Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
This year, Drew Estate will provide a cigar exclusive to the Tobacconists Association of America retailers as a part of its TAA Exclusive Series. The cigar is a part of the Herrera Esteli brand and is appropriately titled the Herrera Esteli TAA Exclusive. Plans are for the Herrera Esteli TAA Exclusive to make its debut at the 48th annual TAA Meeting and Convention being held in Puerta Vallarta Mexico beginning on March 6th. The cigar itself is planned to ship this April to TAA retailers.
The Herrera Esteli TAA Exclusive was blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera. The blend features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. This is the first time Herrera has worked with a this wrapper at Drew Estate. The remainder of the blend features a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and an all-Nicaraguan filler.
The cigar will be available in one size – a 6 x 52 Toro priced at $12.00 per cigar. It will be packaged in twelve count boxes priced at $144.00 per box.
In a press release announcing the cigar Herrera commented, “This is my first blend since joining Drew Estate that utilizes Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco. Drew Estate fans know that we’re famous for our use of Connecticut Broadleaf tobaccos, especially in our Liga Privada No. 9 and Nica Rustica lines. I’ve been experimenting with blends that incorporate this incredible wrapper since coming on board and finally have a blend I’m really excited about. I think anyone who’s a fan of my blends will definitely appreciate this cigar. Spicy, meaty, and rich – get ready!”
This is not the first cigar Drew Estate has provided to the TAA. It has an on-going release under its Acid brand called the Acid Bing Bang TAA Exclusive.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder; Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli, Jalapa, Condega)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate)
Vitolas Available:
As mentioned, the Herrera Esteli TAA Exclusive will be available in a single size a – 6 x 52 Toro.
The cigar is very well made and has a slightly oily wrapper. It also has a nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a sweet orange citrus with a touch of boysenberry, cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, and black pepper rated at an 8. The as is starting off almost totally white.
About one inch in I lost the boysenberry notes but there is now white chocolate attached to the sweet citrus and cinnamon. The pepper notes are still good. The darker notes of dark chocolate and coffee remain a good base for the cigar. The finish is one of a cream with white chocolate characteristics with some lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied and it seems tilted up toward medium to full bodied.
2 inches in the citrus and cinnamon continue to increase in sweetness. The lower level flavors are secondary and not overpowering. The cigar is still medium bodied but I still think it will move upward. There is a nice mix of sweet notes to dark notes.
At the midpoint I noticed some brown sugar on the front end. It goes nicely with the citrus, cinnamon, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and coffee. The finish and strength are unchanged. The flavors are working very good together.
At the end the flavors continued. The dark notes seem to be more noticeable at the end but they never overpowered the sweeter notes. The cigar did finally reach medium to full bodied. The flavors in this cigar are very, very nice. I would put this on your must-try list. I found this to be an excellent cigar from Drew Estate. Willy Herrera did a great job blending this cigar.
Score: 93
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