After hitting number 10 on my top 25 list this past year, I realized that I had yet to review the Herrera Esteli line by Drew Estate.  I would be remiss in my duties as a cigar reviewer were I to let something like that slide, so without further ado....The Herrera Esteli cigar line is a very well received addition to the Drew Estate catalog.  Blended by Willy Herrera, who has also worked for La Palina, among others, the Esteli line shows off Herrera's Cuban heritage.  Now, I will pass over the cubanesque subject for the time being as I am working on a special post specifically covering that topic.  I will say that I have smoked several of these lonsdale vitolas and I like them more every time I light another one up.  Let's get to the review....

Construction: The Herrera Esteli is a beautiful cigar - no doubt about it.  The wrapper is a nice uniform light brown with a smooth and nearly veinless appearance.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: Loads of sweet rich tobacco with touches of spice, cocoa, and hay hit the nose out of the cellophane.  A cold draw gives a very sweet tobacco flavor.

Light and Burn: Lighting smaller ring gauge cigars is always easy - as I find here - and the burn is absolutely razor sharp from start to finish.

Tasting: Starting off, I get a mild red pepper with touches of earth and leather.

The first third is salty and rich with coffee, roasted nuts, and some black pepper notes.  There is a delicious vanilla note to the core of the cigar which is a very nice balance between black pepper and leather.  The body is in the medium range starting off - easily one you can start the day with.

The second third pumps up the body a tad but not too far.  I get a nice rich woody note and that salty flavor continues to mingle with and added cocoa sweetness.  Even with a bit more power the smoke is very smooth and creamy and quite aromatic.

The final third emits a metric ton of smoke while dropping the strength back down to medium.  All of the flavors from the first and second thirds make more appearances here with even more of that salty flavor that is just amazing. 

Value: Running around $8 or $9 the Herrera Esteli is perfectly priced for anytime.  And that is when you should smoke one....

Final Thoughts: As I smoke this beauty to the nub, I find myself wishing I had a few more.  Willy Herrera was an amazing acquisition for Drew Estate and I am excited to see what 2014 holds for the Herrera line.  Again, I am planning on addressing the Cuban-like qualities of several cigars in a separate post, but I will end by saying that this cigar is simply beautiful and highly recommended.

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan

Strength: Medium-full

Size: 6 x 44