Vitola: Robusto- 5” x 52 ring gauge
- MSRP ~$7
- Provided by Villiger Cigars
Background
I knew I had published a review of La Libertad, but until I really started researching it, I didn’t realize that it had been so long. How long was it? My review published on July 21, 2011, a full 8 years and 4 months ago. Still, I had remembered enjoying this blend a lot, specifically because of its Peruvian leaf that gave it a very citrus note. When I got these review samples, though, I noted that there was no mention of Peruvian-grown tobacco. A look into far-back reviews from a variety of sites showed that I wasn’t imagining things: the original Villiger Libertad had a Peruvian Habano wrapper and a Peruvian binder, over Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.
The newer version of La Libertad uses Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers (they may be the same as the old, but they may not be), along with a Nicaraguan binder and a Brazilian wrapper. This goes back to at least 2017 when Villiger last introduced new packaging for the brand. News at that time denoted that the blend was not to be changed and it was just a new look. Clearly, though, the blend did change at some point…or it never was what they purported it to be back in 2011-2013, the time frame from which I found reviews that had a radically different blend.
I’m going to say right up front that this cigar doesn’t taste like what I remember from the time of my earlier review. I noticed that the first time I burned one of the review samples. Bottom line, though, it is the cigar we have now so it deserves a review and to answer the question, “How does it stand up on its own regardless of the previous blend and/or reviews?”
Villiger supplied several review samples, of which this about the 4th I’ve smoked.
Prelight
The Libertad packaging is much more in line with modern Villiger themes. The company name is prominently displayed on the box with the classic blend logo appearing just underneath it. The band has the newer style of Villiger band, as well, a single-piece large band with Villiger on top in one section and La Libertad underneath in what could easily be mistaken for a secondary band. They kept the bright red and black color scheme, highlighted by lots of gold foil and embossing.
The wrapper was a medium-brown color, just slightly darker than peanut butter, with a decent amount of oiliness and an aroma that skewed heavily toward grassiness, with a touch of barnyard earthiness thrown in. The foot had light hay and wood notes with a bit of a vegetal, almost-bell-pepper, aroma.
Once cut the draw was excellent and the prelight flavors were of hay and wood, with touches of natural tobacco.
Flavor
I fired up La Libertad and got cedar and other wood flavor up front, with light grass and mildly sweet hay coming in behind, with the slightest of pepper heat on the finish. The retrohale had some nuttiness, some wood, and a greater pepper heat, that still dissipated quite quickly. By the end of the first third, I was getting a slight citrus note, which gave a little resemblance to the previous time I reviewed this cigar, but not nearly as prevalent. The body was in the medium range.
Puffing through the second third, I noted that there was still a sweet citrus, but that more pepper was making its way into the profile. The sweet and spicy counterplay reminded me of Cameroon leaf in some ways. There were cedar and earth as secondary notes and a barely detectable nuttiness on the palate to go along with the more overt nuttiness on the nose.
The final third of La Libertad had the body bumping up a little to the medium-to-full range with more earth and a receding of the citrus sweetness and pepper. Cedar notes stayed steady.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and solid ash for half an inch or more.
Value
Good cigar and excellent price point.
Conclusions
Whether my palate has changed (it has) or this blend has changed (I believe it has, too), La Libertad 2019 didn’t impress me as much as Libertad 2011. That said, it was still a very good cigar that holds up well in the modern marketplace with a solid medium, medium-plus body and different-enough flavor profile that it makes for a very nice change of pace from the Nicaraguan-heavy blends I smoke so much of the time. The complex mix of hay, wood, citrus, earth and pepper made for a very enjoyable hour or so.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
