Cigar Ratings & Reviews

#NowSmoking: Villiger La Libertad Robusto

Reading Time: 4 minutes

#NowSmoking: Villiger La Libertad Robusto Cigar Review (Video)

La Libertad Robusto – Cigar Details

Factory: Villiger de Nicaragua – Esteli, Nicaragua
Size: 5”x 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder: Cibao Valley Dominican
Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa and Estelí 

Presented in boxes of 20

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - at famous smoke shop

The Villiger La Libertad Cigars Back Story

In August of 2021, Villiger Cigars announced that it was giving its La Libertad line a new look and moving production to its new factory, Villiger de Nicaragua. And what a long, strange trip it’s been, too for this line. The Villiger La Libertad selection originated over a decade ago in two factories: Plasencia in Honduras and ABAM in the Dominican Republic. The idea was to offer different blends to different markets. Then, in 2019 Villiger gave the brand’s image an upgrade by revamping the band graphics.

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - shot of cigar leaning against coffee mug with box in the background

Now all of that has changed. In October of last year, with operational help from Joya de Nicaragua, Villiger finally opened their new factory. The La Libertad blend was tweaked and the line was pared down to three shapes: Corona, Gran Toro, and Robusto. The packaging was also updated with a striking red, black, and white color scheme, and the black foot bands give each vitola an additional touch of class.

 

 

The Basics At-a-Glance

Construction: The Criollo wrapper was attractively dark throughout and semi-oily with a few pronounced vein trails. The cigar was firmly rolled and the triple seam cap was well applied. The cigar also felt good in the hand.
Cold Draw: Raisins.
Base flavors: Tart fruit, leather, cedar, sweet tobacco, baking spices.
Aroma: Spicy.
Burn & Ash: Razor sharp with firm grey ashes and a solid inner core

 

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - setup shot of cigar resting on top of its box
#nowsmoking @famoussmokeshop: This newly-blended La Libertad cigar is surrounded by a dark, opulent Criollo wrapper from Nicaragua. Medium-full in body, the smoke issues a smooth, well-balanced combination of tart fruit, leather, cedar, sweet tobacco, and baking spices. Refined and complex.

 

La Libertad Robusto Cigar Review – Act I

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad part 1

The session began with tart fruit, sweet notes, and a firm draw. Once the cigar settled-in at about the half-inch mark, a leathery note jumped in for well-balanced mix of leather, fruit, and sweet tobacco. The smoke was also impressively smooth with a medium body and a fairly long finish. By the middle of the first third some nutmeg and cedar arrived, at which point, everything just snapped into place.

 

La Libertad Robusto Cigar Review – Act II

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - part 2

At this point the flavors continued to sail along nicely. I also noticed that this Robusto is a slow burner. The lead flavor note continued to be tart fruit which melded nicely with the leather, sweet tobacco, and sundry baking spices. (Imagine the sweet spot of the cigar running right through the entire midsection.) Yet as it inched toward the final third, the strength began to pick up.

 

La Libertad Robusto Cigar Review – Act III

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - part 3

The flavors transitioned to a darker end of the spectrum with the body shifting to medium-full. Here the cigar took a bolder turn, while remaining consistent in flavor, balance, and smoke output. The best of it stopped just short of the last inch-and-a-half, and so I left it there.

 

What whiskey pairs well with the La Libertad Robusto?

cigar advisor #nowsmoking cigar review villiger la libertad - cigar resting in front of a whiskey glass and its box

I think La Libertad Robusto would probably pair well with just about anything be it with alcohol or not. Villiger suggests an Old Fashioned made with Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof whiskey. For more combinations, see our Cigar & Spirit pairing guide.

 

Is the La Libertad Robusto cigar worth smoking?

Absolutely. As I said in the video, this was one of best cigars from Villiger I’ve had the pleasure of smoking. The new Nicaraguan-forward blend is smooth, relaxing, and mostly medium in body with a bold attribute that stops well short of full throttle. The La Libertad Robusto also has a refined, artisan-caliber side to it that reminded me of cigars like Crowned Heads, HVC, and Joya de Nicaragua. If you like top drawer Nicaraguans you’re going to be very pleasantly surprised.

Finally, with cigar prices on the rise, based on the quality of the tobaccos, the flavor profile, and its overall performance, the La Libertad Robusto is a really good value. And there you have it.  

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Gary Korb

Gary Korb

Executive Editor

Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.

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