Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Drew Estate Blackened S84 Shade to Black Toro is medium tan and has some raised, knotty veins. There are also some veins from the binder protruding up. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, both with a black and white color combination. The primary band is thin and carries the brand name while the foot band denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is dusty earth, cedar and hay, while the foot brings bread, cedar and light earth. The pre-light draw brings an airy mix of cedar, hay and earth with a mild spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mid-level toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. At a half inch in, some creaminess joins the profile. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth, creaminess and mild black pepper. At an inch in, some light hay becomes present and the creaminess bumps up to become even with the black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with black pepper and creaminess in the middle and some hay in the background. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the black pepper mellows a bit. At a half inch in, the hay increases a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth creaminess and hay. At an inch and a quarter, the hay increases a bit more to be slightly ahead of the creaminess as the black pepper mellows a bit more. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth a bit behind and hay a bit further behind. The creaminess is now just behind the middle of the profile and the black pepper is a bit further behind. The strength drops a bit to be slightly below medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a light wood bitterness joins the profile and the creaminess mellows a bit more. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, earth creaminess and hay. At an inch in, the wood bitterness increases slightly. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar was up front, with earth a bit behind, hay a bit further behind and creaminess black pepper and wood bitterness in the back half of the profile. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with a mid-level toasted cedar, earth and some black pepper. Some creaminess joined in and later some hay. The second third saw the black pepper mellow and the hay increase. The final third saw some wood bitterness join in with the creaminess mellowing a bit more. Construction was absolutely perfect. The Drew Estate Blackened S84 Shade to Black Toro had an average flavor profile that matches up with the experience with the Robusto last year. Smoking the cigar now did show the construction paper note not being present, but that didn’t improve the cigar as a whole. Still a pretty average Connecticut shade offering that I wouldn’t see myself returning to.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.83

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Drew Estate Blackened S84 Shade to Black Toro