Smoke Notes Cigar Reviews: Herrera Esteli Norteño Coronita by Drew Estate

Herrera Esteli Norteño Coronita by Drew Estate (4×46)

W: San Andres Maduro
B: Honduran
F: Esteli & Jalapa, Nicaragua

Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, Esteli, Nicaragua

The Norteño is Master Blender Willy Herrera’s 2nd entry into the Drew Estate portfolio, following his mega-successful debut with the Herrera Esteli in 2013. Featuring an all-new blend of premium tobaccos, Norteño combines extensively aged tobaccos from the Estelí and Jalapa growing regions of Nicaragua with a spicy Honduran binder and a rich Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper leaf.

Notes:

• The Norteño had an overall appealing look and feel to it. The San Andres wrapper leaf had a very healthy oily sheen and the band bearing the simplified image of Nicaragua’s national bird, the Guardabarranco, was well done.

• This cigar was named for the Nicaraguan term for Estelí natives, who are referred to as northerners, or “Norteños.”

• Layered spice notes set the tone for this cigar’s profile early on.

• The draw on the Norteño was one of the easiest and most open that I’ve ever experienced.

• Because of the Coronita’s petite stature, it is prone to becoming hot if smoked too quickly. I had to slow down a bit in order to keep things cool.

• A combination of earthy, spicy, and rich tobacco flavors kept the Norteño’s profile lively and commanded my attention with each puff.

• The Coronita was rated 90 by Cigar Aficionado in December of 2014, citing great smoke production and “earthy and espresso-like character with a hint of molasses.”

• The Norteño’s strength was indeed “full,” as advertised. I probably could have chosen a more appropriate time to conduct my review than first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

• This is quite possibly the ideal “quick-smoke” cigar for full-bodied smokers, as my total smoking time ended up right around the 35-minute mark.

Flavor Report:

White/black pepper, earth, citrus, peat, cream, salt, rich tobacco, cashew, malty sweetness

Overall: 9/10

Small, powerful, and rife with fiesty, bold flavor, the Norteño Coronita was a dynamic quick-smoke that delivered a potent bouquet of rich tasting notes. Any fan of strong, dark smokes will almost certainly flip for these.

Have you tried the Herrera Esteli Norteño Coronita yet? If so, we’d love to hear your take on it, tell us what you thought in a comment below.