Pre-light Experience

This is going to be an interesting pre-light description. Candela green from the band down and very dark brown from the band up. The candela portion has some fine veins and the seams are invisible. The dark brown wrapper is very smooth and the head is adorned with a well applied double cap. The band is the standard KFC band. Smelling the candela portion doesn’t give me much as I am getting the fire cured smell from the foot. Smelling the dark wrapper near the head give me a mellow version of the fire cured notes. Smelling the foot gives a strong dose of the pipe tobacco aroma that I enjoy. It is quite potent and I’m sure not everyone’s cup of tea, but the smell to me is fantastic. The pre-light draw is all campfire and pipe tobacco. There is also a spicy tingle on my lips and tip of my tongue.

Pre-light Experience

The Drew Estate MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Rat has a spot on grassy candela wrapper and a maduro shade wrapper. Veins are nicely pressed and seams tight. Bunch and roll feels well done as I feel no soft or hard spots and just the right amount of give. The head is finished off with a well applied, thick, double cap. Nosing the wrapper tells pungent fire pit and campfire. Nosing the foot gives smokey BBQ pit and subtle black pepper. Cold draw reveals the same foot notes (smokey BBQ pit and slight black pepper spice).

First Third

Initial draws are very interesting as they are grassy with a bit of a BBQ potato chip flavoring finish. At a quarter inch in, the profile is a musty grassiness and the BBQ flavoring note is gone. At three quarters of an inch in, a meatiness joins the musty grassiness. At an inch in, some cream joins in with the musty grass and meatiness. The retrohale is a pretty nice grassy note. As the third comes to a close, the meatiness goes away while some of the campfire notes comes in to mix with the musty grass and cream. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

Initial handful of draws gives sweet grass, subtle black pepper, dry wood flavored herbs, campfire and a touch of BBQ grilled smokiness. The sweet grass note becomes more prominent as the third progresses. Retrohaling the cigar is fairly flavorless with namely a deeper black pepper and faint nuttiness. The finish is comprised of subtle grilled smokiness, campfire and mixed nuts. strength and body medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the musty grass and cream continue along with a slight bit of the campfire note in the background. At three quarters of an inch in, the campfire note is now up front with some musty grassiness and cream in the background. At an inch and a half, a smoky note is up front with the musty grass and cream in the background. As the third comes to a close, the smoky and campfire note is up front while some grassiness is present in the background. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

Second third essentially tells the same story as the cigar is still centered around sweet grass, subtle black pepper, dry wood flavored herbs, campfire and BBQ grilled smokiness. Retrohaling thankfully has more flavor in the sense of a greater depth of black pepper spice. The finish is more mixed nuts focused with a faint campfire note in the background. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, there is just a small amount of candela before the darker wrapper begins, so just a bit of grassiness before it is overtaken by a slightly spicy wood note. At three quarters of an inch in, the wood note is very dark and smoky with a slight bitterness. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

Last third is like the second third in every way. Flavors of sweet grass, subtle black pepper, dry wood flavored herbs, BBQ grilled smokiness and campfire. Retrohale brings deeper black pepper and some mixed nuts. Finish is mixed nuts with campfire in the background. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was pretty wavy through the first two thirds where the candela was exposed. When it got to the darker wrapper portion, the cigar went out a couple of times and required re-lights.

Burn

Burn performance was average. Two major touch-ups were required as 1/4 of the cigar refused to properly burn. Aside from that, the ashes were very sturdy averaging 1.5 inch increments. The cigar burned cool and slow all the way to the last draw.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

This was an interesting experience. The candela wrapper definitely tones down the fire cured tobacco which was nice as I find the original KFC a bit overwhelming after a while. The first third was fairly enjoyable and then dropped down a bit in the second third. The final third wasn’t really memorable at all as some burn issues arose. If you’re a fan of candela, this is a cigar you should try. If you like the KFC, you’ll be interested in this as well. I could see myself smoking this every once in a while, but wouldn’t be something I’d revisit often.

Draw

Slightly tight for my liking but other than that, fantastic draw. No real complaints here.

Overall

This was an average cigar experience for me. The cigar tasted like what I basically expected it to taste like. That is, a mixture of a traditional grassy/vegetable candela mixed with the smokiness of fire cured tobacco. Although incredibly unique, it felt a bit odd especially when the grass note was sweetened almost to the extent of candied like sweetness. Try this one for the exclusivity.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.33

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.30

Cost/Point

$1.42

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Drew Estate MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Rat