Today, we review the Liga de Reyes Limited Edition Salomón from Raíces Cubanas Cigars. Liga de Reyes is one of the inaugural brands launched by Raíces Cubanas Cigars. For cigar enthusiasts eager to try the Raíces Cubanas Liga de Reyes Salomón, this release is particularly significant. In late 2024, the renowned Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L. production facility in Honduras announced it would introduce its own brands to the market through Raíces Cubanas Cigars.
The Raíces Cubanas factory was established on May 3, 2003, by Romay Endemaño, his wife Maria (Lipa), and their son Hugo. Hugo has partnered with Ralph Montero to launch Raíces Cubanas’ portfolio of brands, which includes Liga de Reyes. Ralph Montero may be familiar to some, as he was previously a business partner of Alan Rubin at Alec Bradley Cigar Company. Ralph played a significant role in blending and brand innovation, spending considerable time at Raíces Cubanas Cigars.
The Liga de Reyes Limited Edition Salomón is the first limited-edition release Raíces Cubanas Cigars has introduced to its brand portfolio. It’s a Salomón based on the blend used for Liga de Reyes.
SPECIFICATIONS
The Liga de Reyes showcases a blend of the rich tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. This unique recipe evokes memories of some classic Alec Bradley blends. It features a wrapper sourced from the Trojes region, complemented by a double binder that includes tobaccos from both Honduras and Nicaragua. The Salomón is a generous 6 1/2 x 58. Only 2,000 ten-count boxes were made available, adding to its exclusivity.
- Wrapper: Honduran (Trojes)
- Binder: Honduran (Jamastran), Nicaraguan (Estelí)
- Filler: Honduran (Four specially selected filler leaves from Trojes and Jamastra)
- Country of Origin: Honduras
- Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
- Salomon: 6 1/2 x 58 (Limited Edition)
PERFORMANCE
The Liga de Reyes Salomón opened up with notes of black pepper, nougat sweetness, and bread. Some natural tobacco notes quickly entered the equation. The black pepper was also present on the retrohale. Early on, the natural tobacco and nougat were primary notes, giving this cigar a lot of sweetness. Just past the Salomón’s nozzle, the bread notes joined the natural tobacco and nougat. The latter part of the second third saw the sweetness diminish and the bread notes take over as primary flavors. There was an increase in the black pepper during the second third. By the final third, the bread and black pepper were primary. The natural tobacco and nougat notes were secondary, but didn’t deliver the same intensity of sweetness as in the early stages. The cigar finished with a soft, cool nub.
In terms of strength and body, the Liga de Reyes Salomón was medium in the first half and medium to full in the second half. The strength held a slight edge over the body. As for the burn, it was excellent – requiring minimal touchups. The draw started out with a touch of resistance, but once past the nozzle, it became more open. My personal preference was for the draw to have that touch of resistance, but there still were no adverse effects on the overall experience.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed the Liga de Reyes line from Raíces Cubanas, and have been partial to the Toro size. I was very excited for the Salomón size to come out. While the Salomón performs well, I still found the Toro to have an edge in flavor and complexity over the Salomón. At $13.50, this is not a bad price for a Salomón, but given that the Toro had the edge, my advice is to try a sample of the Salomón and see what you think.
Summary
- Key Flavors: Bread, Natural Tobacco, Nougat, Pepper
- Burn: Excellent
- Draw: Very Good
- Complexity: Medium Minus
- Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)
- Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (Remainder)
- Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Try a Sample
Score: 88
REFERENCES
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
