I’m doing my best to try to maintain some semblance of normalcy in what’s turning into quite the shitshow of a 2020, quite frankly. I’m not sure how else to characterize it. I have my feelings on things, but I’m just going to try to stick to my “don’t be a dick” mantra, and keep on doing what I need to do to get through the day. I encourage everyone to live by that philosophy, the world would be a better place. One can dream. Anyway, before I announce a winner of the great Drew Estate goodies, here’s some news they sent my way.
Drew Estate has been putting out more news than I can keep up with lately! I’m sure you’ve seen the news about the new Joya Numero Uno size and the Acid Samplers already, so I won’t revisit those, but these are from the last few days:
Drew Estate Unveils Four New Gift Sets
Drew Estate announces today four new gift sets of their most popular brands including Undercrown Shade, Herrera Esteli Habano, Deadwood Fat Bottom Betty and Tabak Especial Dulce. This release will be showcased on the upcoming Freestyle Live: Special Edition hosted on facebook.com/drewestatecigar on June 11th from 7:00-9:00pm EST.
Each gift set features 5 toro sized cigars and a branded lighter exclusive to the gift set release. Deadwood Fat Bottom Betty toro kicks off the releases, wrapped in lush Maduro and blended with rich and exotic tobaccos. Next, the Herrera Esteli Habano toro features a spicy Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Honduran Binder, and bold filler leaves from Nicaragua. The Undercrown Shade is highlighted by a smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper over a Sumatra binder with Dominican and Nicaraguan filler leaves. Finally, the Tabak Especial Dulce features a creamy Connecticut wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler leaves, perfect to pair with your cup of coffee.
The following gift sets featuring a branded lighter are shipping in August:
- Deadwood Fat Bottom Betty Toro Gift Set MSRP $57.99
- Herrera Esteli Habano Toro Gift Set MSRP $57.99
- Tabak Especial Dulce Toro Gift Set MSRP $57.99
- Undercrown Shade Toro Gift Set MSRP $57.99
For full coverage of Drew Estate Gift Sets and all of Drew Estate’s upcoming national releases check out our 2020 #DESummerTakeover promotion at www.drewestate.com/summertakeover and be sure to tune in to Freestyle Live: Special Edition hosted on facebook.com/drewestatecigar on June 11th from 7:00-9:00pm EST.
ABOUT DREW ESTATE
Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that attract new and traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Isla del Sol, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Larutan by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, Florida Sun Grown, and Java by Drew Estate.
Not to be outdone, Joya de Nicaragua has been announcing new stuff too:
JOYA DE NICARAGUA DARES YOU TO “SHUT THE BOX”
A LIMITED AND PLAYFUL EDITION OF THE LEGENDARY ANTAÑO
Back in 2012, Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, Chairman of Joya de Nicaragua, won his first game of Shut the Box. He was on tour, visiting old friends in the cigar industry, and in one stop at Havana Mix Shop in Memphis, TN, he was challenged to a game. As a numbers guy, backed by a PhD in Economics, he accepted the dare. You could argue that an exact science has nothing to do with rolling the dice, or you could simply try to shut the box!
Antaño Shut the Box Limited Edition is a special gift from Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua to those loyal consumers that have been supporting the brand for almost 20 years. It has manufactured 500 Collector’s Edition boxes of each of the two most popular vitolas in this blend, JDN’s signature Gran Cónsul (4 ¾ x 60 – MSRP $ 182/box or $9.10/stick) and Robusto Grande (5 ½ x 52 – MSRP $169/box or $8.45/stick). After the cigars have been enjoyed, the box is ready to play “Shut the Box”.
“For many years we have been thinking about ideas on how to make our empty boxes be useful after all cigars are smoked, and this is how we decided to let people have some fun. At the moment, we didn’t know we were going to be bringing to smokers a special game so useful these days that we have to stay longer at home,” said Juan Ignacio Martínez, Executive President.
Antaño Shut the Box will be available to stores across the country as of June 2020, and will come in the traditional 20 count boxes, with cigars, instructions and two dice ready to be played with those closest to you. The perfect kit for cigar smokers that want to add some fun to their smoke.
ABOUT JOYA DE NICARAGUA
Joya de Nicaragua is a family owned tobacco grower and cigar factory. Established in 1968, it is the first and most authentic premium handmade cigar manufacturer from Nicaragua. Based in Estelí, many regard JDN as the patriarch creator of the Nicaraguan cigar industry, and its cigars are sold in more than 55 countries around the world. The company’s commitment to quality along with its skillful and resilient people, have rewarded it with the industry recognition of Cigar Factory of the Year 2018 & 2019.
Contest Winner!
I am still throwing cigars in a bag, but so far, along with a Year of the Rat as promised, I’ve included a Nica Rustica Belly from the launch event in Louisville KY in July of 2015 and one each of the new Undercrown Corona Pequeños. I’ll rummage around and find some more to add, I’m sure there will be some Joyas too. I’ve consulted the Random Number Generator, and, as Patrick H predicted, it got close to him, but missed him by this 
much! Patrick G is the winner! Please send your address so I can get this stuff out to you. I just thought of two more great cigars to put in while I was typing this! Thanks so much to Drew Estate for sending me the Liga Privada Survival Kit and the other swag I’ve collected over the years! It brings me great joy to give stuff like this away! It’s a good thing they didn’t send one of those Benchmade knife/cutters or we wouldn’t have been having a contest, those things are wicked-cool!
That’s all for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
Great article as always Craig. I hope you and your family re doing well.
Cheers,
Col DB
WOW!
Thanks Craig!
And those Joya boxes look like a fun innovation to the classic box. 🙂
Nice prize! Congrats Pat!
I been bitching about that random number generator for years. It hates me!
Enjoy your prize “G”
Life is good
Always love a contest,even when I don’t win. thanks and congrats to Patrick G.
Congrats Pat