Not Drew Estates Best, but not the worst either...

Cigar Reviewed: Drew Estate Isla del Sol Maduro

Smoked at: Martinsburg, WV

I am a bit of a Drew Estate fan, and so I make a point of playing the field and trying all their expressions. Like any exploration, you'll find sticks you're fiercely loyal to, and some you'll chalk up the experience and move on. This was certainly the latter for me. I don't hate this stick by any means, but after smoking several, they'll remain the sticks I keep to smoke while waiting for my next box of goodies to come in.

They do have a decent coffee aroma and taste, but appear to be made of broken filler. I've yet to find a way to cut these that doesn't result in a mouthful of small chunks of tobacco throughout the smoke, and almost every one has had the center filler push through midway through smoking it. Even if I've delicately punched the cap with an just removed the slightest amount of cap, chunks of nibs wind up in my mouth. I'm not a fan of spitting tobacco chunks, hence my rating. I would actually consider the Factory Smokes Sweet to be a better made cigar over this, but it just doesn't taste as good.

I will say, unlike most Drew Estate expressions, they really downplay their branding on these, and that may be telling. Is it horrible? No. Is it on par with most Drew Estate? Not from a construction standpoint. Tastewise, yes. So, I wouldn't jump to grab these if I saw them on sale, but they'll do when I have nothing else on hand...