Smoked: Drew Estate Herrera Esteli Lonsdale Deluxe

Smoked at: Fairfield, Ohio

Herrera Esteli Lonsdale Deluxe has Nicaraguan filler, a Honduran binder and is covered in a caramel brown Ecuador Habano wrapper with medium size veins. Drew Estate claims the tobacco used is “air cured.” How would we know and how does that improve the cigar? More tales of the unexplained tobacco sagas on the next episode of What Would Robert Caldwell Do?

Rich coffee and earthy flavors jump out at the start. I’m tasting cedar, leather, peanuts & walnuts, chocolate, cinnamon spice, which overtakes any pepper by the second third. There are also brief faint notes of mineral, herbal and floral. Bread/toast, butter, a puff or two of citrus and vanilla creaminess – caramel perhaps - can be found darting in and out of the flavors as the second third develops. It compliments and counterbalances the wood, leather, nuts and spice that form the backbone of the flavors throughout the smoke. There’s a nice balance and consistency to the flavors, especially from mid 2nd 3rd to finish. Medium-full bodied. Medium-full strength.

Sharp burn line after a rough start including a small wrapper tear – by midway through the first third one touchup resolved the burn and wrapper issues, outstanding smoke production, the ash was flaky and fell off several times.

I enjoyed the Drew Estate Herrera Esteli Lonsdale Deluxe. Good smoke. Didn’t quite develop into a special experience. Can’t give it a 5 but it’s a 4-plus cigar in my opinion.