Herrera Esteli Habano Toro

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, the Herrera Esteli Habano was originally known simply as Herrera Esteli, but Habano was added later to differentiate it from the rest of the line which was released later. 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 it wasn’t a surprise to anyone that this smoke was given a 94 rating from Cigar Aficionado and landed in the #7 spot in their Top 25 Cigars of 2016.

The Habano is a Cubanesque smoke that comes dressed in a dazzling Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that conceals a Honduran binder and a bevy of Nicaraguan fillers. This stogie starts out medium and builds to a full bodied masterpiece. It screams Cuban with notes of spices, cedar, cream, and roasted nuts with hints of white pepper and vanilla. Clean and crisp, this smoke is slow burning and full of smoke. Pair this stogie with a bold Malbec after dinner.

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.