Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo Phineas Gage Lancero

In 2018, Drew Estate announced a new Liga Privada line named Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo that debuted in a singular vitola, specifically a 6 x 52 toro. Blend-wise, the H99 incorporates a corojo-seed wrapper grown in the Connecticut River Valley covering a Mexican San Andrés negro binder and an internal blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

“Following the revolution in Cuba, the Corojo seed took roots in Florida, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Growing Corojo in new climates produced mixed results and much heartache for those who chose to grow it,” said Jonathan Drew, the company’s president and co-founder, in a press release at the time. “By creating hybrids of Corojo the leaf was reborn keeping all of its spice and potency intact. Hibrido or Hybridization is a farm-level process utilized for decades to create tobacco that is disease resistant, but also to display the qualities of an unmatched capa.”

Even though the H99 was available at all Drew Estate Drew Diplomat Retail Program (DDRP) events from Feb. 1-May 12, the cigar has still been extremely difficult to purchase after its debut. This was because the only other way to get it was via a lottery system where Drew Estate chose five retailers a month, each of which was able to purchase two boxes of the cigar. However, in February, Drew Estate announced that the cigar would become a regular production release that will be sold to “qualifying Drew Diplomat Program retailers.”

During a Freestyle Live event in May, Drew Estate announced it would be adding a lancero vitola to the line that would be offered to customers during Drew Estate events starting in June. Named Phineas Gage, the 7x 40 cigar features an MSRP of $19 each; however, Drew Estate has said that each event will be limited to just three boxes of 10 cigars.

This cigar is named after Phineas Gage, a American railroad construction foreman who survived having an iron rod driven completely through his head in 1848. Gage was working near Cavendish, Vermont when an explosive charge accidentally exploded. The rod entered the left side of Gage’s face through the lower jar and exited the top of the skull, and while he survived the blast and lived for 12 more years before he died, he suffered constant complications from the accident. Gage’s is fascinating for any number of reasons, not the least of which was the influence it had on modern-day neuroscience.

Three months after Drew Estate announced the Phineas Gage, the company added a third size to the H99 line, a 5 1/2 x 54 robusto that was scheduled to arrive at stores in September and will be priced at $14.95 per cigar and $350.80 per box of 24 cigars.

• Cigar Reviewed: Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo Phineas Gage Lancero
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate
• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Corojo)
• Binder: Mexico (San Andrés Negro)
• Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
• Length: 7 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Vitola: Lancero
• MSRP: $19 (Box of 10, $190)
• Release Date: June 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Aromas of dry earth, barnyard, leather, nuts and generic wood emanate from the dark reddish-brown wrapper that covers the Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo Phineas Gage Lancero as I take it out of the cellophane for the first time. Although there is a noticeable amount of both oil and veins present, that rustic-looking wrapper is also exceedingly rough to the touch, but all three cigars have a soft spot in the same general location, just under the main band. Notes from the foot include creamy almonds, sweet hay, earth, cedar, popcorn and cocoa nibs, along with some soft raisin sweetness. After cutting the cap with The Baller, the cold draw is full of sawdust, sweet hay, gritty earth, more almonds, cedar, coffee beans, dark chocolate and touch of vegetal.

Right after I toast the foot of the Liga Privada H99, I can easily identify flavors of leather and earth combined with aggressive spice and black pepper. After about eight puffs, the main flavors change to a combination of charred meat and earth, followed by notes of cedar, sourdough bread, leather tack, anise, bitter espresso beans and light lemongrass. Meanwhile, the retrohale features quite a bit of red pepper as well as some distinct caramel sweetness, both of which are seem to be getting stronger as the burn line progresses. Flavor hits a solid medium by the end of the first third and is obviously still increasing while both the body and strength are a a point just under medium. In terms of construction, the draws and smoke production are excellent for all three cigars, and although the burn line is slightly uneven at times, it does not become enough of an issue to need correcting.

As the second third begins, the earth note remains one of the main flavors, but a semi-sweet almond note replaces the charred meat at the top of the profile. Additional flavors of bitter espresso beans, sourdough bread, leather tack, dark chocolate and lemongrass flit in and out at various points, and while the red pepper on the retrohale has receded a bit, the amount of caramel sweetness has actually increased noticeably. Flavor and strength both bump up to medium-plus, but the body increases only slightly to a point just past the medium mark. Construction-wise, both the draws and smoke production continue along their excellent paths, but two of the three cigars become problematic enough to need a bit of attention from my lighter to keep things on track.

The combination of almonds and earth remain at the forefront of the profile during the final third of the Phineas Gage Lancero, although the former note is noticeably sweeter than it was in the second third. Secondary flavors include more sourdough bread, leather, powdery cocoa nibs, roasted coffee beans and lemongrass, while the caramel sweetness and red pepper remain at about the same levels compared to the second third. Flavor tops out at medium-plus, but both the body and the strength increase just enough to pass into full territory. Finally, the draws on all three cigars give me no issues until the end and smoke production continues to be copious off of the foot, but once again two of the three cigars need minor corrections before I put the nubs down with less than an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• I can’t remember the last time a cigar has been sold in individual cardboard boxes—although they are packaged in 10-count wooden boxes—as opposed to wooden coffins.
• There is a large amount of both red pepper and spice that is present throughout this cigar, but I also would be remiss to not mention the fact that the combination of the two—while pervasive–always stayed below a level I would consider to be overwhelming or detrimental to the profile as a whole.
• Having said the above, I would love to do a Redux review of this cigar in a year or so to see if some aging time tempers the strength that is present in the final third and allows more of the caramel sweetness to emerge.
• Be warned: despite its thin ring gauge, this is a full-strength cigar. Having said that, that strength does not fully make itself known until the final third.
• Drew Estate advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time averaged one hour and 44 minutes, but that does not tell the whole story: my first two cigars were finished in about 95 minutes each, but for some reason the last cigar took just over two hours to complete. Interestingly, there did not seem to be any major differences, at least when it comes to flavor profile or construction.