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Drew Estate Java Toro Maduro

I'm gonna give it a shot at reviewing a cigar for the first time. This is my first trip into the relm of "infused" cigars, as well as my first cigar by Drew Estate. The construction on the cigar was top notch the box press was impressive with very defined creases on the edges. The wrapper appeared to have a fair ammount of oil. The pre-light aroma was very pleasant with a strong chocolate/coffee smell. The cigar lit very easily (using kuzi method...thanks). Burn was very even with no touch ups or relights. The ash was a dark gray to light brown in color that held till about 1 3/4 inches. Initially the cigar was a little too sweet with a fairly strong chocolate note with just a hint of eartiness. The early sweetness only lasted about the first 3/4 of a inch or so, afterwards the cigar began to mellow out very nicely. To my very novice palate there wasn't much going on in the first third of the cigar, it was however creamy with a even draw throughout. In the second third of the cigar I noted a very wonderful smell but it took me awhile to put my finger on it. Once I figured it out i was kinda surprised to be tasting this in a cigar. It was what tasted to me to be the smell of chocolate chip cookies still in the oven, or fresh chocolate cake batter with just a hint of coffee. In the last third of the cigar the the fresh baked good smell moved to the backround with some spice moving the forefront. This was the first i noticed the spice throughout the cigar, as well the light earthiness seem to present itself again. Overall if you can get pass the initial sweetness the cigar is a enjoyable mellow smoke. Not very complex but still a very nice cigar for it to be flavored. I'm sure the purist will disagree but this one definately appealled to my taste and I will def by somemore to keep in the humi. Thanks for reading
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Comments

  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Nice review E.. You are right about all the bakery in this one... cookies, cake, chocolate, coffee, hey that may be a new term to describe this type of cigar.. Some people like cigars that hint of barnyard, some like bakery. When put that way, I think the choice would be easy to make.
  • ebitlerebitler Posts: 57
    I'm glad I'm not the only one comparing this to a bakery, lol. I thought maybe it was just my novice palate.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    I would not keep these in your humidor with your non flavored cigars, it will marry with your others and they'll all end up tasting "bakery", lol. I actually hit up this awesome cigar bar in Tulsa while I was out in OK the last day I was there I smoked a Drew Estate Java Maduro BP Robusto. I have to agree with you here I was getting the Chocolate chip cookies in the oven smeel with hints of Vanilla. I've never been an infused cigar person but to me this cigar still allowed the flavors of the tobacco to come out throught the infused flavors. It was quite enjoyable.

    The Customer service displayed by Steve, The Drew Estate President, in another thread on this forum lead me to this purchase and I am damn glad I did. This cigar will end up being a regular for me when I'm in sweeter cigar kind of mood, I can tell you that now!
  • ebitlerebitler Posts: 57
    I use the small travel humi that I have whenever I feel the need to buy a flavored cigar of somekind. Although I wouldn't be against buying a box of these just don't have a second humidor big enough yet.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    ebitler:
    I use the small travel humi that I have whenever I feel the need to buy a flavored cigar of somekind. Although I wouldn't be against buying a box of these just don't have a second humidor big enough yet.
    Tupperware and coolers work well.
  • rusiriusrusirius Posts: 565 ✭✭
    madurofan:
    I would not keep these in your humidor with your non flavored cigars, it will marry with your others and they'll all end up tasting "bakery", lol. I actually hit up this awesome cigar bar in Tulsa while I was out in OK the last day I was there I smoked a Drew Estate Java Maduro BP Robusto. I have to agree with you here I was getting the Chocolate chip cookies in the oven smeel with hints of Vanilla. I've never been an infused cigar person but to me this cigar still allowed the flavors of the tobacco to come out throught the infused flavors. It was quite enjoyable.

    The Customer service displayed by Steve, The Drew Estate President, in another thread on this forum lead me to this purchase and I am damn glad I did. This cigar will end up being a regular for me when I'm in sweeter cigar kind of mood, I can tell you that now!
    Exactly... I posted a while back that almost all the flavored cigars I've tried have been complete crap, but the Java holds a special place in my heart... The coffee/chocolate flavors really let the tobacco flavors come through unhindered... They compliment each other rather than hiding each other... A VERY nice smoke and I like to keep a couple of these around... ESPECIALLY if we have company over and we sit outside to chat... The Java is a great smoke but seems to generally be considered pleasant rather than obnoxious by non-smokers...

    As for storage... I actually keep the Javas stored in their own humi... (a small 20ct that was a freebie)... I find the flavors to be too subtle to allow them to be tainted with normal flavored cigars, yet to strong to want to marry with my non flavoreds...
  • ebitlerebitler Posts: 57
    This was actually the first flavored cigar I Can honestly say I enjoyed, I actually justed ordered a box and was going to try the tupperware idea and use some of the humi bag c.com used during thier shipping. On a non-flavored note I very much enjoyed a Cohiba XV today, lots of spice, perfect burn very enjoyable.
  • ftnatorftnator Posts: 14
    I have to agree! The Drew Estate Jave are infused cigars I enjoy!!! I like the coffee and chocolate flavors with the Nic fillers. The flavors don't take away from the tobacco and make a real relaxing smoke. I would definitely buy a box of these, but keep them in a separate humidor away from my other smokes!!
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    I've noticed that since being on these forums I've built my collection and this cigar is no exception, I ordered 2 nat and 2 maduros today, I'm really looking forward to getting to these, they sound really good.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    phobicsquirrel:
    I've noticed that since being on these forums I've built my collection and this cigar is no exception, I ordered 2 nat and 2 maduros today, I'm really looking forward to getting to these, they sound really good.
    Funny how that *** works isn't it.:)
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    madurofan:
    phobicsquirrel:
    I've noticed that since being on these forums I've built my collection and this cigar is no exception, I ordered 2 nat and 2 maduros today, I'm really looking forward to getting to these, they sound really good.
    Funny how that *** works isn't it.:)
    Yeah you all need to stop talking about good cigars! hehe
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Have you tried the ...
  • Newbee on Board ...!

    JD

  • ScramblerScrambler Posts: 746 ✭✭
    Awesome, good to have you.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Jonathan Drew:

    Newbee on Board ...!

    JD

    Welcome aboard matey....
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Jonathan Drew:

    Newbee on Board ...!

    JD

    Newbee Hey that's a good one.. Nice to have you drop in..Love the Clean Robusto..Cold Tea.. and Blondie labels.. Nice mild smokes.
  • gmill880gmill880 Posts: 5,947
    my favorite of all cigars ---
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I just recently made a trip to my local shop, and you know, I was looking at the Java cigar (maduro) and thought it smelled fantastic and thought to myself, this would be the perfect compliment to a very nice dinner and desert. So I picked it up, and now after reading this post I'm glad I did!!! Thanks for the advice on storing my Java seperatly from my other sticks. I have a travel humi that I will use.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    rusirius:
    madurofan:
    I would not keep these in your humidor with your non flavored cigars, it will marry with your others and they'll all end up tasting "bakery", lol. I actually hit up this awesome cigar bar in Tulsa while I was out in OK the last day I was there I smoked a Drew Estate Java Maduro BP Robusto. I have to agree with you here I was getting the Chocolate chip cookies in the oven smeel with hints of Vanilla. I've never been an infused cigar person but to me this cigar still allowed the flavors of the tobacco to come out throught the infused flavors. It was quite enjoyable.

    The Customer service displayed by Steve, The Drew Estate President, in another thread on this forum lead me to this purchase and I am damn glad I did. This cigar will end up being a regular for me when I'm in sweeter cigar kind of mood, I can tell you that now!
    Exactly... I posted a while back that almost all the flavored cigars I've tried have been complete crap, but the Java holds a special place in my heart... The coffee/chocolate flavors really let the tobacco flavors come through unhindered... They compliment each other rather than hiding each other... A VERY nice smoke and I like to keep a couple of these around... ESPECIALLY if we have company over and we sit outside to chat... The Java is a great smoke but seems to generally be considered pleasant rather than obnoxious by non-smokers...

    As for storage... I actually keep the Javas stored in their own humi... (a small 20ct that was a freebie)... I find the flavors to be too subtle to allow them to be tainted with normal flavored cigars, yet to strong to want to marry with my non flavoreds...
    Well I tried my Drew Estates Java stick last night, and needless to say I am very disappointed. The cigar smelled great and lit very easily, but I couldn't get a good draw on it no matter what I tried. From what I could taste, it tasted pretty good. I can't tell you how disappointed I am, maybe the cigar roller just screwed up, i don't know. But it was rolled so tight that my cheeks started to hurt! lol. I had to stop smoking it and light my RP Renaissance, I enjoyed that cigar immensly. Well, I am not sure if I will try another Java ever, but we will see.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    this is why i always do a draw test. nothing worse that lighting a good smoke up only to find you cant draw off of it. Many times if you have a difficult draw, you can throw it back in the humi for a year or so and itll even out some.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    good advice, thanks

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • gmill880gmill880 Posts: 5,947
    Krieg - Don't give up on them if you liked what little flavor you got at all. I have smoked a ton of these and have never encountered that problem. Try at least one more(do the draw test as rec above) They are usually dynamite . Gene
  • leonardleonard Posts: 359
    I have smoked a few of these and have never had a draw issue. Try another one!
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I might try one more before I give up totally. I must have done something wrong in storing the cigar, I kept the cigar in my travel humi because I didn't want it marrying with my other cigars, but during my smoke I noticed the cigar was kinda spongy, all my other cigars were perfect, nice and firm. Maybe something happened to it while it was sitting in my travel humi, only thing is, it worked perfectly on my trip to Denver. And if you ever been to Denver you know how try it is up there, not one problem with any of my sticks while I was there...which leads me back to the cigar roller...they must have screwed up somewhere during the rolling. I might try one again, but not anytime soon...I have to get over the heart break :)

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    A spongy cigar sounds to me like an over-humidified cigar. And in my experience, an over-humidified cigar can tend to have draw problems as the added moisture expands the tobacco, thereby cutting off the airflow. I would definitely recommend giving this one another shot before writing it off.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Jonathan Drew:

    Newbee on Board ...!

    JD

    The genious himself ... welcome aboard.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    A spongy cigar sounds to me like an over-humidified cigar. And in my experience, an over-humidified cigar can tend to have draw problems as the added moisture expands the tobacco, thereby cutting off the airflow. I would definitely recommend giving this one another shot before writing it off.
    ok, i will try it one more...next time I am going to keep in my 20ct humi, that way, I might not over humidify it (if that was the problem)

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    Thats it!!! I dont know how many time's i've looked at this thread thinking...man i should go buy one of those. It's time to pay hommage to the B&M, i'll report my findings....:)
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    Aint this somthing! I go to a new B&M in town(my new favorite) and they didnt have the JAVA. But i did score(almost forgot i was in california looking at his prices!) a few:
    AF Hemingway Short Stories
    RP Nording
    RP Sun Grown
    RP Old World Maduros
    Oliva V Toros
    RP Rennaisance

    All for prices so low i had to stay there and smoke for joy! They had a bunch of CAO Vision but i was at my max on the monthly cigar budget. BTW I'm looking for a PIF'er.....
  • leonardleonard Posts: 359
    Has anyone tried the Java Wafe? How is the flavor compared to a corona or toro?
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