 88 | 93 | 95 | 85 |
| Eric | smalls29) | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| Jeff | ExpendableYouth) | 95 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 88 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 90 |
| Kevin S. | KBS1153) | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 93 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.