Drew Estate Factory Smokes (Maduro)

[ThomasS]

I picked up 50 of these from Pipes and Cigars at their Father's Day sale. At $2 apiece, I wasn't entirely sure that was a great plan but I did it. I really love the Deadwood series, but they're a bit expensive for me and I was hoping these would at least be similar and at 1/7th the price it was hard (impossible) to resist.

I wasn't disappointed. No, it's not as good as the $15 cigar, but it's not as far different as the price would seem to imply. Subtly sweet, with spice and cocoa. It's a sandwich so it burns faster and just a tad randomly but the taste is there and I'm really glad that I took the chance on these. (And they, in turn, remind me of Missouri Meerschaum "Party Line", so I can have a very similar taste and fragrance in either format now)

 

[cshubhra]

Interestingly I got a few as well (From a different vendor).

Not only it is an excellent budget cigar, it may be better than a few of the “premiums”

Waiting to find out what is the catch!

 

[ThomasS]

The catch seems to be that no two of them are exactly the same :D

I've had three of them. The first was sweet and chocolatey. The second was kinda plain (not bad, just plain). The third was in-between.

 

[hall222]

Good smoke for sure!

 

[kcghost]

If it makes you happy then I'm happy!!

 

[ThomasS]

Starting my fifth one now. I fear I might have given the wrong impression. Wise or foolish, I compare these Drew Estate Factory Smoke Maduro sticks to my absolute favorite: Drew Estate Deadwood Sweet Jane.

Each and every one of the Deadwoods (whether Sweet Jane or the unsweetened) have had exactly the same profile (as one would expect for a $10+ stick). These factory smokes have varied from "tied with my favorite ever." to just "good". But I would recommend these without hesitation.

And #5 is right up there with #1. I wonder if it matters where in the "block" they were. 5 rows of 5 in the plastic wrap, it might matter.