This 10th anniversary stick is a tip of the hat to what made Drew Estate’s “Undercrown” line the success that it is today. The full review is below, but know that this sweet aged-tobacco goodness was full of chocolate, nutty, and sweet-peppery goodness – if that sounds good to you, give it a try! Before Lightup: I got this in a Drew Estate 5-pack which was reasonably priced, so when I opened the wrapper on this stick and saw the gorgeous black, gold, and dark teal band, I knew I was in for a good day. There was a slight blemish in the wrapper leaf where it looks to be incorrectly sealed – I’m really hoping that doesn’t affect smokability. The fragrance is a sweet aged tobacco and the sweetness is what really stuck out more so than any other fragrance. Construction looks spot on with tight yet visible seams and a dark, almost black, wrapper. The pre-light draw was perfect with a sweet, yet indistinguishable flavor note; however, there was a peppery tingle on my lips immediately. First Light: We used a straight cut and toasted the foot before lighting up. First light flavor was an in-your-face pepper blast, let’s call it a cayenne – heavy pepper but with a touch of sweetness on the lips. The sweetness left quickly and in settled a nutty flavor with the pepper remaining – think a taste just like roasted peanuts with cayenne pepper sprinkled on them. It is definitely a Drew Estate because the foot smoke was rising like a chimney and the overall smoke output was perfect. Body is a full which diminishes to a medium to medium full once that pepper blast goes away. The retro was smooth past the pepper blast and helped to pick up on a sweet chocolate ganache flavor that was creamy and a nice addition to the peppery-nutty goodness. First Half: Normally in these reviews I go by third as because that’s what I’ve experienced is a normal transition point, however with a smaller stick I wasn’t expecting too many transitions. About 15 minutes after light up, the chocolate ganache, peanut, and pepper combination remained constant. The chocolate was a creamy cocoa, and the chewiness of the smoke led me to calling it a ganache, but I suppose you could also call it an undercooked brownie. There was a subtle sweet-musty tobacco flavor that would float in and out on the finish as well. The burn is razor sharp and the ash is stacking dimes. The body is medium to medium full still and that’s perfectly fine by me. Smoke output was flawless. On the exhale I really catch myself trying to chew that chocolate flavor because it is so prominent and long lasting. It was like smoking while eating a tootsie roll. Second Third: As you see, I switched back to “thirds” because I did experience a noticeable change after about two inches. The peanut characteristics have fallen off entirely and all that remains is that nice chocolate flavor and the pepper, which isn’t so much a pepper as it is a warm, subtle, cinnamon. The aged tobacco flavor has morphed slightly to a damp earth, but it’s not always there and can really only be detected on the retro. Ash finally fell off two inches in without the need for a tap and the burn remains fairly even. Upon reaching the point where there was a blemish in the wrapper, the burn did get a little wonky toward the blemished side and the stick stopped producing smoke. I had to relight which cost out some points for me. The body has dropped to a firm medium. Other than the blemish (which I’m assuming is not consistent in all the UC 10’s) the construction is second to none. The large band was removed easily and even came with a “Thank You” and brief history which was nice. Smoking time to this point was 45 minutes. Final Third: Up to this point the smoke has remained cool and consistent with no double puffs necessary after relight. As far as the flavors go, the chocolate ganache has lost its sweetness and is now more like a dry dark cocoa. It’s not unpleasant, but as a fan of more dessert-like sticks, I hated to see the creamy sweetness go. The other flavors have dissipated completely, even on the retro. A warmer smoke started coming off with about two inches left – again it didn’t affect the enjoyment so much a it was a change that needed mentioning. Body intensified slightly in the final third, back up to a medium to medium full. As we got toward the nub, the peanut flavor from first light reappeared, this time only in the retro. The ash continues to hold on for two inches at a time which speaks volumes to overall construction. I got a slight strength kick which quickly subsided and I ended the smoke with less than an inch left. Smoking time finished at one hour ten minutes. Overall: The only negative I have about this stick is the construction issue, which I can only assume was a defect on the cigar I received. The pepper blast wasn’t my favorite but it subsided quickly and gave way to a really nice, smooth smoke filled with chocolaty, nutty, sweet pepper goodness. I didn’t check the price point prior to lighting up, but I think it is worth the $11 mark where it sits due to the smoothness and flavors of that aged tobacco. On the overall score, I’d give it an 8.5 out of 10 which would have been higher if not for the construction and pepper blast. If the construction blemish wasn’t present, it would have received an even 9 out of 10.
