Drew Estate - Herrera Esteli Norteņo
No fluff just the stuff
Wrapper - San Andreas Maduro
Binder - Honduran
Filler - Nicaraguan
Vitola - 6 x 50 Box Pressed Toro
Smoke Time - 1.5 hours
Pairing - Water
Price - $11
Pre Light - Leather, hay, pepper
Cold Draw - Woody, peppery
Appearance - Blotchy dark chocolate color, oily, extremely toothy and rough. Nearly seamless with some noticeable veins.
Light - Peppery, dry and woody a little cream and sweet spice. Very similar to the regular HE with more punch from the wrapper.
1st Third - The pepper mellows out and the cream really picks up supported by cocoa, sweet spice, some woodiness, and a syrupy sweet tobacco note. The profile almost has a graham cracker like note to it. Retrohale is a big blast of pepper, cedar, sweet spice, and cocoa. Med-full body and medium strength.
2nd Third - The syrupy sweet tobacco notes really amp up and the woodiness mellows sweetening up the profile. Still rounded out with cocoa, pepper, sweet spice, and coffee. Same in the retrohale. Full body and medium strength.
Final Third - The profile really doesn't change much here aside from a little oak creeping in. The retrohale isn't quite as peppery but still holds the same flavors. Full body and med-full strength.
Construction - Easy draw, excellent smoke production. Burn got wavy at times but evened itself back out. Ash is a little flakey.
Overall - An excellent cigar. Much like the regular HE in character but the San Andreas wrapper really gives it its own personality. On a side note I feel like the bigger vitolas in this line are more comfortable in the hand. Wasn't crazy about the lonsdale because of the press but the toro feels more natural.
