Last summer, fire cured tobacco made a comeback to the cigar industry.  This did open a few eyes as lots of pipe smokers enjoy fire cured tobacco every day, so hearing that cigars were about to utilize this very vintage process seemed very exciting.  To date there are three cigars on the market containing fire cured leaf.  The first was Sam Leccia's Black line, a cigar that made number 12 on my top 25 list.  The other is the George Rico, STK Miami American Puro, that I have yet to try, and the subject of this review, the much anticipated MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured.  For as long as I have smoked cigars, I have noticed that fans of Drew Estate are a fanatical bunch and the stir this cigar caused when it was announced was like the fans of a pro football team that is heading to the super bowl.  So, after many months of waiting, the KFC, as it is often called, is finally here so let's get smoking....

Construction: The MUWAT is supposed to be comprised of a dual wrapper setup with the head being a dark and toothy dark Mexican San Andres and a medium brown fire cured wrapper leaf at the foot.  Honestly, I had to dig through the box to find one that had the dual wrapper look.  I am guessing that the fire curing process darkens the leaf a bit more than Drew Estate had anticipated.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: out of the cellophane the KFC is shock to the senses.  Loads of hickory and mesquite just blast you right in the kisser.    It is so intense that I really had to concentrate to find anything else.  What I did note was a leathery sweet aroma in the mix as well.

Light and Burn: The light was done with wood matches as is my usual want.  The burn on this little guy was absolutely flawless from start to finish with a nice open draw.

Tasting: Since this cigar is so small, I am going to just smoke it and call it one big third.  Starting off this little guy hits with loads of mesquite and hickory.  It tastes like a campfire...like the dining area of a Cracker Barrel.  There are touches of oak, black pepper, and red pepper in the mix.  There is a definite note of roasted meat along with a terrific leathery core.  The flavors mingle into a slightly tart gamey character that is a little rough at first.  A soft sweetness develops underneath once the pepper drops down.  This would be good with a glass of rye.  The flavors are heavy-duty but the strength is solidly in the medium range.  It does kick up a touch but never very far.  As a result it is a cigar that can be smoked anytime of the day.  The smokey hickory and mesquite do drop a bit in the middle of the smoke to allow some added flavors from the tobacco to show through.  I find leather, coffee, and a mildly sweet floral note that is terrific.  For a small cigar is isn't a hot smoking cigar either.  There is a touch of dried fruit and a very unusual cornmeal note once I get to the darker head of the cigar.  As I nub this one out the final draw gives a delicious cinnamon and sugar note that makes me want more.

Value: The Chunky will run you around $6...well worth the price for a 45 minute smoke.

Final Thoughts: Did I enjoy the KFC?  Yes, I most certainly did.  While more heavy-handed than Sam Leccia's more elegant application of the fire cured tobacco, the KFC does have many good things going for it.  It's a campfire cigar, one that would go well with a day of fishing or other outdoor activity.  Was it worth the wait?  I would say yes to that as well.  I did hear from an inside source that the KFC augments the smokey flavors with artificial ones...something that, given Drew Estate's bread and butter of flavored cigars, makes perfect sense.  Even with that, I highly recommend this very unique cigar.

Wrapper: Mexican San Andres and undisclosed fire cured
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed

Strength: Medium

Size: 4 x 46

I had to hunt to find one that shows off the dual wrapper

Very nice rustic looking design overall