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by Craig Vanderslice | May 1, 2022 · 9:46 am

A Selection of Cigars: Hits and Misses

This is going to be a bit of a weird post. I, of course, smokes a bunch of cigars this week, and had some mixed results. I probably should follow the rule of not saying anything at all if you don’t have anything nice to say, but it’s not all negative. SOme of it is personal preference, some of it is something else. There are also some standout cigars that I’ve probably mentioned here before but merit repeating. Let’s start with the CAO Arcana Firewalker. This cigar is a nice, big 6½” x 56 cigar, with a massive band. It employs a strange method of fermentation for one of the Nicaraguan filler leaves where they bury the pilon in volcanic soil for two months. Sounds like a fun story, and I don’t doubt it, but this wasn’t where I had a problem. The cigar tasted fine, I rather enjoyed the flavors. It was kind of bready, with a little cocoa and some spice, very nice. When I received these samples they were bone dry, as measured with my Humidimeter. Bone. Dry. The first one I smoked just kind of flaked apart. I let them rest in the humidor for a couple months, I guess, to get some moisture into them. When one had achieved what I felt was an acceptable level of internal moisture content, I gave it another go. For whatever reason, the Ecuador Habano Rosado wrapper on this one just wouldn’t burn. It was like the original H2000 wrappers 20 years ago. I would feel safe making childrens pajamas out of this wrapper, it was so flame retardant. I gave up on it with about 2 inches to go, after just about emptying my lighter relighting it. I guess I’ll leave the remaining samples in the humidor, and if I see some in a shop maybe I’ll try one to see if my batch was an anomaly. I hope it was because it was a good tasting smoke and I like the first Arcana a lot. If you’re keeping score at home, this is a miss.

One cigar I had which isn’t new, but one I really enjoy and bears repeating is the Crow Corona from Blackbird Cigars. I’m generally a toro guy, but I think I like this in the 6″ x 44 corona the best. The narrow ring adds a little more of an edge to the San Andrés wrapper that I like. I always like a good Mexican maduro, and this one really made me happy. I’m to understand that Blackbird has opened a new, larger factory in ght Dominican Republic. I’ve been a fan of their cigars, I can’t recall having a bad one, with the Crow being my favorite. They do a really nice job with Sumatra wrappers too. I will be putting some more Crow Coronas in my humidor, for sure. In case you were wondering, this is a hit!

Another repeat is the Yagua. I smoked one from a 2021 box this week that was amazing. J.C. Newman just announced that they are shipping the 2022 release, with a second wave due in November. These have aged well, the one I smoked was practically round, which was strange. They say that this is wrapped in an “underfermented” Broadleaf wrapper. whatever that means, I ‘d say it works. I had some distinct sensations of black licorice several times while smoking this cigar, and I really liked that. I enjoyed it so much I was tempted to smoke one the following day, alas, I should have followed my instincts! Again, a hit.

The Drew Estate Freestyle Live event is coming up on Thursday, May 12, and receiving a lot of buzz, so I figured I’d give the Mystery Cigar in the pack a try and see what the deal was. I tried the 6″ x 60 gordo first. This digital event is happening on the eve of the Florida Barn Smoker, and the cigars in the pack happen to be the same sizes that the 20 Acre Farm Mystery cigars were presented, leading some to believe there may be a connection. It’s possible, although many cigars are offered in robusto, toro and gordo, so that’s a bit of a stretch. I personally didn’t really like the cigar I smoked, it was heavily woody to me, and that’s not my preference. I don’t like FSG tobacco, so there could be something there, and I’m also not a big fan of the original Herrera Esteli, so it could be a variation on that. I don’t think it’s a riff on the MUWAT, as I grabbed a fiver of Baitfish yesterday and forgot how good those little guys are! I’ll suffer through the rubusto I guess and see what I think of that size, maybe it’s different. I’ll be very disappointed if those guessing it’s in the Nica Rustica line are right. Big miss.

Let’s finish strong. OK, I lied. I picked up an Aganorsa Leaf Rare Leaf Toro yesterday because I’ve been wanting to try it. It’ a 6″ x 54 with a “Nicaraguan Café” wrapper, and Aganorsa Leaf binder and fillers. I’ve been having trouble finding cigars in the Aganorsa range that suit my palate, quite honestly. Sadly, this was another one that did not. I’m sure it’s a great cigar, it certainly performed well, but the flavor left me wanting. This was another that I’ll call wood heavy in the flavor department. I also found it slightly drying. It was a bit sneaky strong. Everyone has different tastes, that’s what makes cigars so much fun, this one wasn’t for me. I’ll keep working thought the range, and I know there are a lot of cigars made by Aganorsa that I like! Unfortunately a miss.

That’s it for today, I’ll be smoking a few favorites today! My part-time retail experiment has come to an end. ore on that, maybe, another time, but it was fun while it lasted. My Friday evenings are now free, who wants to herf? Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Aganorsa Leaf, Arcana, Blackbird, CAO, cigar, cigars, Crow, drew estate, Firewalker, Freestyle LIve, J.C.Newman, Rare Leaf, Yagua

by Craig Vanderslice | April 12, 2022 · 5:53 pm

News: Drew Estate Previews New Premium Cigar Brand In All-New Freestyle Live Event Packs

Drew Estate has another one of their Freestyle Live events coming up! I usually tune into these as they are fun and informative. I wonder what the new cigar brand will be this time?

During its May 12 “Freestyle Live: Special Edition” broadcast, Drew Estate will introduce its newest premium cigar, and the company is giving consumers a chance to preview the brand before its global unveiling with the release of an all-new Freestyle Live Event Pack. Packs will be available at participating retailers nationwide beginning on April 11.

Drew Estate has prepared a total of 10,000 Freestyle Live Event Packs, which will have an MSRP of $39.99. Every Freestyle Live Event Pack will include three of the new premium cigars [without bands], a Freestyle Live 3-cigar case, a Freestyle Live cutter with cigar rest and a Freestyle Live wallet.

Additionally, each Freestyle Live Event Pack will include a Freestyle Live badge with a QR code, which purchasers may use to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win amazing prizes! The grand prize is a 2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport, valued at $33,000. The second-place prize is a Drew Estate Barrel Bar, valued at $2,000. Or sweepstakes entrants may win one of 25 third-place prizes, a travel humidor adorned with custom artwork by Subculture Studios, valued at $100 each.*

Retailers who sell Freestyle Live Event Packs are automatically entered for a chance to win prizes too! The grand prize consists of $7,500 in Drew Estate credit and two Dreamseat recliners; the second-place prize is $2,500 in Drew Estate credit and a Drew Estate Barrel Bar; and the third-place
prize is $1,000 in Drew Estate credit and one Mega standing ashtray.**

“This Freestyle Live Event Pack is gonna set off a chain reaction for the follow up Freestyle Live: Special Edition on May 12 due to the increase in packs we puttin’ on the street,” says Jonathan Drew, President and Founder of Drew Estate. “Trust me, gonna be a posse tuning in to try and guess what that new cigar could be.”

To learn the mystery cigars’ identity and experience other surprises Drew Estate is set to debut, be sure to tune in and join the fun on May 12 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the next “Freestyle Live:
Special Edition” broadcast, which is available only through Drew Estate’s Freestyle Live YouTube
channel (youtube.com/drewestatecigar) and Drew Estate’s Facebook Live page
(facebook.com/drewestatecigar). Participating retailers where Freestyle Live Event Packs will be available can be found at drewestate.com/freestylelive2022 beginning on April 15.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C. (excluding MA, MI, & VA), age 21+. Void where prohibited. Starts 04/11/22; ends 05/03/22. To enter without purchase, send a postcard with your first name, last name, complete mailing address, email address and date of birth (postmarked by 05/03/22; received by 05/10/22) to: Drew Estate: Attn Freestyle Live Sweepstakes,12415 SW 136th Ave Suite 7, Miami, FL 33186. Total ARV of all prizes: $37,095. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received. For full Official Rules, visit https://drewestate.com/freestyleliveeventpack/. Sponsor: SWI-DE, LLC, 12415 SW 136th Ave, Suite 7, Miami, FL 33186.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (incl. D.C.; excl. MA, MI and VA), 21 years or older. Enter Sweepstakes by: 5/4/22. To enter and for Official Rules, including prize descriptions, visit https://drewestate.com/freestylelive_tradepromotion/. Odds depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: SWI-DE, LLC, 12415 SW 136th Avenue, Suite 7, Miami, FL 33186.

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.

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by Craig Vanderslice | April 10, 2022 · 9:37 am

EP Carrillo Short Run, Nica Rustica and La Libertad Cigars

I’d like to have a week go by without incident. This week it was a leaking pipe, which required calling a plumber to come and cut holes in some walls to fix. It took time away from my day job that I made up, which meant I skipped my regular Friday evening working at the cigar shop. If it isn’t one set of pipes, it’s another, so it seems! I had just passed the kidney stone, finally, last week. That only took a month. But I’m able to take some solace in a cigar here and there. Earlier in the week I smoked an E.P Carrillo Short Run Retro 2022. I smoked this in the Short Play size, which is 5″ x 50. This has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuador binder and fillers from Nicaragua, Mexico and Honduras. Boy, this was a great cigar! I did a little reading about this blend, and Ernesto says that he used Honduran tobacco in the blend for the first time in 14 years, the last time was as a binder in the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami. As one might imagine, the Short Run was right up my alley, rich cocoa and espresso, with some earthiness. It was really exceptional. I can’t recall if I smoked any of the previous Short Runs! I may not have come across them or had the opportunity. Give this a try, they aren’t even that expensive!

Yesterday I tried out my first of the new Nica Rusticas from Drew Estate. I’ve smoked many Nica Rusticas. I’ve often said that I’d buy two or three of them to one Liga Privada any day of the week. It’s been one of my favorite Broadleaf cigars for a long time. However, I haven’t had one since they repackaged them, and I’ve been worried that they changed. I’ll admit that I haven’t smoked a great many of the Short Robusto vitola, but I think this one started out making me a bit concerned. It didn’t seem to have the depth of flavor that I was used to, but eventually it came around and developed into what expected. It burned for an unusually long time for a 4½” x 50 cigar. I took a walk, which ended just before it poured rain, and spent a total of about 90 minutes smoking the cigar. Also, these don’t seem to have the same ridiculous amount of smoke pouring from them as they used to. I believe this is a process change, but I’d have to visit the factory again to confirm this. I can’t believe it’s been eight years since I was there. I want to go back. Anyway, now I have to smoke an El Brujito, maybe an old one against a new one to see how they compare.

Last night I dug into a package I received from Villiger Cigars in January and smoked a La Libertad Gran Toro. This is almost a Nicaraguan Puro, the binder is from the DR. The wrapper is Criollo grown in Jalapa, with fillers from Jalapa and Esteli. They have moved production to their own factory in Esteli, which is new. The old version had an Ecuadoran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, so this is a completely new blend. Oddly, there is a familiar flavor to the wrapper on the lips. I can’t explain it better than that of Red Man chewing tobacco, and I think of that every time I put a La Libertad to my lips, regardless of the vintage. Weird. Obviously, there’s no hint of this flavor once lit, I don’t think, I’ve never smoked Red Man chewing tobacco. I can’t imagine that gooey stuff would burn well. A few years ago I wrote a post comparing to iterations of this cigar (here) , do I have to root through the humidor and see if I can compare the three? I doubt I still have one of the originals, but it’s hard to say, I’m a bit of a packrat. It was a good smoke, although I found the flavors to be a little muted. There were some hints of wood, spice and a little sweetness. René Casteñeda gave me a corona at the TPE which I’ll have to give a try, oddly, the 6″ x 54 Gran Toro may not have been the best expression of this blend. For another take on this, check out my friend, Kap’s, review.

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by Craig Vanderslice | April 5, 2022 · 7:34 am

News: Drew Estate Releases Smoke Inn’s 25th Anniversary Cigar

I guess when I first met Abe he was only about 11 years into Smoke Inn, because it was 2008, and we met at a brunch with Steve Saka in Vegas. I don’t usually post news items about shop releases, but this one hits a bunch of things I like.

Last year marked the 25th Anniversary of the first Smoke Inn premium cigar store, and Drew Estate and Smoke Inn’s owner, Abe Dababneh, are celebrating the landmark achievement with the launch of a special commemorative Herrera Estelí cigar honoring Abe’s father and mentor, Raji Dababneh.

The Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji (6 x 50, Toro) is a limited-edition cigar that’s lovingly produced at El Titan De Bronze, the Little Havana boutique cigar factory that’s owned by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera’s family and where Herrera Estelí Miami cigars are made. Constructed using a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, the Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji is a spicy medium- to full-bodied cigar with hay and floral notes.

Every Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji cigar features a commemorative band around its foot, and the cigars are packaged in 10-count boxes that are adorned with the Smoke Inn logo. Ramping up the celebration and honoring Raji Dababneh even more, Raji’s signature is emblazoned on the bottom of every box.

“When I was growing up in Chicago, I watched my dad work tirelessly at the little grocery store he owned,” says Abe. “He always put in whatever it took to overcome any challenges and keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. He is a true inspiration for me as a businessman, husband and as a father. I learned, and continue to learn, so much from him. Dedicating our 25th anniversary cigar to him is the best way for me to give my heartfelt thanks to him for all that he has done for me.”

Founder and President of Drew Estate, Jonathan Drew adds, “Abe and I have been close friends from very early on, and he has always been a true ‘stand and deliver’ guy who deserves tremendous success. His father, Raji, clearly has been a great mentor and teacher. It’s an honor to pay tribute to Raji, as well as celebrate Smoke Inn’s 25th anniversary with this majestic Herrera Estelí Miami expression.”

The Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji will debut at Smoke Inn’s 25th Anniversary party on May 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. atop the Tru By Hilton Pompano Beach hotel. Guests to the epic event will meet Jonathan, Willy, Abe, and the man of honor himself, Raji Dababneh, while enjoying food and spirits and grooving to beats spun by Drew Estate’s very-own D.J. Eli. All guests will receive a party packet containing a commemorative “The Raji” ashtray and 29 assorted cigars, including the Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji, as well as experience other surprises as the evening unfolds.

Available beginning on April 6th and limited to only 250 people, tickets for Smoke Inn’s 25th Anniversary party are sure to sell fast. Tickets cost $250 and may be purchased exclusively through the company’s website, smokeinn.com. After the event, Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji cigars will be available exclusively at Smoke Inn while supplies last.

ABOUT DREW ESTATE

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by Craig Vanderslice | March 19, 2022 · 9:17 am

News: Drew Estate Releases New Gordo Size Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Exclusively for the Van Winkle Family

Just throwing this out there on a Saturday morning. I really enjoy the Pappy Family Reserve Cigar, it’s almost like a really, really refined Kentucky Fire Cured to me.

Drew Estate and Pappy & Company are teaming up once again to add the new Gordo (6 x 60) vitola to the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Barrel Fermented premium cigar line. Crafted for connoisseurs who love large ring gauge cigars, the Gordo will launch on March 19 and will be initially available exclusively on Pappy & Company’s website, pappyco.com, before becoming accessible to Drew Diplomat Program participants nationwide in 2023.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Barrel Fermented cigars are the result of a close collaboration between Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate, and the Van Winkle family to pay homage to Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle and the unparalleled bourbon legacy he began creating more than a century ago. The cigars feature a Tapa Negra-style Kentucky Fire-Cured and barrel-aged wrapper over a Mexican San Andres base wrapper, as well as aged Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan and Kentucky Fire-Cured filler tobaccos. Medium- to full-bodied, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Barrel Fermented cigars offer an ultra-premium smoking experience with notes of coffee, cedar and charred wood and an overall smoky sweetness that pairs perfectly with bourbon, whisky or scotch.

“Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Barrel Fermented cigars are a symbol of quality, distinction and rarity, just like our family’s bourbon,” says Carrie Van Winkle Greener, Co-Founder of Pappy & Company “We are proud of our collaboration with Jonathan and the rest of the Drew Estate team to produce a completely one-of-a-kind cigar that deepens our family’s legacy for producing authentic handcrafted high-quality products and expands our already widely popular collection of Barrel Fermented cigars.”

“Pappy Barrel Fermented stands alone as the most difficult, complex blend we have ever produced due to the intricate level of leaf processing in both Kentucky and Louisiana, as well as leaf placement at the factory floor,” adds Jonathan. “Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Barrel Fermented is complicated to produce, and this is the singular reason that we produce very few of them.”

Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Barrel Fermented Gordo cigars are packaged in 10-count boxes with an MSRP of $175/box or $17.50/cigar. They will be available exclusively at pappyco.com beginning on March 19.