Drew Estate Java Latte Review

Manufacturer: Drew Estate

Series: Java (Latte)

Price Paid: +/- $7

Shape/Vitola: Box-pressed Corona

Length: 5“ 

Ring Gauge: 44

Body: Mild-Medium

Strength: Mild-Medium

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: ???

Filler: Nicaraguan

Number Smoked For Review: 4

Now normally, I’m not a big fan of flavored cigars. I like to think that flavored cigars are for schoolgirls and a rich, full-bodied cigar puts hair on your chest. But macho nonsense aside, the Drew Estate Java is an excellent dessert cigar on its own merit. The Drew Estate Java takes keynotes of rich chocolate, espresso and premium tobacco and rolls them into a truly memorable and highly enjoyable experience.

The Drew Estate Java comes in a variety of vitolas and also has a maduro line of the same cigars (which frankly I think are awful), but for this review I went with the corona size. In the load out I specified it as a box-pressed corona, which is a little redundant because all Java’s come in a box-press format. The wrapper is a light-medium brown Connecticut, with little to no veins and a very smooth feel to the touch. I never detect any lumps when I indulge in these tasty sticks. The bands are stylishly simplistic with one near the shoulder that reads “Drew Estate Java” in a gold lettering against a burgundy background and at the foot is another small band that reads “Latte” in the same lettering. The band on the foot is what distinguishes the Latte from the Maduro besides the obvious fact that Maduro wrappers are naturally darker and more oily.

The construction of these cigars is positively amazing. The draw is very smooth and even, no matter how or where you cut it, the burn is in perfect equilibrium at all times and the wrapper has never once flaked, torn or even looked at me the wrong way. These things are just beautiful and make it much easier to enjoy when you’re not having to worry about any common cigar issues like unraveling etc. The smoke is thick and creamy and the ash is very responsive and not flaky whatsoever. However, where this stick truly shines is the taste.

As I mentioned before, I am usually against flavored cigars as it usually tastes like I’m smoking incense or tealeaves or some shit, but the flavors just hit your palette in all the right spots. It could easily be viewed as under-complicated and possibly one-dimensional because of it being distinctly flavored from the get-go, but we are talking about a cigar, the purpose of which is to be enjoyed with a nice, light coffee on a beautiful night, while the smoke brushes your taste buds with cocoa, coffee, espresso and light hints of pure, premium grade tobacco. I strongly recommend enjoying these with some coffee because they very obviously compliment each other, but once you actually taste it , it will bring the entire experience to life, while not being overpowered with too much sweet creaminess.

I literally have nothing negative to say about this cigar. Not because I haven’t tried, not because I’m a Drew Estate/Rocky Patel (this cigar was a joint effort of theirs) fanboy or any other such nonsense. This is one of the rare occasions where a cigar is made that is not a carbon copy or knockoff, but is highly affordable and offers all of the things you would come to expect of a cigar twice the price: Perfect burn and draw, thick creamy smoke that requires no effort to elicit, beautiful flavor and a solid 45-60 minute smoke.

Presentation: 5/5

Construction: 5/5

Draw & Burn: 5/5

Flavor/Taste: 5/5

Overall: 5/5 [Not an average]

Last word: A note to you Maduro wrapper fans: The Maduro version of this stick is an entirely different experience and I’ve found that it does not enhance the experience with the sweeter maduro wrapper and actually, in a way I can’t explain, detracts from it. Some of that indescribable creaminess is lost in the maduro series and I feel that should be made known if you decide to try this cigar and are left with both to choose from.