Today’s review comes courtesy of Lou B. who you can find in the comments section every now and then. I met Lou at a herf a little while back and he’s been holding some awesome Cigar-B-Cue’s where we eat, smoke, drink and talk. At the last little gathering, Lou handed me a Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 and said that I had to try it and squeeze in a review if possible. We chatted a little about how my history with most Rocky Patel sticks is a little shaky but I would give it a shot.

So here I am today about to light up this cigar. I have had a few Vintage 1990′s a while ago but it’s been a rather long time so other than a few notes I made for myself I don’t have much to go on. I actually decided to ignore my old notes and go at this one blindly!

The Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 is the oldest cigar in his vintage line. This particular blend is made with Maduro Broadleaf wrapper dating back to 1990. So the wrapper on these cigars is near 12 Years old and apparently the filler is at least 5 years old before being rolled. That makes for a very well aged cigar right out of the box so let’s hope it has the smoothness you would expect on such a well aged smoke.

It seems that the Vintage 1990 line is also available in a wide variety of vitolas that come boxed in quantities of 20. I even stumbled upon some being sold as bundles so you can save a few dollars there too. The vitola Lou gifted me with happens to be their Churchill which also has a box-pressed look to it. The cigar also seems a lot smaller than the claimed 48 ring gauge, possibly due to the pressing. I’d say this cigar is almost around 42 or 44 ring gauge from a quick glance.

Now this cigar also has quite the reputation which can sometimes hinder a cigar. It’s been given a 92 rating by Cigar Aficionado and even been named to the Top 25 Cigars of the year twice. So this sets the bar fairly high when you read something like that before lighting up. But regardless of that, I’m going into this review with a clear mind and hoping for a good smoke. This one’s for you Lou!

Cigar: Rocky Patel Vintage 1990
Drink: Innis & Gunn Winter Beer 2011
Vitola: Churchill (7 x 48)
Wrapper: Honduran Maduro Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan
Price: About $8.00
Burn Time: Just short of 2 hours

Construction:
• The wrapper on this cigar is velvety smooth and has the color of milk chocolate bar, it’s actually quite appealing to look at
• There are some veins and seams running along it’s length but none of them look large enough to pose any problems
• The vitola on this cigar is pretty interesting, but despite that the single cap looks to be expertly applied and clean
• The foot follows in the same ‘footsteps’ (cheesy pun, I know…lol) and is very well packed
• That also links into the fairly firm feel of the whole cigar, there is a tiny give when squeezed but not much, I think I’ll blame that on the box pressing process
• The cap clipped off nice and easy but left me with a bit of a tight draw, hoping that doesn’t continue and it opens up soon
• Glad to report that the draw opened up nicely within the first inch

Burn:
• The toasting was easy and fairly even, getting me off to a good start easily
• I usually get some funky burn lines on box pressed cigars but through the first couple inches this one is flawless
• Not much to report here, as I get to the halfway mark I’m still moving along flawlessly
• Still more nothing to report, lol. No wavy lines, no canoes, no tunnels, just the way I like it!

Smoke & Ash:
• There is a ton of resting smoke coming off this cigar, could be a little too much if I were in an enclosed room
• Even with a tight draw, I’m still picking up a fairly good amount of smoke from each puff
• The ash on this cigar is a nice even tone of light gray and is keeping itself fairly clean and tight
• Got to just about an inch before the ash fell off
• Next ash got to about an inch again before I tapped it off cause it was looking ready to fall
• Seemed to get a pretty consistent 1 inch ash on these that stayed clean

Tasting Notes:
• Running the cigar under my nose gives an easily noticeable aroma of coffee, but mostly of cedar. It’s light and pleasant, not overpowering
• The foot does away with the coffee but does carry the aroma of cedar and maybe a little bit of greenery
• I get the same greenery and cedar flavor as I take a pre-light draw after clipping the cap. Also an odd liquor type of flavor, almost like infused but you can tell it isn’t, interesting to see if that will carry into the smoking experience
• Initial flavors are mostly woodsy and earthy notes, maybe with a hint of coffee in there
• The coffee flavors are developing a bit as the cigar burns, still very mellow but they are there, maybe with a bit of cocoa too
• The start of this cigar as been fairly mild for the most part, maybe just approaching medium and the retrohale has almost no bite but gives a smooth cedar and coffee finish
• The liquor flavor I was getting is making slight appearances here and there, I can’t quite put my finger on what it is but it’s keeping the experience interesting. It’s sort of sweet and mixed with the coffee flavors I guess my closest comparison would be Kahlua or something similar
• The whole cigar seems to be quite well balanced to me, I’m getting a good variety of flavors that keep changing up on me and keeping me interested, none of them are overpowering the others
• The array of flavors has stayed the same through to the last third but the fact that they keep taking turns being the dominant one has kept me interested and enjoying the whole cigar so far
• Flavors got a little more intense near the nub, but no harshness or bitterness so I got to enjoy it to the very end

Final Thoughts:
So I have to admit I came into this cigar with some hesitation due to my past experiences with Rocky Patel sticks. I’ve had a few good ones, but most were not in my flavor profile. Even with Lou’s claims of how much he enjoyed this I was a little worried. I’m happy to report that I enjoyed this cigar! I wouldn’t put it into my top 10 but I would keep it on regular rotation as a reliable mild/medium bodied stick if I can find it on sale or maybe in the bundles. It had an interesting set of flavors that were very well balanced and it burned superbly. I don’t really have anything negative to say. If there was one critique I could make it’s that the flavors were not very pronounced. They were there, but you really had to sit and concentrate to pick up on them. Maybe this is due to their extended aging? I’m not too sure… You could easily enjoy it’s smoothness without paying attention, but if the flavor were a little more intense, this might have been a top 10 contender for me.

Pairings:
It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of the Innis & Gunn Brewery and everything I’ve tried from them to date. Their Oak Aged Beers are simply the best I’ve been able to find so far with a sweet caramely smoothness. Every year they also come out with a Winter Seasonal, and as I mentioned in my last review, I’m a bit of a sucker for Winter Seasonals. So I had to get this, their Winter Beer 2011! The crappy part is that it’s only available in a Sampler pack here. Although I really enjoy their other beers in the sampler, it comes with a glass. I think I’m up to 5 or 6 Innis & Gunn glasses now because I keep buying the sampler packs they have for their seasonal beers… lol. But enough about my ranting, this beer keeps to my expectations for this brewery and brings a TON of flavor to the table. Along with the classic Oaky notes, you can pick up some citrus, vanilla, toffee and the signature caramel smoothness. All of their beers seem to pair best with a good mild or medium bodied cigar, so it fit very well in with the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990. Other good pairing would be a similar beer like a blonde or amber, and possibly a nice cup of coffee.

Before heading down south for a couple weeks I picked out a cigar to review that recently made an appearance at the IPCPR show in July 2011. It’s not the first report of this cigar though as is was initially released in limited quantities back in May of this year. Originally it was released to be sold in singles and 5-packs along with the purchase of other EO Brands cigars and is soon to be available in boxes of 10. I’ve already seen them posted up on some online cigar retailers who seem to be taking pre-orders.

The La Bomba is one of the first new cigars coming from EO Brands since they merged with Rocky Patel not long ago. There seemed to be a lot of criticism and concern over the direction of the company after that merger and I think they can be put to bed after the news of this release. The cigar is still blended by Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega of the original EO Brands company and also continues to be rolled at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua.

From some web research, it seems the official name of the cigar is the 601 La Bomba. As you can see from the picture, it will be a yellow 601 label placed at the foot of the cigar with an interesting warning. I like the comedic side! The La Bomba has an interesting appearence with it’s “fuse” like pig tail on the cap. It’s been touted as a pepper and spice ‘blast’ no less, so let’s see if the imagery coincides with the experience. Will I be “blown away”? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist! haha)

Cigar: EO Brands 601 La Bomba (Yellow Label)
Drink: Delaforce 2005 Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port
Vitola: “Atom” Corona (5.5 x46)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: About $8
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A fairly rough looking wrapper with lots of veins surrounds with cigar, none of them are over sized but they are noticeable
• The dark chocolate brown color shines in the light due to it’s oiliness, very appealing look
• The top of the cigar is finished with a triple cap that flows into a long pig tail, making this look sort of like a stick of dynamite
• The cigar has a nice firmness with a slight spring which is petty even throughout
• The foot of the cigar looks to be mostly well packed with a couple spots that seem a little open
• The cap clipped off easily and left me with a great draw

Burn:
• Toasting was just about spot on, taking a bit of time but not too long before my culinary torch had it glowing evenly
• The La Bomba started burning great right off the start and is staying lit with minimal draws
• At first the cigar seemed to be burning quickly but it slowed down and is burning super slow now
• Burnline is razor sharp through the first half and still burning slowly
• Razor sharp burn continue to the end but it got a little hot at the nub

Smoke & Ash:
• This cigar started out with a huge burst of smoke, very thick and full
• Despite the ton of smoke from each draw, the resting smoke is very minimal going almost unnoticeable after a few seconds in the ashtray
• The ash is a little uneven and rough around the edges but it’s producing a very nice white color. It’s not flaking but doesn’t look too strong
• First ash lasted a little over an inch and fell softly into the ashtray
• Nice ashes continued for the remainder or the cigar, very nice construction!

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper of the cigar gives off a spicy and woodsy aroma, actually made me sneeze! lol
• The foot brings more spice and wood, along with a bit of earthy or barnyard aroma
• The pre-light draw is very interesting bringing some sweet tartness on top of the woodsy and spicy burst
• The initial draws are packed with pepper spice that makes you tongue and lips tingle, along with a smooth woodsy undertone
• The cigar started off in the medium bodied range and the retrohale already has a hefty bite to it.
• The finish has been somewhat dry and mostly with a flavor of wood
• Within the first inch the pepper blast laid back a bit, its still there but now it’s more of a compliment rather than the major player
• The woodsy and earthy notes have taken center stage and now I’m getting some leather mixed in there as well
• The cigar really balances out nicely and gets much smoother after the first third, the flavors haven’t changed much but they are brighter and the finish isn’t dry anymore
• As I pass the halfway point the body and spice are building up, definitely lots more pepper in the mix now with a biting raw nutmeg
• The spice and body continue to build in the the last couple inches, definitely into the full range
• The overall profile is still smooth but the dryness on the finish is slowly creeping up again
• Only minor harshness at the nub but the heat of the cigar had me lay it down just a bit early cause my fingers were burning, lol

Final Thoughts:
The EO Brands La Bomba is all in all and enjoyable smoke. It’s flavor profile will definitely cater towards those who like some bite and kick in their cigar. Usually that’s not my favorite profile but this one had a good balance to it through most of the cigar. The burnline was spot on the entire time and that always grants extra points in my mind. I don’t think I would offer this cigar up to a new cigar smoker but most regular cigar lovers will find the cigar interesting and it will keep you on your toes.
Let me add that this cigar had some punch to it that I didn’t realize until I stood up, a definite nicotine kick here and a powerful little cigar!

Pairings:
Not doing anything new in this department today, sorry! lol. I like my Port and I stand by it, especially when I’m heading into a cigar I know is higher up in the full range. The Delaforce 2005 Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port is a great drink that fits me perfectly. Price, flavor and smooth texture make it a great pairing to many cigars. I recently reviewed the Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro and the Pinar Del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura with this pairing. I found the Port to be an excellent match for the EO Brands 601 La Bomba’s peppery spice and power. The sweet and boldness of the port really stands up to it while complimenting it as well. I think a careful pairing will make or break this cigar so make sure to reach for something a little fuller. Other possible pairings could include a nice scotch or maybe a strong and bitter Belgian ale.

The Good Stuff: A few samples of this blend was sent over to me by our friends at Rocky Patel. As the name states the 15th anniversary cigar is being released in celebration of Rocky Patel’s 15 proud years of production. Since the begenning of his time, Rocky Patel has produced enourmous amounts of award winning blends and has become a staple in just about any cigar smoker’s humidor. The 15th Anniversary is being produced in Rocky Patel’s own factory in Nicaragua in 4 sizes, Corona Gorda, Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo. I don’t have the specs on the sizes but I’m sure you get the jist of it from thier names. They will come in boxes of 20 with a release date set of July 30th, 2010. The size I am going to be reviewing is the Robusto.

Size: 5 x 52 (I’m guessing the ring gauge) box-pressed  -  Wrapper: Habana Ecuador  -  Binder: Jalapa  -  Filler: Nicaraguan  -  Body: Full

Prelight: The Rocky Patel 15^th Anniversary is a beautiful, boxpressed cigar. The wrapper is an extremely consistant, milky brown that leads up to a perfectly applied triple cap. The cigar is very firm to the touch in all spots accept close to the foot, where it is noticeably softer. There are a few very small veins, but nothing too big or in need of any concern. Outside of a very small tear close to the foot of the wrapper the 15^th anniversary’s construction is spot on.  The scent of the cigar is a very, very pungeant tabcco flavor. It stinks so good. Really. Outside of the very strong tobacco aroma the 15^th anniversary gives off slight earthy and cinimon tones, only to be more prominent from the foot of the cigar. The 15^th anniversary clipped with ease using my Cuban Crafters perfecto double blade cutter. The cold draw is effortless and produces a very sweet, spice and cinnamon mixture with tobacco undertones.

First Smoke: The Rocky Patel 15^th anniversary surprised me with a splash of pepper right off the bat that was only present long enough to tickle my toungue. The pepper faded quickly and was quickly replaced with organic tobacco, chocolate, cinimon, cedar and a slight zesty tart flavor I couldn’t really pick out. It wasn’t prominent at all.  The burnline was a bit wavy right away with a few little runs that I hope don’t get too crazy. The draw was thick and effortless producing a very cedarisque scent upon release. This cigar prodces almost not stationary smoke, and the slight breeze made it extremely difficult to detect any scent being produced by it. The ash produced from the 15^th anniversary is a light grey with subtle darker spots and very flaky around the edges and held on for about an inch and a half before giving way. The ash and burn produced from this cigar reminds me of most cubans I have smoked. One note is how much I enjoy this vitola. Fits perfectly in your hand, and even more comfortably in your mouth.

Halfway there: Just as the tart flavor was beginning to overpower this cigar, I was pleasantly surprised with a burst of floral flavors.  The flavor has now became  much more sweet with hints of sweet tobacco, the floral I announced prior, cedar and cinnamon. This was a very welcomed change up as the tartness was just about to become unbearable. The retrohale is very pleasant, and helps coat the nasal pasagges with a cedar aroma/taste. I am starting to feel a slight dash of nicotine, but nothing too powerful at the moment. Still running very smooth, with no signs of harshness.

Finish: The tart, and harshness is starting to form now, but is casually cloaked by a strong boast of cedar. Along with that the floral flavor is still running full steam. This cigar definitely has it’s share of surprises. Each time the experience starts going down hill another characterstic is brought to the center stage. I am actually starting to feel the nicotine ramp up to a slight nicotine kick in the final third. The burnline is still even for the most part with no need to touch up, or relight the cigar. There was a quite ramp up in harshness within the final third, which sadly I expected. I took my time smoking this one too in hopes that it would offset any harsh buildup.

Overview: Honestly, There aren’t a lot of Rocky Patel cigar that really stand out in my opinion. That being said, the 15^th anniversary is one of the better sticks produced by Rocky Patel. This isn’t a cigar I’d pick up a box of, but due to the great change ups and constant differences in flavor it is something that I wouldn’t mind smoking again. It does keep you on your toes. But don’t let my opinion discourage your from picking up this product. I think the flavors produced and the overall experience would be stellar as far as other people’s wants from a cigar goes. Just not mine. Pick a few up if this sounds like something you’d like. Especially if you’re a fan of Rocky Patel.

Pairing: I paired this cigar with one of my all time favorite beers, Ayinger Breweries Celebrator Dopplebock. As many of you know, I love my Double’s and this beer is the cream of the crop.  Produced in Germany… you know.. Germany.. the country that should have won the world cup… but that’s a story for another day. (kidding of course, Spain is a really good team and deserved it) most, if not all of Ayinger beers are produced under the Germany beer brewing purity law of 1516 which limits of  all beers to be produced using only 4 ingredients. Barley, Wheat, Hops, and water. This Dopple Bock boasts a alcahol content of 6.7% enriched with flavors such as wheat, caramel, chocolate, and wheat. This made a great pairing for the cigar, but overpowered the mild stages in the experience. This cigar is best paired with something more mild such as tea, a nice pilsner or wheat beer, and even milk. That’s right milk.

Rocky Patel 1961

The Rocky Patel 1961 was amongst an array of anticipated cigars released in 2009 at the IPCPR show in New Orleans.

The Good Stuff: The year 1961, from what I gathered, is Rocky’s actually birth year. These limited production cigars were among the first cigars manufactured at the new Tabacalera Villa Cuba, Rocky’s newest factory.

Size: 5 x50  -  Wrapper: Ecuadorian  -  Binder/Filler: Honduran/Nicaraguan  -  Strength: Medium – Full

Rocky Patel 1961

Prelight: The first characteristic I noticed was the triple cap. I’m a huge fan of the triple cap as most of my wrapper problems usually occur at the head of the cigar. The cigar itself sports top-notch construction, with absolutely no signs of soft spots, or flaws in the construction. Rocky is known for being a stickler when it comes to the perfection of all cigars manufactured under his rule. The wrapper is very smooth and there were no real noticable veins as far as I could see. The band was remarkable, and unlike anything that I have seen come from Rocky Patel. The 1961 showcased a massive, double band. The top band is black, with light watermarked “wallpaperesque” textured, presented by a large “1961″ label positioned over a halftone tobacco plant. The secondary band fits snuggly into the primary band and sports a red shimmer with the “Rocky Patel” label.  There isn’t really a lot of noticable scent coming from the wrapper of the 1961. I picked up light notes of sweetness and cocoa. The foot of the cigar smells very similar, with a touch of grain, and what seems to be something that smells similar to paint thinner. Tom from Tom’s Cigars nailed it in a recent review when he acclaimed that you should NEVER trust a cigar by its smell. Many of the best cigars I have had smelled like complete crap.

Rocky Patel 1961

Cold Draw: I was able to pull the paint thinner taste off the cold draw. Not a good sign. Let’s just hope this taste doesn’t carry into the actual smoke. I got a bit of pepper, and mixed almond as well.

First Smoke: THANK GOD the paint thinner taste didn’t make it to the actual smoke. If so, I would have never even went into the cigar for fear of throwing up. The 1961 starts off with a massive burst of pepper and spice. What a wake up call. I wasn’t expecting much taste as I couldn’t really pull anything off of the 1961 on the cold draw. The pepper even got to a point where it started to make my lips, and back of the throat tingle. Most of the undertones at this point were masked under the pepper, but there was a mixed bunch of almond and cocoa in there. The burn line became wavy, and unstable right off the bat. The ash itself was very light colored, and flaked off every chance it got. The 1961 produced an awesomely large draw with thick, almost brown smoke.

Rocky Patel 1961

Halfway There: And just as quickly as the pepper came, it went away. The pepper literally just dropped off the face of the cigar. Halfway through the smoke balanced out and became very smooth and creamy. The flavors weren’t as complex as I’m used to, Cracker/grain, cocoa, a bit of sweetness, a bit of cherry/grape, mostly earthy tones. The smoke itself smelled much like the paint thinner I pulled off the cold draw. I wouldn’t recommend smoking the 1961 around people. The burn line is getting more and more wavy as I burn through this cigar. Halfway though the 1961 went completely out on me and I had to relight before the ash actually fell off itself. Classic case of the filler burning faster than the wrapper itself.

Rocky Patel 1961

 Finish: The pepper taste I craved never made it’s comeback. Why do you tease me so 1961?! By the time I got the cigar down to the nub I reached a total of 3 relights, and countless touch-ups. For the sake of the review I wouldn’t have bothered to touch up the cigar, but it got to a point where there was more un-burnt wrapper than actual cigar left. The only characteristic that really stayed consistent throughout the smoke was the awful aroma of the smoke. I can’t imagine what made it smell that way. The 1961 started off as a powerhouse cigar. I could feel the nicotine almost instantly. But it finished as gently as a puppy. I just wish this cigar was more consistent.

Rocky Patel 1961

Overview: At the beginning of my review I stated that I wasn’t impressed much by Rocky Patel’s cigars. I hoped that the 1961 would renew what little faith I had in the company. Alas, it only made it worse. The 1961 was very bland for my taste. It lacked complexity, and consistently. I do however, see why some may find this smooth smoke attractive. I however, will probably never purchase it again.

Rocky Patel 1961

So I decided on the Tabak Especial Toro Negra:

Drew Estate - Tabak Especial - (Image courtesy of cigar.com)

Just like last time cigar.com was really good about shipping these ASAP. If I’m not mistaken they ship from Pennsylvania, and since I live on the western most tip of Texas, I didn’t expect these anytime soon (especially since I’m a cheapskate and shipped value). Again, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my shipment only 3 days later. Each set of 3 cigars came wrapped in cellophane, then placed in air-tight ziplock cigar bags along with humi-care gel packets. Then each bag was shipped in separate boxed filled with air-filled protectant pouches. Pretty impressive.

The Good Stuff:

Strength: Medium  -  Size: 6 x 52  -  Country: Nicaragua  -  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro  -  Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan Sumatra / Nicaraguan Criollo

This is yet another amazingly constructed cigar by Drew Estate. It’s very rare that you get less than perfect from them. One of the first noticeable difference between this cigar and many others is the fact that it supports what is called “shaggy foot”. What a shaggy footed cigar is a cigar that’s inner filler tobacco leaves extend far further than the wrapper itself. Although it looks a bit funny it holds a purpose. By constructing a  cigar this way you enable the smoker to enjoy the tastes of both the binder/filler tobacco separate than that of the wrapper. Along with this it is believed that it gives of a much more even burn as well.

Prelight: Again, this cigar sports a flawless construction. The wrapper is a deep, extremely dark maduro which makes even the smallest flaw stand out. The Tabak Especial’s aroma consisted of very strong coffee with hints of cedar and cocoa. Unlike most other Drew Estates this cigar carries with it a dual band. One on the neck, and one at the foot of cigar. I am assuming this has something to do with the shaggy foot technique. The Tabak Especial Toro has a very well construction rounded cap, and a very oily wrapper. There were no soft spots. Again I am trusting my Cuban Crafters Perfecto double blade cutter, and a standard single flame colibri torch.

First Smoke: First of all the cigar was incredibly easy to light. This again, has to do with the shaggy foot. The toasting of the cigar was effortless, and resulted in a complete, perfect burn. The first scents were that of milk chocolate, lined with coffee, and of course tobacco. Unlike the Drew Estate – Rocky Patel Java, this cigar was much more mellow, and a lot sweeter. The cigar produced a very large draw right off the back , with large hefty smoke accompanying it. To my surprise the ask only held on for a little over 3/4 of an inch before releasing into my ash tray. The cigar was moist, so this was a shocker.

Halfway There: One great thing about this cigar is even halfway through and further the draw doesn’t change, and neither for the strengths and flavor. Tabak Especial is a lighter strength cigar making the smoke very easy and relaxing. The ash is still spilling off quickly, but this is not bothersome in anyway. The cigar remains in-tact and there is absolutely no unwrapping of any kind.

Finish: As stated in previous posts, I’m not a nub smoker. I usually give in with an inch or so still left. I don’t know if it was the amazing conversation or the fact that this cigar is so remarkable, but I took it all the way down to nothing. Literally, I burned the tips of my fingers trying to get every last drop outta this thing. This cigar is remarkable. It finishes just as easy as it begins holding its flavor all the way through. Absolutely no signs of un-wrapping.

Overview: What can I say?! Drew Estate delivers again. This is a remarkable cigar, from the burn, and construction to the draw and the flavors. I can honestly say even the most die-hard non-infused cigar smoker would be stupid not the at least give these a run.

On a side note: Recently I reviewed a Rocky Patel – Drew Estate – Java Maduro Box pressed cigar. To sum the differences up is pretty simple. Tabak Especial is a lot creamier, sweeter, and lighter than the Java line. Java boasts HUGE draws, and in your face strengths. Both come from opposites ends of the “coffee infused”  spectrum.

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Nicaraguan, Maduro

This week I will be review Drew Estate’s Java Maduro Robusto.  I have had the pleasure of enjoying these cigars many, many times. Both from order, and purchased from brick and mortar shops.

Drew Estate JAVA

Believe it or not, this was actually one of the first cigars I have ever smoked. And what a way to start.

The first thing you may notice is it’s very unlike the common Drew Estate branding. Instead it looks almost identical to something created by Rocky Patel. I’m not sure on the exact procedure in which these cigars were developed, but I do know this; the super-star tag team of Mr. Patel, and Jonathan Drew result is REMARKABLE in every way possible. Not to mention two of the greatest amenities combined (coffee and cigars).

These guys hit the market sometime in early 2005 and are still available in most B&M stores. With the fall of the great Kahlua cigar (also created by Drew Estate) this cigar along with other coffee infusions (I’ll go into a few of those later) are still just as popular as ever.

The Goods:

Robusto  -  Size: 5.5 x 50  -  Wrapper: Coffee Infused Maduro  -  Country: Nicaragua  -  Box Pressed

JAVA Maduro sports a dark, oily, sweet wrapper wrapped around perfectly aged Nicaraguan long-fillers. As these cigars are aged, they are slowly infused with a rich, mocha flavor giving off an incredibly smooth taste, creamy finish, and extremely pleasant aroma.

Drew Estate’s JAVA also comes in a LATTE. The difference is the Connecticut Ecuador wrapper rather than the standard Connecticut Broad leaf. Its much creamier, but  I personally prefer the boldness of the Maduro wrapper.

Prelight: I’m usually not a huge fan of box-pressed cigars. They just seem a bit uncomfortable and a bit un-conventional. But, this press suits this cigar just perfect. The construction again is immaculate. It’s very rare that Drew Estate lets sloppy cigars leave its institution. There were no visible un-wrapping, and no soft spots. The whole cigar seemed a bit softer than other, but this is a HUGE plus in my book. This means two things to me. 1) they are properly humidified. and 2) expect a bigger draw.

First Smoke: As usual this cigar was cut using a Cuban Crafter’s Perfecto Cutter, and lit with a standard single torch colibri flame. The cigar took on an ever burn right away. I’m not sure if this is because of the construction, or the box-pressing, but if it’s due to the box-press then I take back my dislikes for them. The coffee aroma strikes immediately. I think this is the best smelling cigar I have ever smelled. The cigar produced HUGE draws, with just enough punch. Good in strength, but far from over-bearing.

Halfway There: Towards the end of the smoke the cigar greatly increased in strength. The coffee flavor still survived but was mixed in with a bit more spice, and an almost wood-like flavor at this point. Still great. I’m still amazed at the percision of the burn.

Finish: By the time I hit the nub this cigar was kicking my ass (in a good way).  I didn’t want it to end. Still just as flavorful as the first half of the cigar, but it feels as if its almost doubled in strength.

Overview: My over-view is just a bit biased as this is BY FAR one of my favorite cigars. One of the main reasons why I wanted to do the review was not only spread the word of a great product, but take the time to enjoy one for myself. You don’t need to be into infused cigars to like this one, or even cigars for that matter.

One last thing, Drew Estate offers two other lines of coffee infused cigars. One of which is the Tabak Especial. This is a more raw coffee infused cigar. AMAZING. but not as creamy as the JAVA’s. Quote from Jonathan Drew himself:

the woman just love those TABAKS. Fire em up, and your the hit

The other is the Isla Del Sol. These are a bit more heavy on the cocoa end, and at a price you just can’t beat!