Drew Estate Herrera Estelí Norteño Belicoso Fino

The boys at Drew Estate have caused quite a stir in the cigar industry in the last few years. With the release of a multitude of unique brands, they're quickly becoming known for producing high quality, premium smokes – and one of the newer brands under their massive portfolio, Herrera Estelí, is no exception. Created by one of Drew Estate’s newer master blenders, Willy Herrera, this is the second to come out of the Herrera line and the long-anticipated wait was well worth it! Willy started in Little Havana, Miami and his talents quickly became noticed by some of the best in the industry with Drew Estate quick to pick him up. His first cigar, the Herrera Estelí, blew away consumers and critics alike with his Cubanesque style and his entubo style rolling technique, so when the Herrera Estelí Norteño came around, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone that this smoke was given a 94 rating from Cigar Aficionado as well as landing the #7 spot in their Top 25 Cigars of 2016.

The Herrera Estelí Norteño is a full-bodied firecracker that features a rich, dark, oily, and very handsome Mexican San Andres wrapper that tightly secures a spicy Honduran binder and a bevy of long-fillers from the fertile Nicaraguan growing regions of Jalapa and Estelí. Once lit, expect lots of dense smoke and a near perfect draw with bold core notes of chocolate and pepper with hints of cashew, cocoa, and espresso. The name of the cigar translates to “northerner” and pays homage to the people in Estelí, Nicaragua who are referred to as “Norteños;” it is also the home to both Drew Estate and Herrera Estelí. Try this smoke with a mead.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.