A musician, a master distiller, and a cigar maker met at a lounge. This sounds a lot like the beginning of a stereotypical joke. However, in this case, it would be the start of one of the more ambitious collaborations I have witnessed since I started smoking cigars. This project Blackened started with Rob Dietrich, Blackened American Whiskey Master Distiller, the middleman, who brought together his partner James Hetfield (co-founder, lead singer, and guitarist of Metallica), and his friend Jonathan Drew (co-founder of Drew Estate Cigars). The M81 derives from the band name ‘Metallica’ and 1981, the year the band was formed. The project took about 2 years of sampling and tweaking until they got to the exact profile they were looking for.
In a press release, Hetfield stated, “BLACKENED Cigars ‘M81’ by Drew Estate is a dark, bold, and unapologetic collaboration into what Rob, Jonathan, and I believe is the perfect full-bodied cigar”.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Blackened Cigars ‘M81’ by Drew Estate
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaragua Maduro & Pennsylvania broadleaf
Size: Corona Doble (7″x 50)
Appearance & Construction
The light brown color cigar reminds me a lot of Fall foliage, which is appropriate for the month we are in, November. The surface feels oily and grainy, like sandpaper. Visually, I am very impressed with the quality of the wrapper leaf: no veins or blemishes. I can hardly tell where the seam begins and ends.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
There is a combination of citrus and cocoa powder scent off the wrapper. Of the foot of the cigar, I get sweet and tart stone fruits with a good amount of pepper spice flooding my olfactory. Once I cut off the cap, I went for a cold draw and got leather, oakwood, and dry apricot.
I take out my Visol duel jet lighter and start slowly toasting the foot of the cigar. A stream of silky smoke glides past my nose, and I get an alluring sweet, and creamy scent from it. The first puff of the cigar is better than what I anticipate it to be: creamy smoke with tree bark, roasted peanut shell, dark leather, and lingering white pepper spice. There is a savory and meaty characteristic to the tobacco while puffing on it, and it has a refreshing citrus on the finish. The retrohale is very satisfying, with an abundance of black pepper spice along with caramel and cedarwood on the finish.
As predicted, the construction is immaculate. The burn line is razor sharp, the airflow is a perfect 7 out of 10 restrictiveness, and this cigar produces a copious amount of smoke. The only negative is that I can’t pair this delicacy with a dram of scotch or a cup of espresso since I am reviewing this cigar.
I arrived at the second third and was instantly reminded of when I traveled to New Orleans. As if I am sipping on a cup of coffee at Cafe du Monde, I get sweet and bitter chocolate, chicory, oakwood, leather, and black pepper spice. There is still a lot of spice on the retrohale with caramel, citrus tang, and cedarwood.
Once I got to the final third, the cigar decided to give my palate a break. The cool smoke has flavors of roasted peanuts, cedarwood, cocoa powder, and a hint of spice. And through the final retrohale, I got a sendoff with toffee, cedarwood, and red pepper spice.
Conclusion
As if this cigar is imitating one of many masterpieces composed by James Hetfield, whereas the first third is the intro, the second third is the many verses and bridges, and the final third is the outro. In terms of flavor, the Blackened M81 by Drew Estate did just that. The brazen flavor of sweet and dark cocoa, the unique chicory, and the plentiful amount of spice meld well with one another. The citrus on the finish refreshes my palate and encourages me to puff on.
In 2013, Drew Estate introduced a new line of cigars called Nica Rustica. The purpose was to pay homage to the beautiful Esteli, Nicaragua, where colorful barrios shine brightly within the mountains and the home of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate.
This year, Drew Estate created a second expression under the Nica Rustica portfolio called Nica Rustica Adobe. It came with a recent Freestyle Live Event Pack under the guise of a mystery cigar.
In an interview, Jonathan Drew, founder of Drew Estate, describes Nica Rustica Adobe as “…a proud and no-nonsense cigar that represents our strong bond between La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate and its beautiful Nicaraguan home, where the mountains meet the sun.”
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Drew Estate: Nica Rustica Adobe
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Brazil
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Toro (6″x52)
Appearance & Construction
The light brown wrapper on this cigar looks smooth but is quite dry to the touch. There are a few tiny cracks throughout the cigar, with several visible veins running the surface amok. Even so, this cigar still feels mighty sturdy.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
The cafe au lait colored wrapper gives off a faint sweetness on its surface. When I traveled down to the foot of the cigar, it got more tart with a dash of pepper spice, which tickled my nose. I slice off the cap using my trusty Xikar XO cutter and go straight in for a cold draw. The flavor is fruity: sweet and tart apricot, to be exact.
As soon as I light the cigar, I go in for a puff and get a combination of sweet and savory taste with profiles of charred wood, dry hay, raw sugar, and black pepper spice. I retrohale the next puff and got a satisfying amount of red pepper spice. The spice lingered for a while before it decided to settle down. I was then able to identify roasted peanuts and cedarwood. The finish of this cigar is unique; I got left with mesquite flavors from the retrohale and sweet and spicy sawdust on my palate. So far, this cigar has a solid build. The burn line is slightly wavy but even. The restrictiveness is on the tighter side for me, about an 8 out of 10. Even so, it gives off a plethora of smoke.
Sadly, I only enjoyed about an inch and a half before a tunnel formed, and it was big enough for me to hear my echo if I screamed into it. I run my fingers halfway down before I feel a solid spot where the tunnel ends and reluctantly cut almost 2 inches off.
I fast-travel to the second third and relight the cigar. The smoke becomes creamy as I taste raw almonds, dry hay, and sweet toffee. The spice on the palate is gone completely. I then retrohale and got greeted by the same red pepper spice from the first third. Similar to the reappearance of the red pepper spice on the retrohale, the tunneling resurfaced half an inch in, but it was not as big as the first one, and I decided to power through.
Unfortunately, the final third did not get any better, as the filler tobacco is almost non-existence at this point. I get sweet and creamy raw almonds and cedarwood before the smoke gets too hot. I did one last retrohale, and it was delightful! I got sweet and tart stone fruits, creamy toffee, dry hay, and a satisfying amount of pepper spice. I wished that the last retrohale lasted a little bit longer.
Conclusion
The Nica Rustica Adobe had potential. I thoroughly enjoyed it before the tunneling and on the final puffs. I like the constant sweet and creamy profile; it was welcoming, but the construction issue was too much to bear. Overall, I don’t think this is a good representation of the Nica Rustica Adobe; I will seek out another one and hope it will redeem this one.
Friday, August 12th 2022, was a hot and sticky day in the Connecticut river valley. I should know. I was just wrapping up harvesting eggplants at a vegetable farm and feeling dead-beat as I saw the sun retreating. It was a long day. Drew Estate’s Barn Smoker hadn’t graced this side of the North East since the pandemic put a pause on the whole world. But today, it was BACK! I was ecstatic to be covering the event for Fine Tobacco NYC, however, dehydration, a sore lower back, heat exhaustion, and the usual fatigue of a full week working manual labor had my spirits down. Getting consumed in Hartford traffic on my way to the event also didn’t pick my mood up. Tonight was the pre-party. A VIP-only event. I had to get my mojo going again. Once I checked into my hotel, I gave the old cold-shower and electrolyte consumption a try, and WALLAH! I was good to go!
VIP Party – photo credit, Justin HunterVIP Party – photo credit, Justin HunterVIP Party – photo credit, Justin Hunter
The pre-party was hosted at the New England Air Museum which was located within the Bradley Airport. I was assuming it would be another maylay of traffic and taxi cabs, however, it turned out to be a very docile paved back-road that took me right to the property. I cannot compliment the parking-lot staff enough! They directed my vehicle and every other cigar craving maniac into a spot immediately at arrival, with a smooth and welcoming attitude. The line to get in was also a logistical masterpiece. Drew Estate representatives were ready, willing and able to help you with any questions as well as made sure you received the swag bag of your dreams. If you participated in the last Freestyle Live event for the Nica Rustica Adobe, then you’re familiar with the sleek “DE25” black leather backpack stuffed with goodies, however, you probably didn’t receive the FOUR BOXES of event-only cigars! It was like Christmas Day in the middle of summer. It was also a lot to carry. Drew Estate staff, again, were conscious and caring enough to advise event goers to place the items into their car, before heading off into that night’s festivities. The parking staff assured me they were keeping guard of the lot all night, and that brought some rest and assurance to this born and raised New Yorker who remembers finding his fathers car one morning parallel parked on cinder blocks!
Yoda makes a cameo
After weaving through the battleship-gray halls of the New England Air Museum only stopping to take pictures of to the wall-to-wall history of American aeronautical achievement and a cool selfie next to a WWII bomber plane, I was back outside on a sprawling green. There was a red carpet with a Drew Estate backdrop for all your inner celeb photo-op needs, a huge tent housing a casino, three open-bar kiosks, long catering tables adorned with BBQ, and a professional grade out-door concert stage. I ran into my fellow reviewer Justin, and we grabbed some pictures and dined on smoked alligator loin, washing it down with cold adult beverages. So far I was impressed, but God, I NEEDED A SMOKE! After using my city boy charm and my sad puppy dog eyes, I managed to score a LIGA 10 Anniversario which technically weren’t meant to be given out until later that night. Lets just say I’m still quite the looker, even with a sunburn. I even managed to light the cigar in time for the main event! Before I knew it, I was sitting in a comfy camping chair, front-and-center, to hear the legend himself, Jonathan Drew, deliver the night’s opening remarks.
Now, any smoker who at least has 20+ years under his belt, may have never seen Mr. Drew in the flesh, but you are at least familiar with how ACID and Liga Privada cigars not only changed the cigar industry- but also added to our community- keeping the pulse alive after a post-boom drought. Today, Drew Estate is the largest cigar manufacturer in the world, with a SKU for every palate on the planet.
When Jonathan Drew finally took the stage, it was straight to business. He shared all the stories of Drew Estates’ grass-roots efforts and humble beginnings. We were presented with a heartfelt slide-show of pictures that detailed Drew Estates’ rags-to-riches journey with a very authentic and emotional Jonathan Drew narrating every step of the way. You always hear from cigar manufacturers- especially nowadays with the glut of boutique brands- how hard it is to actually make it in this industry. However, I think it’s safe to say that no non-Cuban start-up cigar company has ever traversed the wind and the waves- literally a hurricane- like Drew Estate did and still managed to build an empire. If this was a Billy Graham crusade or a Jim Jones Kool-Aid hand-out, I think I just saw angels descending from on high! Jonathan Drew deserves a medal of honor. Somebody, get me another Liga!
Jedi training camp
Saturday, August 13th 2022, was the first day of what is officially considered the “Barn Smoker.” Drew Estate holds these in many different states, especially those with tobacco farming heritage. If you’re not familiar with the terroir of the Connecticut river valley, just repeat after me, “SANDY-LOAM!” In the wine world, sandy-loam is known to make vines thrive, especially cabernet. In the tobacco world, more specifically in Connecticut, it makes for plentiful cash crops of shade wrapper and broadleaf. Due to competition, supply and demand, and labor costs, Connecticut shade has mostly relocated to countries like Ecuador. However, because of companies like Drew Estate, who have brought heralded acclaim to broadleaf, a majority of the tobacco farmers who are left in the Connecticut river valley exclusively grow the sun-kissed sweet and rustic wrapper leaf we have all come to adore. The sandy-loam terroir only adds to its vigor and yields. As a farmer myself, when I pulled up to the well-maintained acreage managed by Dunn & Foster LLC., I was again blown away at how meticulous the planting rows were kept, as well as the sturdy long-lasting construction of the curing barns. It was like taking a walk back in time while still being in awe of how current big agriculture companies pull off the feats they do every season to keep American GDP on top of its game.
Today the entry points were a little different then the pre-party. There was a VIP line with swag and early-admittance to attend a breakfast party. The general admission had to wait one more hour to enter, but AGAIN, attendees received the best looking man-purse I had ever seen and MORE FREE CIGARS! I mean what other event do you know of, that will gladly hand you an extra large Boveda ziplock bag full of event-only cigars! This was like celebrating your birthday the day after Christmas. All attendees received a raffle booklet complete with free cigar-coupons and cocktail tickets.
After enjoying a nitro coffee or espresso, that paired beautifully with the Tabak Especial natural or negro- both given to you at the breakfast kiosk- you were welcome to sit under the cool shade of a tent and were briefed on how the day would go. All attendees were split into three groups, destined to travel between three “tobacco experience stations.” Depending on what group you were in determined what “experience,” you were to have first. Each station was manned by one of the top Drew Estate team-members (Willy Herrera, Pedro Gomez, or Jonathan Drew), as well as, one representative of Dunn & Foster LLC. There was a station covering the early stages of broadleaf cultivation (seedling, transplanting, etc.), another station that covered broadleaf harvesting and tobacco nuances, and a third station that was situated in an actual curing barn with an overview on all the final stages broadleaf goes through before us consumers get to enjoy a premium cigar. Event goers were encouraged to partake in a Q&A after each presentation before moving onto their next curriculum.
A scrumptious BBQ buffet was served around noon and then it was off to event “activations.” This is where that raffle booklet and free cigar ticket combo came in handy. There were multiple tents for attendees to enjoy a unique immersion in well established Dew Estate Brands like Deadwood, Undercrown, ACID, Herrera Esteli, and Pappy Van Winkle. AKA MORE FREE CIGARS! There was even a Joya de Nicaragua booth in the house and a Subculture Studios tent where an old-school Soul Train line spontaneously broke-out and custom sneakers were being bedazzled with paint markers. DID I MENTION OPEN-BAR!
photo credit Justin Hunter
The Falcon on auto-pilot
Sunday, August 14th 2022, was a repeat of the previous day. The only difference was that there was one general admission line with similar swag, and every one entered at the same time. I was told that in the past, Drew Estate normally keeps the Connecticut leg of the tour to a one-day-only experience. This year , however, the company felt that there were still patrons of the brand that couldn’t quite make it on a Saturday, and perhaps would rather attend on a Sunday. Speaking with my fellow reviewer Justin about this beforehand, we definitely felt there were more people in attendance then the previous day. The atmosphere and vibe was also a little bit more laid back. The same itinerary as Saturday was in store for the new group that just arrived, and since I had already experienced it prior, I took privilege as a so-called member of the press to interview some folks. Every journalist craves a star-studded or presidential interview. I was fine interviewing the guys I met in line. There were lots of retailers in attendance throughout the weekend, and I just happened to run into a couple of fellas from my neck of the woods- Upstate New York – WOOP WOOP! One of the gentlemen, an employee at a cigar lounge, had attended all 7 Connecticut Barn Smokers, while the manager of the same store was about to lose his virginity. Like everyone else I had covertly put on the hot-seat that weekend, they had the same answers to my questions. They are not only Liga fans, they are Drew Estate Fans! Even novice smokers I spoke with vouched for the consistency and diversity of the portfolio. The brick and mortar crowd couldn’t imagine a spreadsheet that did not boast ACID as their shop’s top-selling cigars to date and year after year!
In a galaxy far-far away
Back on my patio, a week after the event, I sit here finalizing this article and debriefing from one of the greatest moments I’ve ever had since beginning my cigar obsession years ago. I’ve smoked most of my event-only cigars, and even rocked the man-purse and camouflage Barn Smoker hat together to make a bold fashion statement. This was my first Drew Estate Barn Smoker. I am forever grateful for the team at Fine Tobacco NYC for giving me the opportunity to attend. I would be lying if I told you I didn’t want to attend the other two left in the pipeline for this year to be held in Kentucky and Texas. Before I had children, and had to have some semblance of a career, I had worked tirelessly in the marketing gig circuit, going from street promotions to handing out swag and attracting new potential consumers at various events. I can bluntly say, Drew Estate knows what they’re doing. From start to finish, I felt welcome with a family-like hospitality. The accommodations, which were all out-doors, were well maintained and kept orderly on all three days. The staff was professional, available, and helpful. The catering was delicious, the drinks never stopped, and there were more free cigars than a blue whale could stick in its blow-hole. If you ask me for the one moment that stuck out the most from the whole weekend- it was definitely the VIP pre-party. To actually hear Jonathan Drew speak with such gusto and a skin-in-the-game attitude was not just entrancing, but as mentioned, REVIVING! Even after all this time, even after the Swisher buy-out, even after all the FDA drama, there is a man out there who still seems indomitable, focused, and hungrier than a rookie fighting for a spot on the roster. Also, it is great to see a company who has had such past success and fervor for their events, fearlessly reboot their community building soirees (just like other cigar festivals are planning to), but they even went a step further by adding the extra day for their fan-base. Let me ask you something: “Who does that?!” “Who does that in the midst of a current economic slowdown?!” They even managed to raise $27,0000.00 in donations for Cigars for Warriors. As we head into the last months of this year, there is already much to be remembered of 2022. But for us cigar enthusiasts in the North East, Drew Estate’s Barn Smoker 2022 is a crowning achievement shared not just among us cigar geeks, but for Drew Estate as well. Thank you Jonathan Drew for making the world seem fun and inspiring again! See you all next year!
“The Rebirth of Cigars” is probably the most appropriate sentence used to describe the cigar boom in the mid-90s. It’s also Drew Estate Cigars’ longstanding slogan. This year marked its 25th anniversary for the company, and the decade anniversary of its popular Undercrown brand. To commemorate this milestone, they introduce the newest member of the Undercrown line to the market: The Undercrown 10.
In a press release, Drew Estate describes Undercrown 10 this way:
To celebrate the brand’s anniversary in 2021, Drew Estate is getting “All Dekked Out,” a tag line that denotes Undercrown 10’s elegant packaging and reinforces the pride of Undercrown’s ten years of excellence. The new, sophisticated packaging is surpassed only by Undercrown 10’s complex, rich and bold blend of ultra-premium aged tobaccos that includes the highest priming of Mexican San Andres dark wrapper, the very finest Broadleaf binder from the Connecticut River Valley, and a tripa blend of select and rare Nicaraguan tobaccos.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Undercrown 10
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Toro (6″x52)
Blind Review: Drew Estate Undercrown 10
Appearance & Construction
The wrapper of this cigar is very dark, oily, and toothy, like a tree branch. Visually, it’s a little on the rough side, but it feels sturdy when held between my fingers. Taking a smell, there’s a faint sweetness coming off the wrapper and barnyard with white pepper spice from the foot of the cigar. Using a straight cut to clip the cigar, I take a cold draw. It has a creamy texture and taste like attic mustiness and wet log, which mirrors the cigar’s tree branch-like visual features.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
As the flame from my torch lighter heats the foot, a stream of white-silky smoke wafts past my nose, and I smell the scent of burnt sugar. With my first puffs, I pick up dark chocolate, oatmeal, bitter oak, and a good amount of red pepper spice. The retrohale is overwhelming, with an abundance of red pepper spice that nearly numbs my olfactory senses before transitioning to a slight floral scent on the finish.
Two thirds into my smoke I find myself finishing more than half a bottle of water due to the spice that’s still lingering on my palate. Nevertheless, the smoke is becoming creamier, and by halfway through the cigar the flavor profile shifts to cocoa powder, raw almonds, oak tree, and red pepper spice. The retrohale becomes sweeter too, but still has an overwhelming amount of spice.
On a side note, this cigar produces a lot of smoke, even when it’s resting on the ashtray–making me think this could be a Drew Estate product. That said, the overwhelming spice isn’t something I’m used to with Drew Estate so I could be wrong.
In the final third, the cigar seems to take pity on my palate lets up a bit on the spice. I now taste sweet and creamy raw almonds, dark chocolate, bark, and a little red pepper spice. The retrohale is a little less tempered, staying consistently peppery throughout the smoke.
Conclusion
This wasn’t my first time smoking the Undercrown 10. However, this is the first time I smoked this cigar on a clean palate. It might be the reason why I never realized the true strength of the pepper in this cigar. Even with the strength the overall flavors were balanced and the cigar made sense, especially the raw almond flavor from the second third, which added a creaminess to the mix and made this cigar shine.
The Liga Privada Bauhaus from Drew Estate is a European exclusive extension of the company’s prominent Liga Privada line. The blend is produced in a 4 1/2 x 50 short robusto format and is named after the Bauhaus School in the early 1900’s which prized in function with respect to art and designggggg. I’m not sure of the connection to the cigar itself, save for the nod to Germany and being a European release.
I do enjoy this size very much and, reviewing it blind, all it took was one look and I was excited trying this vitola.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Liga Privada Bauhaus
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf capa
Binder: Brazilian
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Size: Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 50)
Blind Review: Drew Estate Bauhaus
Appearance & Construction
Looking at the wrapper it has a dark tone with veins along the side in a rustic style. As I run my fingers on the sides the veins from the wrapper leaf are evident. I give a roll in hand which is a bit off. To the touch its spongy although no particular soft spots across the smoke. The foot brings barnyard notes appropriate to the look of the cigar. I’m also getting oak along with raisins, hay and earth.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Grabbing my Xikar MTX, I use the scissors to take a thin slice off the cap. I take a draw dry that delivers prunes, dark fruits along with wood notes. With my Lamborghini torch I take a full flame and get a grittiness from the wrapper immediately which is followed by cocoa dust and leather which dries out the sides of my mouth. After another puff there’s more raisin upfront that moves to a weightiness mid palate and an earthy finish. I take a retrohale which is hay, earth and a dampness that is a bit soured. Looking at the ash its whitish gray with a wavy burn line.
This short robusto seems to burn fast despite my slow puffs. There’s a semisweet chocolate aroma from the cigar and through the finish which is quite appealing. The burn continues to stay wavy and the earthiness is becoming very prominent. Its almost a bit overwhelming and is muddling the other flavors trying to express themselves. With a slow draw the cigar brings on an oaky profile followed by a surprisingly creamy albeit short finish. There’s a bitterness that is lingering at present causing the wood notes to become sharper and almost tannic. Thus far the cigar is in the medium to full range strength wise.
As I reach the final third there are some citrus notes that gives a zing to the lips. While there’s a noticeable acidity there is also a bit of toasted oak as I take another retrohale. The strength earlier was medium to full and as I take another puff a rush of full, almost meaty character hits my throat. The amped up strength is a change although the finish comes off rather rustic. At the same time, the grittiness seems to return from the initial flavor of the wrapper. In a repeat from earlier, the cocoa powder coats the sides of my mouth while bakers chocolate delivers a bitter ending. Slowing drawing once again I grasp at plum and spice in quick and short supply. With a final puff I get oak barrel that last longer on my tongue than most of the flavors that presented themselves.
Conclusion
While this cigar delivers various flavor profiles they didn’t seem to draw my attention for too long. I enjoy dark fruits, chocolate and spicy characters in a cigar, but most of them finished rather short which left me wanting more. Even the wood profile became sharp as it progressed and only on a retrohale was there a toasty quality that was pleasing. The medium to full profile built itself up in a surprising fashion that added a meatiness that a peaty scotch would pair well with.
When I found out this was a Liga Privada I was not surprised as the broadleaf profile from Drew Estate was evident. This cigar has some appealing flavors, they just seemed to turn on each other at times. If you enjoy Liga’s, you will respect the wrapper for sure. Just be prepared for flavors that bob and weave in your mouth.
