Herrera Estelí Norteño from Drew Estate

Jonathan Drew, founder of Drew Estate Cigars has effectively turned the cigar world on its ear with his brand of ACID cigars, but the Norteno is a different animal all together. His approach is both daring and nontraditional. The mantra that has seeped into every aspect of the company is “The Rebirth of Cigars”, and the subculture that has sprung up around the brand is just as crazy as the man who invented the dream.

The Herrera Esteli Norteno comes from the master blender at Drew Estates, Willy Herrera He produced the Norteno as a homage to the amazingly rich and bold flavors of the tobacco of Esteli Nicaragua. The cigar itself is a perfect example of Drew Estates as a whole; the quality behind it is undeniable and if flavors pushes the envelope past the tradition and into new uncharted waters.

What’s Inside?

• Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
• Binder: Honduran
• Filler: Nicaraguan

Construction: 

Willy Herrera encases the Nicaraguan filler and Honduran binder in a San Andres Maduro wrapper, allowing for a full flavored, punch-you-in-the-face, show no mercy smoke that will please the toughest of palates.

“…the Norteño has been one of my favorite blends for many months now, with its meaty, spicy flavor; it just fits my palate perfectly.” ~Willy Herrera, Master Blender, Drew Estates Cigars. 

Draw:

The easy draw brings the brash flavors to the forefront, setting the stage for them to clash and compliment each other at the same time. The smooth San Andres wrapper is a perfectly chosen vessel to deliver a draw that cools off the harsh smoke and tries to balance the barrage of flavors every puff gives.

Burn:

Although the burn was slightly uneven, the dips and valleys didn’t hinder the experience. Towards the end of the smoke on one occasion, the wrapper unfurled a touch, prompting a few lighting corrections. Even though that Norteño had a few issues with the wrapper, overall this wasn’t a consistent problem with our other samples. And from experience Drew Estates puts out consistently amazing cigars that are held to world class standard, and even rockstars have off nights.

Aroma:

Prelit

• Leather
• Burnt Oak
• Toasted Toffee

Lit

• Roasted Nuts
• Leather
• Rich Bitter Coffee

Flavor:

Saying that Willy Herrera created a bold cigar would not only be an understatement, but it would be selling short the layers of flavor that comprise the brash and punchy cigar. Notes of bitter coffee, earth and dark chocolate collide, creating an intense smoke that at times can be a bit out of balance, but still lives up to the expectations I have after years of smoking cigars from Drew Estate. Known for their tobacco infusion process, Drew Estate’s calling card imparting unfathomable depth. The Norteno is a straight up cigar with no infusion process, but the potency and punch that it delivers falls right in line with their bold style.

Value:

At About $11.00 a stick, it’s bordering on the expensive side, but if you are looking for a relentless smoke that offers a flavor profile not for the faint hearted, then Willy Herrera had you in mind when he constructed the Norteno. From start to finish, Herrera showcases Drew Estate’s unwillingness to compromise their vision just to fit into a common mold. The Norteno is another cigar in a long line from Drew Estate that continues to explore what’s beyond the confines of the box.

Buy Now: $11 – $107 or to learn more, go to: DrewEstate.com