You might know Pappy Van Winkle as a top-shelf bourbon whiskey, and that would be the perfect drink pairing for Drew Estate's Pappy Van Winkle cigars.
These multinational smokes are named in honor of the bourbon, and combine aged long filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, with an Indonesian binder, and a beautifully dark, oily Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper hidden behind two oversized bands.
The result is a stunning premium cigar in every sense, from the way it looks in your humidor or hand, to the complex flavor profile it produces.
Pappy Van Winkle is a medium strength, with medium smoke production, and the size of the 4 x 46 Pappy Van Winkle Tradition Coronita means you can smoke it in just under an hour, from the cold draw to the nub. The perfect way to pass the time.
Brand Overview
Drew Estate Cigars was founded during the mid-90s cigar boom. From their origins in 1996, Drew Estate's innovative blends and modern way of thinking have helped them to become established as a highly regarded brand, with a huge portfolio.
Drew Estate produces premium handmade cigars from the La Gran Fabrica factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, using the very best tobaccos from all over the world.
A wide and varied portfolio includes top-drawer blends like Joya de Nicaragua, the small batch Liga Privada, and the hugely innovative ACID Cigars series, which continually renews the popularity of this ever-evolving brand.
Whether you choose a single, or stock up your humidor with a box of your favorite, every self-respecting cigar aficionado needs to experience Drew Estate cigars at least once, so place your order today from Cigars.com.
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium-Full
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
- Binder: Indonesia
- Filler: Dominican Republic / Nicaragua
- Smoke Time: 45-50 minutes (Coronita)
- Sizes Available:
- Pappy Van Winkle Tradition Coronita (4 x 46)
Cold Draw
Pappy Van Winkle is a flavor connoisseur's dream, with a complex profile that starts from the aroma of the wrapper. There's dark chocolate, oak, leather, hints of citrus, and spices.
The cold draw follows up with even more oak, cinnamon spice, and the sweetness of dried fruit or candied peel. It's worth noting that Pappy Van Winkle features two large paper bands, especially the Pappy Van Winkle logo itself, so be sure to remove those if you don't want to taste burning paper once you light it up!
Flavor Profile: First Third
Bands removed and cap clipped, it's time to light Pappy Van Winkle Tradition Coronita, and it doesn't take long for the flavors to come through. The oaky wood on the cold draw takes on more of a cedar personality, joined by nutmeg and almonds. There's a creaminess and a slight bitterness of cocoa or dark chocolate.
While Pappy Van Winkle is not prolific in terms of smoke output, there's plenty to enjoy on the retrohale, which adds white pepper into the mix early on.
Flavor Profile: Second Third
Sweeter flavors come to the fore in the second third, as the peppery spices fade away. Look out for vanilla and citrus, graham crackers, and fresh hay.
The white pepper is still apparent on the retrohale, but you'll need to search a little to find it. Overall the cigar is an extremely pleasant smoke throughout this middle third, and perfect for when you want the flavors to take center stage without landing too much power on your palate.
Flavor Profile: Final Third
Coming toward the end of the Coronita, you'll want to smoke it down well into the last inch to get every last flavor out of it. An even burn helps with this, and the closing stages deliver even more of that graham cracker sweetness, creamy nutty flavors, vanilla, and a return of those early notes of oak, cocoa, and hay.
The retrohale takes on a surprisingly floral quality, again creating a generally pleasant smoking experience that will pair well with a generous measure of bourbon.
Conclusion
As you'd expect from a Drew Estate handmade cigar, Pappy Van Winkle is carefully constructed by artisan rollers, delivering a reliably even burn line and just the right level of resistance on the draw.
It's the flavor profile that really delivers, assisted by a medium amount of smoke that's plenty sufficient to savor on the retrohale.
If you're looking for something different, that you can enjoy in under an hour in the middle of the day, the medium strength of Pappy Van Winkle and the 'just right size of the Coronita vitola has got you covered.
Available in boxes of 10 from Cigars.com, make Pappy Van Winkle the next Drew Estate cigar you try.