Archive for the ‘Drew_Estate’ Category

Drew Estate Liga Privada UF-13 Dark

Tuesday, September 24th, 2013

Thanks to Steve for sending me a few cigars to try. I am a big fan of the Liga Privada lines. The T52 and No. 9 are on my list of favorites. These cigars are limited, with quite a bit of fanfare. You can read more about that on the Drew Estate website. Steve contacted me, and simply wanted my opinion. I looked forward to the opportunity, so here we go!

 

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina

Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

Size: 5.5 x 52

Price: Around $14.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was flawless. It even glistened when I held it to light. It had odors of cedar, earth, and barnyard. The cigar was evenly packed, and bounced back when squeezed. The draw had some resistance, but fell within my tolerances. The pre-light draw had flavors of leather, dark chocolate, and cedar.

The ash held for an inch, and the burn required a few corrections.

1 Drew_Estate_Liga_Privada_UF-13_Dark cigars

Flavor:

The first third started off with a strong blast of pepper. It wasn’t unpleasant, but for the faint of heart, it could be a problem. Dark, musty earthiness, wood, and bitter notes accompanied the pepper.

2 Drew_Estate_Liga_Privada_UF-13_Dark cigars

The second third kept the same peppery punch, along with wood and earthiness. There were notes of strong espresso from time to time. The smoke feel was almost gritty, and left me craving water. As I approached the end of this third, things started to calm down and smooth out.

3 Drew_Estate_Liga_Privada_UF-13_Dark cigars

The last third ramped back up. No smoothing out or calming down. There was a welcome addition of dark chocolaty notes. This mixed well with the flavors I mentioned before. 

4 Drew_Estate_Liga_Privada_UF-13_Dark cigars

Conclusion:

My description may not paint this cigar in the best of light. But, make no mistake, this was a very good full bodied smoke. The flavors were bold and satisfying. For those of you who don’t like pepper, it may not be for you. As for me, I really enjoyed everything the UF-13 brought to the table. If I had to complain, it would be the $14.00 asking price. Otherwise, I think this is a cigar that holds it’s own, and is worth trying.

Top Cigars of 2012

Tuesday, December 25th, 2012

2012 was a good year. Site wise, traffic reached all time highs, readers have been positive, and a few haters really made it all worth while.

TC6-Hi-Res

You know the routine… All the cigar blogs are posting their top cigars of 2012. Like previous years, I’m far too lazy for that. Below are a few cigars that stood out to me in 2012. Most weren’t even released this year. There are plenty of good cigars that I had the pleasure to smoke, but these just stick out in my mind, at this very moment.

In no particular order:

 

Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9 – Due to limited availability in my area, these are a rare treat. It took a cigar bomb from good friends reminded me that the No. 9 is a must try. The T52 is great as well.

1 Liga_Privada_no9 cigars Drew Estate

 

Ortega Serie D – Again, a hard smoke for me to find locally. Thanks to the generosity of a kind person, I was able to smoke quite a few of these. A nice treat.

1 Ortega_Serie_D cigars

 

Room 101 One Shot One Kill – This may be my favorite Room 101 blend. Flashy packaging made me want to hate it. But, the end product squashed the angry Asian hate.

1 Room_101_One_Shot_One_Kill cigars

 

Emilio AF1 – I described this cigar as “Damn good,” and I stand by that opinion. Don’t be fooled by the no frills band. This thing is complex, and packed with flavor. It’s all there.

1 Emilio_AF1 cigars

 

My Father Le Bijou – This is something I smoke at least once a week. Chances are, if it’s a Friday night at Ed’s shop, this is what you’ll see me with. It’s just a great cigar.

1MyFatherLaBijou

 

Quesada Oktoberfest – For the second year, this has been a go to cigar. It doesn’t have the most complex flavor profile, but flavor delivery is excellent.

1 Quesad_Oktoberfest cigars

 

Casa Magna Domus Magnus – Another favorite of mine for two years. This cigar packs in flavor and complexities. I have yet to grow tired of it.

1 Casa_Magna_Domus_Magns_Limitada cigar

 

And there you have it. Here’s to another year.

Liga Privada No. 9 by Drew Estate

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

First, a HUGE THANKS to Todd and Julia from Julialightsup.com. I was recently a victim of an unprovoked cigar bomb. Included was the cigar up for review today.

I’ve had the T52 before, as well as the No. 9, but not in a long time. They are simply too hard to find around here, and I’m too lazy to order them online. The Drew Estate website has a lot of background information, so check it out. I just care about the experience, so let’s get to it…

 

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf (ligero)

Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina

Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

Size: Robusto 5 x 52

Price: Around $10.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper looked great. It had a shiny, oily, and appetizing appearance. The only flaw was a small split near the foot. This was most likely a handling issue, and wasn’t a big deal. The smell of the wrapper was cedar. The foot was more of a dense, natural tobacco earthiness. The cigar was solidly packed, with only minor variations in density. The draw had slight resistance, just the way I like it. The pre-light flavor was interesting and unique. It’s hard to describe… Musty, earthy, bitter coffee, and a tanginess that I couldn’t put my finger on.

The burn required three minor corrections, and the ash held for about 1.5 inches.

1 Liga_Privada_no9 cigars Drew Estate

Flavor:

Out of the gate, the first third opened up with espresso. Retrohaling revealed an easy pepper, and perhaps a slight leathery note. As I progressed, the pepper developed some zing. The espresso increased in richness, and a tinge of sweetness was noticed. The aftertaste was a combination of these flavors, along with earthy notes. The smoke feel was dense and satisfying.

2 Liga_Privada_no9 cigars Drew Estate

The denseness of the smoke feel increased in the second third. The espresso didn’t go anywhere, but is was dialed back just a little bit. This allowed the earthiness and spicy pepper to stand out a bit more. A subtle sweetness lingered in the background.

3 Liga_Privada_no9 cigars Drew Estate

The last third went well. The spice left a tingly sensation throughout the entire palate, and it stuck around quite awhile after exhaling. The flavors pretty much kept pace with the second third, but everything seemed smoother.

4 Liga_Privada_no9 cigars Drew Estate

Conclusion:

This was an excellent medium to full bodied cigar. My simple palate, combined with a similar writing style, may not do this cigar justice. The flavors weren’t anything that I would consider out of the ordinary, but the delivery was. Rich, refined flavors, along with subtle changes, made me dread putting this smoke down. On the downside, the price is a little high, and finding them isn’t easy. I still think the Liga Privada No. 9 is worth the asking price, and makes for a special treat. Go get some!

St.Pete Cigar Smoker Event Feb.17, 2012

Friday, February 17th, 2012

JoyaDNicAntDarkCorojoElMartilloRightIf your in the area on Friday, February 17th, stop by       St. Pete Cigar.

Drew Estate and Joya De Nicaragua will be the guests.

The Drew Estate Undercrown and Joya De Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo will be featured.

As always, if you’re a fan of Acid cigars, they will be available too.

The event starts at 5:30 and ends at 8:30. There will be raffles, food, door prizes and one day only deals. Stop by, I’ll be there for most of the night.

 

Undercrown_612x234

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support your local brick and mortar!

Undercrown by Drew Estate

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Drew Estate… The Acid guys, right? That’s what I thought for years, until I got my hands on the Liga Privada T52. The Undercrown uses the same tobacco as the Liga, but has different primings and vintages. So this is by no means a Liga Privada rip off. It is a completely different cigar. That’s my simplified, dumbed down version. Many other sites out there get in depth about the blend. I’m far too lazy for that. I want to experience it, not blab about it’s background. When I found out Ed had a few of these at his shop, I picked some up immediately in anticipation. Let’s see how it went…

 

Wrapper: San Andreas

Binder: Connecticut

Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 54

Price: Around $7.50

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark maduro wrapper had a nice, seamless look with no flaws. The smell of the wrapper and foot was hard to pin down. It was sweet but I can’t compare it to anything. The cigar was evenly and solidly packed with barely a hard or soft spot. The draw was perfect, and the pre-light flavor was unique. It was sort of earthy and sweet, but there was something more to it that I can’t describe.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for over an inch.

1 Drew_Estate_Undercrown cigars

Flavor:

The first third began with a nice and easy peppery spice through the nose. The flavor quickly developed, offering coffee and cedar. The smoke volume was ridiculous, in a good way. Thick plumes of smoke came off of this thing as I puffed, and even when I let it rest on the ashtray. It just smoked, whether I puffed on it or not, and I like that. Back to the flavor… In the background was a sweetness much like cocoa. The smoke feel was thick and somewhat creamy.

2 Drew_Estate_Undercrown cigars

The second third took a turn with more sweet rich cocoa. The pepper became a tingly sweet spice that was encased in creaminess. Coffee and cedar remained, with wisps of earthiness in the background. Smoke continued to billow off of the end of the cigar. Despite being in a cross ventilated room with an exhaust fan, the room filled up with a nice aromatic smoke.

3 Drew_Estate_Undercrown cigars

The last third saw the creaminess tone down a bit, but the smoke volume stayed the same. The woody and coffee flavors stood out more over the sweet cocoa. The tingly spice remained and may have increased a little. Flavors were nice right down to the nub.

4 Drew_Estate_Undercrown cigars

Conclusion:

This was a very good, solid medium to upper medium bodied cigar. As you probably gathered by now, I liked it. Construction, flavor, nice smelling aroma, everything… It was very good. While this is no Liga Privada, it stands on it’s own and it a must try. What more can I say? Keep your eyes out for the Undercrown and pick a few up. See for yourself, you may like it as much as I do.

Drew Estate – Liga Privada T52

Monday, August 15th, 2011

This is a first impressions review. Thanks to my pal Kenny for picking this up for me at The Tampa Humidor. For the record, we did a trade, so technically this wasn’t a freebee. Initially, when I thought of Drew Estate, I thought of Acid cigars. You know, the ones infused with herbs and spices that I honestly don’t like. Lately, I’ve come to think of Drew Estate as more than “The Acid guys,” due to their release of non infused blends. I’ve been curious to try the Liga Privada for awhile now. They simply aren’t available at shops around here. So I jumped at the chance to smoke this and review it.

 

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Brazil

Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua

Size: Belicoso 6 x 52

Price: Around $12.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper  had a nice sheen when held to a light, and had minimal flaws. The foot and wrapper had almost no odor at all. Maybe a faint earthiness at best. The cigar was rock solid and evenly packed. The pre-light draw was a little too snug for my liking. Taking a cold draw, I picked up a dark, almost musty woody earthiness.

After cutting the cigar, the cap tried to unravel. I think this may have been because I cut too deep. A little pectin glue and I was back in business. While the draw was snug, it didn’t seem to bother me that much. This may have been due to the smoke volume. This thing practically smoked itself. It bellowed smoke constantly, which I found enjoyable.

1 Drew Estate Liga_Privada_T52 cigars

Flavor:

The first third began with a dark woodiness and rich earthiness. It didn’t take long before black coffee joined in. Subtle dry sweet notes lingered in the background. When passing smoke through the nose, I was greeted with an easy pepper. It wasn’t the standard pepper I am used to. This had an interesting feel and taste. As this third was coming to a close, the sweetness developed into a cocoa-ish flavor mixed with leathery note.

2 Drew Estate Liga_Privada_T52 cigars

The second third saw in increase in sweet cocoa. It was matched with black coffee and woody notes in the background. The pepper calmed down but kept a little kick. It is hard to describe. It was simply very good. The aftertaste was nice and matched the flavor profile. It hung around for awhile after exhaling. Earthiness and leather seemed to go away in this third. Note of interest – Some draws had dominant cocoa, others were coffee, others were woody with coffee, and a lot of the time it was a combination of everything. Very nice…

3 Drew Estate Liga_Privada_T52 cigars

The last third kept pace with the second third. I would be repeating myself to write anything more of this third. Don’t take that as a bad thing. If you re-read my comments, you’ll see it was quite enjoyable.

4 Drew Estate Liga_Privada_T52 cigars

Conclusion:

In my opinion this cigar proves that Drew Estate can and have shook their image of the guys who make Acid cigars. This cigar was complex, medium to full bodied, and delivered with flavors. With all the praise the T52 gets, I had high expectations, and they were met. My only complaint is the price is a little high and out of my comfort zone. Otherwise – a solid cigar. If these become available in my area, I will have more from time to time. This is a must try!

Drew Estate–My Uzi Weighs A Ton

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Thanks to the people at Drew Estate for sending me some samples of their new cigar. My Uzi Weighs a Ton will be introduced at the 2011 IPCPR trade show. The final product will have a band, and come in 3 sizes – 5×60, 6×60, and 7×60. I have limited information on the cigar. It’s name sake can be found with a simple Google search though. Anyway… Back to what matters. How did the two cigars I smoked treat me? Below I review the 5 x 60. For good measure I smoked a 7×60, which pretty much performed like this one. Read on…

 

Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro

Binder: Connecticut Capote

Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina, Nicaragua

Size: 5 x 60

Price: ???

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper had no visible flaws and looked seamless. The odor coming from the wrapper and foot was barnyard. The cigar was evenly and solidly packed with tobacco. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had an earthy, musty flavor.

The burn required some corrections in the first third. The ash held for well over an inch.

1 Drew_Estate_My_Uzi_Weighs_a_Ton Cigars

Flavor:

The first third had an interesting dark earthiness with a leathery finish. After about an inch in, a dry cocoa introduced itself. Overall, the smoke was very dry but plentiful. Through the sinus, there was a peppery spice that wasn’t too strong at all.

2 Drew_Estate_My_Uzi_Weighs_a_Ton Cigars

There were no new flavors introduced in the second third. What changed was the dominant flavor became the dry cocoa I mentioned before. Behind it followed the other flavors – earthiness with leather and some woody notes. The smoke feel became less dry and I stopped feeling parched. The aftertaste thickened up and stuck to the mouth. The peppery spice remained and may have picked up a notch.

3 Drew_Estate_My_Uzi_Weighs_a_Ton Cigars

The last third really didn’t change from the second third in terms of flavors. The body picked up a little and hit the upper medium to lower full range.

4 Drew_Estate_My_Uzi_Weighs_a_Ton Cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good medium to full bodied cigar. The 5×60 size seemed to hit the spot for me more than the larger 7×60. I think the large 7×60 is over kill. The flavors were simple but refined. This compensated for essentially a one dimensional flavor profile.  Since I don’t know the price, I can’t factor that in to the equation. While there was no WOW factor, it was a good smoke. Depending on how much these will go for, as of now I recommend at least trying the “My Uzi Weighs a Ton” and be your own judge.

Looking for something?

Use the form below to search the site:

Still not finding what you're looking for? Drop a comment on a post or contact us so we can take care of it!