Liga Privada is a premium cigar line produced by Drew Estate, which was founded in 1996 by Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samel in New York City. Drew Estate began as a small operation in a Lower East Side apartment before moving manufacturing to Esteli, Nicaragua. The Liga Privada line was introduced in 2008 and was originally created as Jonathan Drew's personal blend, not intended for commercial release. After years of development involving over 100 different blend iterations, the cigars were released to the public due to overwhelming demand from retailers who had sampled them.
Liga Privada cigars are produced at Drew Estate's La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, one of the largest cigar factories in the country with over 2,000 employees. The line uses rare, specially fermented tobacco leaves that Drew Estate sources from select farms in Connecticut, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The two main Liga Privada blends are the No. 9 (featuring a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper) and the T52 (named after the tobacco farm where its unique Stalk Cut Habano wrapper originates). Both blends have received consistent 90+ ratings.
Drew Estate also produces the Liga Privada Unico Serie, a limited-production collection of special vitolas and blends including the Feral Flying Pig, Dirty Rat, and Velvet Rat. These releases are allocated in small quantities and have become some of the most sought-after cigars among collectors. The Liga Privada H99 was added as a more full-bodied Connecticut Corojo variation.
In 2014, Swisher International acquired Drew Estate in a deal reportedly valued at over $100 million. Despite the acquisition, Jonathan Drew remained as president and the company's operations, branding, and manufacturing continued from Esteli. Drew Estate produces millions of cigars annually across its full portfolio, which also includes the popular Acid, Undercrown, and Herrera Esteli lines. Liga Privada remains the company's most prestigious offering.