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Unlit Impressions

Subtly metal in every muthafuckin' way, the dual-band on the S81 is sharp and easy to read, with faint embossments and pressings resting beside stark white lettering. 

Now as for the actual outer wrapper of the cigar itself, it's certainly an Ecuador-grown Connecticut Shade, and likely one pulled from the Liga line. Deeply wrapped and capped, this smoke struck me just right in the light. Grassy and biscuit-heavy on the nose, this honey-like lighter version of the M81 is one of the primary reasons why Hetfield still won't smoke ciggs. So that alone is commendable.

The way in which the wrapper smells four snorts later makes me think of spicier cinnamon and mixed spices from the kitchen. Sniff deeply enough, and the fiery beast below begins to stir.

Smell the foot, and broadleaf by the bushel starts to flex. It is a strangely satisfying mixture of deep, dark maduro soil and mixed baking spices, with clove and nutmeg riding the lightning right beside that cinnamon stick. Compared to the M81, it seems far more subdued and not nearly as peppery, which is interesting considering that both cigars sport the same internal ingredients on paper. 

Cold draws off the 50 ring-gauge robusto are direct and damn good if a touch unexciting in ways. Condensed milk flavors sans sugar, mildly malted, earthy, and near identical to the mixture of the smells detected along the wrapper, but not the foot, the taste of this unlit tobacco blend is clean and not spicy at all.

Initial Smoke

The spice does hit the second you strike the first chord in the S84, with a fiery mixture of peppercorns and dried red chili flakes hitting the nostrils. Eyewatering and intensely aromatic, I turn away from retrohales and focus on the mouthfeel, flavor, and finish of the cigar. A doughy taste forms that is one part malted bread and leather, and another part dark buttered roux and grass. Time to hit the pit.

1st Half

The first major riff occurs quickly when a ginger and pepper punch suddenly shifts into a much milder and lighter traditional Connecticut Shade grass and hay combo. Dark oiled leather still stalks you from the shadows though, and as a salted pecan push for a longer finish forms, I struggle to determine which way this blend wants to go.

But instead of throwing you a headbanger of a brutal broadleaf breakdown, the S81 sends you a milky mouthful marked with citrus peel and a mild peppercorn medley. This is balanced out by the stronger tastes of fermented tobacco leaf and that dark malted, loamy mixture of farmyard, soil, and cedar. By now, the cigar has hit medium in all categories, with the finish and retrohale being the most commendable attribute. 

2nd Half

Pull your way past the flavorful, yet relatively repetitive middle portion of the cigar, and you will likely discover some intense transitions toward the end of the second third. Here, the blend builds out a meaty mixture of umami saltiness, mild broadleaf bovine funk, and a decidedly darker tobacco taste that is more of a sensation than a taste.

Direct, but not in a skull-crushing way, the sudden move toward the light side again makes much of the final third a delectable, if but a bit confusing finale. Grassy, with fermented hay and pie crust bulging at the seams, the cigar remains medium all the way up until the darker sides of the cigar step back and allow a most unexpected cigar flavor profile to emerge: Rice paper. Vietnamese salad rolls anyone? 

Parting Puffs

 Paper-like, but this time of the book folio form, parting puffs pull a last-minute "light side of life" swan song before fizzling into a mixture of crushed red pepper, cedar, brick dust, lemon peel, and leather. The cigar has gotten fairly hot by this point, so even though I wish to smoke a bit more, I set it down instead of making a final attempt at scorching my tongue and fingertips. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Drew Estate's ability to roll cigars with a perfect draw and a razor burn line continues to impress. A slightly split ash and a hot burn toward the end of the cigar are a small price to pay for something so splendidly constructed and combusted. 

Final Thoughts 

  Deliciously divisive would be the best way to describe the Blackened Shade to Black S84 by Drew Estate. On one end it is very much a traditional Connecticut Shade cigar, with many of the lighter, herbal outdoor, and doughy baking flavors that fans of that sort of cigar wrapper adore. But it is also dark, spicy, and somewhat sharp at times too. It's the age-old battle between light and dark, all unfolding upon the palate, which serves as the battleground.

But instead of all-out bedlam, the blend somehow manages to mix and meld, with a very smooth, medium-powered cigar flavor profile being the end result for much of the duration of the stick. Fermented, heavier broadleaf flavors and aromas are not the lead act here and instead, provide a steady tempo for that light wrapper to base its performance around.

The only issue is that everything feels a bit offbeat at times, and the blend struggles to get back into a rhythm when transitions occur. Somehow, the blend powers forward, fueled by a near-perfect burn and draw, and some seriously smooth exhales and retrohales. Personally, I think I will be setting a handful of these sticks down for a six-month nap in my Klaro Military footlocker humidor to see if some of those sharper pepper and paper tastes will simmer down. Maybe then the S81 will be ready for another reunion tour with my tongue and taste buds.

Stogie Specs