StogieBrewski.com: estate

Showing posts with label estate. Show all posts

Drew Estate 'Undercrown Shade' Gran Toro. 6x52. Medium brown wrap. Nice build, straight lines, smoothed veins. Cut and lit well. Medium-easy draw pre- and post-light. Burn was uneven at first but was easily corrected. First half taste of almond, light wood, mild herbal. Second half is walnut, oak, earthy spice. Mouthfeel is creamy. Ash is clean and marbled well, holding two inches with ease.

This is an excellent cigar, a well balanced smoke with plenty of wood and herb notes. The draw is mostly easy, gentle, with a smooth creamy taste across. The flavor is consistent down to the band.

Undercrown is a very popular series, very much in fashion at the moment, and there's a reason for the praise. It's a hip cigar that is actually deserving of its hype. Wonderful smoke. One of the best I've had in a long while. Strongly recommended.

From the company:

"Drew Estate will be launching a new line extension to their Undercrown line – 'Undercrown Shade,' a Connecticut Shade-wrapped cigar brand that will join the original San Andres-wrapped line. The final blend is medium-bodied, lush & ultra-smooth, flavors that only a shade grown wrapper can deliver. And so it is with great bravado that we share Undercrown Shade, and the continuing story from our factory floor... Undercrown Shade marks the first release blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera not to fall under the Herrera Estelí brand family. Herrera’s continued involvement in blending and brand development within Drew Estate is evident with this new blend, as Herrera worked extensively with the Undercrown roller team who blended the original Undercrown line to develop this new Connecticut blend... Featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Sumatran binder, as well as Dominican Criollo 98 and Nicaraguan Criollo & Corojo fillers, the new Undercrown Shade line will be presented in six vitolas, mirroring the San Andres-wrapped Undercrown core line that you’ve come to love."

[source: drewestate.com]

Muwat Kentucky Fire Cured 'Just A Friend'. 6x52. Medium-dark brown wrap. Excellent build with nice lines and some vines across the stick. Tight draw pre-light, easy draw post-light by the first third. First half taste of mild tobacco, spice-roast notes. Second half is more aromatic, cloves, herbal, very smooth, effortless draw. Burn is even across the stick. Ash is marbled well, darker shade, clings two inches easy.

This is an outstanding smoke, another quality cigar from Drew Estate. Excellent craft, perfectly even fill, mild herbal, aromatic. Wonderful. Highly recommended.

From the company:

"The MUWAT story began on the very first final consumer blending session at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in late 2010 during a Cigar Safari tour. After conducting blending sessions for the previous 3 years at the Drew Estate factory we were amped up to extend the concept to JDN. I worked with the JDN team utilizing DE tobaccos, including a San Andreas Negro Wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Binder and hearty Brazilian Mata Fina Filler, coupled with Nicaraguan fillers provided by JDN. The blend proved to be rich and earthy, with a bright, sweet undertone. As months of blending passed, I felt this blend was most noble in the 6×60 format and began calling this cigar “MUWAT”. We all had a good laugh at the name, but when I went back to their factory to pick up the round of 50 sticks, the brand was officially born."

[source: drewestate.com]

Sierra Nevada 'Estate Ale' Homegrown Wet Hop IPA. 6.7% abv. 67 IBU. Red-copper color. Finger of white head that sticks around. Excellent retention and outstanding lace. Nose of sweet malt, herbal, earthy. Front taste of toasted malt, toffee, sweet bread, warm sugar backing. Aftertaste of fresh bitter hops, flowery, caramel. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, round, small bead carb.

This is an outstanding beer. A perfect balance of sweet malt and bitter hop bite, with fresh herbal flavors throughout. Excellent taste. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Our handmade Estate Ale highlights the flavors of home. From the sun-drenched fields of California’s North Valley comes our Estate Ale. It’s rich with the flavors of the valley—hops with earthy, grapefruit-like flavors and layered spicy aromas, and barley with mild sweetness and smooth, toasted flavors. Enjoy this remarkable homegrown ale, made with organic wet hops and barley grown at our brewery in Chico, and one of the few estate-made ales produced anywhere in the world. Together, these crops grow alongside the brewery to make a truly unique brew."

[source: sierranevada.com]

Enjoying the wonderful Estate Ale at Peeve's Public House with Mario Gutierrez of Sierra Nevada. Thanks for the good company and great beer Mario!

Drew Estate 'Acid' Krush Classic Red Cameroon. By Drew Estate. 4x32 cigarillo. Good build with subtle veins. Not as smooth as I'd like, but straight and well wrapped. Nice light brown color. Cut and lit well. Superb draw pre and post light. Sweet taste on the cut crown. Aromatic smoke akin to a fragrant spice bouquet. On the intake, taste is sweet caramel, pepper, floral herbs. The exhale has notes of coriander, pungent flowery herbs, strong black pepper. Flavors were consistent down to the band. This is another excellent aromatic from Drew Estate that pushes the flavor and aroma to the top. Cigar "purists" may not appreciate the abundant flavor profile, but I adore it. Highly recommended to lovers of aromatics with a half-hour to break away.

From the company:

"ACID Krush Classic is a quick taste of the ACID flavor offered in a small, 4×32 easy-to-smoke format. Offered in four different infusion and wrapper varieties, these are the perfect short smoke for the ACID fan. The four varieties offered are Blue Connecticut, Gold Sumatra, Morado Maduro, and Red Cameroon. If you love our full-sized ACID blends, you will love these quicker-smoking versions of your favorites. Packed in 10-ct tins with 5 tins to a carton. Singles available for display refill."

Isla Del Sol 'Sun Blessed' Robusto. 5x50. Medium-light brown wrap with some veins. Excellent build and cut. Medium draw pre-light improved greatly after. Sweet taste on the cut cap. On the intake, taste is mild leaf, sweet botanicals, subtle herbs. Aromatic smoke. Exhale offers tastes of mild tobacco, warm sugar, walnut, toasted almond. Wrap became creamy during first half. In the second half, tobacco became rich with the spice shining in the exhale. Peppery toward the band. Nice even burn. Clean flaky ash held over an inch. This is another excellent aromatic from Drew Estate, one of the few cigar makers that makes flavored and aromatic smokes through curing rather than dipping. It's a mild, creamy stick with a pleasant, slightly sweet flavor. Great way to spend an hour. Highly recommend.

From the company:

"Wrapped in a sun-blessed Sumatran wrapper, this is a tripa mezcaldo blend of Nicaraguan leaf infused with a mix of exotic Sumatra Mandheling bean coffee. Handmade with a sugared tip, its smoke is deliciously flavorful and smooth with an aroma that is sure to please all in the room. The Isla del Sol is an affordably priced cigar with exceptional flavor."

Drew Estate 'Acid' Toast. 6x50. Excellent construction. Smooth even color. Cut and lit well, though it took some work to keep a fairly even burn. Superb easy draw. Aromatic smoke and taste of infused botanicals. Clean ash that holds two inches firm. Mild herbal taste across the cigar. Sweet taste on the mouthpiece. Excellent cigar from a solid line. Highly recommend if you love aromatics.

From the company:

"The ACID smoking experience is like no other. Each blend holds new explorations in tobacco curing and blending that are the closest guarded secrets in the industry. For the past 10 years, legions of you have sought out ACID cigars in the far corners of the world to satisfy your craving for something truly one-of-a-kind, unique and inspiring. Explore the entire range of kaleidoscope tastes never before imagined in a cigar and be rewarded for your efforts. (Toast description) Maduro wrapper, mild and sweet; rich tobacco notes."