Drew Estate is no longer a stranger in the cigar industry. After more than 10 years of experimentation, blend creation, and production, Drew Estate is the authority on premium, infused cigars. Their most popular line, Acid, contains a mix of blends that are not only completely different from all other cigars currently on the market, but are also completely different from each other due to the secret infusion process developed by Jonathan Drew and his elite team of cigar experts. However, creating the best tasting infused cigars was not an ending point for the Drew Estate team, but only the beginning. Since the inception of Acid, Drew Estate released the Natural line, which are cigars containing exotic tobaccos from all around the world, carefully blended to create unique, aromatic nuances similar to the Acid line, but without using the infusion process. Furthermore, Drew Estate continues to push the envelope by producing non-infused, non-flavored cigars like Liga Privada No. 9, which have been well received by aficionados across the globe. Drew Estate’s most recent release, Tabak Especial, is indeed infused and another excellent addition to their incredible portfolio of brands.

Tabak Especial contains a medium-bodied array of long-leaf, Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped with a Nicaraguan binder. This combination produces hearty flavors of earth with a rich, espresso like flavor left in the aftertaste. The blend is available in a dark brown, oily maduro or a silky, creamy, seamless Connecticut wrapper, which completely changes the entire experience. The Negra (maduro) allows for a richer aftertaste, while incorporating notes of cocoa in the blend and offering a sweet finish. The Dulce (Connecticut), however, offers a smooth hint of cedar, without adding a ton of sweet flavors to the finish. Recommended morning, noon, or night, Tabak Especial is a great way to get hooked on Drew Estate cigars!

12/01/08: Lightning round! Join the guys for a fun and fast factual fracas. Tune in and get "edumacated" on all things cigars! [Listen Now]

Ernesto Padilla spares no expense when producing his award winning cigars. He is known for using exclusive, limited tobaccos to create rich, hearty blends usually offering notes of earth with some light peppery nuances in the aftertaste. Padilla cigars are noted for maintaining consistency, as the construction of each is carefully monitored for perfect quality control as each cigar is blended to Ernesto’s exacting standards.

Padilla Achilles comes wrapped in a Habano leaf, sporting an oily sheen with some light veins. The blend maintains a medium body but is enjoyably complex since it boasts a mixture of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican tobaccos. These fillers create nuances of pepper with notes of earth and peat intermingled throughout. Each stick produces a milky white smoke that offers a cedar-like aroma and leaves a toasty feeling on the palate. Make no mistake, although not priced as high as many of Padilla’s other blends, Achilles is a good, premium cigar and can easily become a quality, everyday “go-to” for any aficionado.

Torpedo (6" x 54) Excellent burn and draw. Produced thick clouds of creamy, white smoke. Initial flavor was earthy with hints of pepper and those flavors slowly built as the burn progressed. Very complex. No harsh flavors noticeable and offered a smooth finish. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Toro (6.5" x 52) Good size. Significant changes of flavor occur throughout with the initial light offering a robust character from the start. Blend slightly mellows halfway through and then picks up towards the finish. Many earthy, peppery flavors with a subtle note of sugar. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Salomon (7.1" x 58) Initial draw was very tight with a strong, peaty character. Blend opened up after two inches and became incredibly complex with many competing nuances of spice, pepper, and cedar. Emitted a ton of smoke but became very robust during the last three inches. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Robusto (5" x 54) A great half-hour cigar. The size and ring gauge allow for a quicker experience, which is perfect for a colder climate. Although not as complex as the Torpedo, the change in flavor was welcomed as white pepper mixed with a wood-like nuance to create a toasty aroma and flavor. The finish, however, was not smooth with many notes of pepper left lingering on the palate. 88/100 [Buy Now]

CuAvana Intenso - A departure from the mild blends that currently make up the CuAvana line; Intenso is an excellently blended, full-bodied powerhouse comparable to Oliva Serie ‘V’ and Joya de Nicaragua.

Drew Estate Tabak Especial - Yet another great cigar produced by the makers of the Acid brand. Well balanced, perfectly blended and infused to perfection, this blend is a must try for all fans of Drew Estate.

Avo 787 - A super premium, Dominican cigar that is not only one of the most limited cigars Avo has released, but may also be Avo’s best blend to date.

G.A.R. - A full-flavored, full-bodied cigar, G.A.R. is George Rico's initial blend! The flavors are quite complex providing a rich core of coffee-like nuances, perfectly blended with some peppery undertones.

Q: I’m giving away cigars as gifts. How should I temporarily store them during the holiday season?

A: The best and recommended method for storing cigars is through the use of a humidor. Most humidors are made with Spanish Cedar, which efficiently retains and releases moisture while maintaining 70% humidity – the ideal climate for cigar storage. However, when in search for a temporary method for keeping your cigars “fresh,” the best solutions tend to be zip-lock bags and/or Tupperware containers. Simply leave a wet paper towel (dampened with Distilled water) in a Tupperware container or in a zip-lock bag with your cigars. Make sure you keep the cigars from coming in direct contact with the towel or any excess water, for this will damage the sticks.

There are also products available like Humi-Care Water Pillows that, once soaked in Distilled water, automatically produce 70% humidity. These pillows are a great way to keep cigars in a stable environment when a humidor is not available. Simply soak the pillow and use it in place of the paper towel to guarantee your cigars stay moist for at least 30 days. Be mindful to vent the Tupperware container or plastic bag once a day though, to prevent mold from forming due to too much moisture.

As if not being able to sit outside to enjoy a relaxing cigar during the winter months is bad enough, the cold also brings indoor heating which can spell trouble for your cigars. Sometimes, on cold days in January, I will lift the lid on a desktop humidor and literally watch the digital readout on my hygrometer fall. Maintaining humidity in the wintertime is a tough task, but necessary if you want to protect your prized smokes. Here are some suggestions from your friends at Cigar.com to make sure you are prepared:

1. Replace The Factory Units
Unless you bought an ultra-premium humidor, swap the hygrometer and humidifier that came with it. Often times, factory units can be unreliable. We recommend using a digital hygrometer to ensure accurate readings of both temperature and humidity. Try the Humi-Care Rectangular Humidifier.

2. Have Extra Help On Hand
No matter what type of humidification you use, colder months need more. Humi-Care Water Pillows are an excellent supplemental humidifier, perfect for temporarily boosting the moisture. Water Pillows are available for sale or come in your single cigar orders from Cigar.com, as well as with most of our sampler packs.

3. Re-season Your Humidor
Place your cigars in a humidified container. Dampen a clean rag with distilled water and wipe down the interior of your humidor until the cedar no longer absorbs the moisture. Close the lid for 12 to 24 hours before use.

4. Keep You Humidor Full
It is easier to maintain a higher and more consistent humidity when you have more cigars in your humidor. Your cigars actually act as small humidifiers themselves, absorbing and releasing humidity under the right conditions.

5. Resist Temptation
Try to avoid opening your humidor when you don't actually need a cigar. When the heat is turned on in your house, the humidity gets sucked out very quickly and it can take hours for the proper climate to return.

If the above suggestions seem like a lot of work and you are looking for a "set and forget" solution for your cigar storage year-round, we recommend an electric humidification unit like those made by Humi-Care. They have a digital hygrometer built in that can be set like a thermostat as well as fans to distribute the moisture throughout the humidor. These types of units will save you a great deal of headaches. In fact, once you buy one, you will never understand how you ever lived without it.