Summer of '22 Report: Drew Estate

In 2020, Drew Estate was one of the “Big Four” that made the decision to withdraw from exhibiting at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Since then, Drew Estate has pivoted its model for introducing its products to market. At the time it was exhibiting at PCA, there was a heavy focus on marketing through the retail channel. Since withdrawing, Drew Estate has beefed up marketing in both the retail and consumer channels. As a result, Drew Estate is leveraging its own programs – including the Barn Smoker events and Freestyle Live live streams to introduce its products. In terms of products, there was a nice array of new releases and returning limited editions. This included a new brand, a soon-to-be-announced new brand, and the first major expansion of Liga Privada H99 and 10 Year Aniversario.

The evolution of Drew Estate’s Barn Smoker program has been quite fascinating. These are no longer simply “farm tours,” but full-scale interactive consumer events complete with brand activation stations. Drew Estate has used the 2022 events to showcase some new products. Each event has been preceded by a Freestyle Live broadcast where the official announcement of these new products has been made.

While our Summer of ’22 coverage goes from Memorial Day to Labor Day, there were a few products announced prior to Memorial Day in the month of May that we included for completeness.

In May it was revealed that the mystery cigar that was part of Drew Estate’s third Freestyle Live Kit was the Nica Rustica Adobe. The Nica Rustica brand is Drew Estate’s homage and tribute to Estelí, Nicaragua, the home of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate. The Adobe name refers to the colonial-style homes that are present in the barrios of Estelí. The brand is positioned as a value-priced long-filler premium cigar brand. Nica Rustica made its debut in 2013. Last year the original release was rebranded as Nica Rustica Broadleaf. The Nica Rustica Adobe adds a Habano-wrapped option. In addition to the Habano wrapper, the remainder of the blend consists of a Brazilian binder and Nicaraguan tobaccos from Estelí and Jalapa. It is being released in three sizes: Toro (6 x 52), Robusto (5 x 54) and Gordo (6 x 60). Each is presented in 25-count boxes. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the blend is the price point – ranging from $5.20 to $6.48 per cigar. The cigar made its debut on the eve of the Florida Barn Smoker.

This August, Drew Estate released its fourth Freestyle Live Kit. The unveiling of the mystery cigar will be in late September. As with previous Freestyle Live Kit releases, there are three unbanded cigars and swag. The unbanded cigars represent a to-be-announced cigar by Drew Estate. The swag included with this kit included: three cigars, a Freestyle Live cutter with cigar rest, and a Freestyle Live flask. Pricing was set at $39.99 and 10,000 kits are produced.

The Liga Privada Connecticut Corojo H99 Toro was made into an ongoing production earlier this year. This May, Drew Estate introduced two new sizes: a Phineas Gage and a Robusto. The Phineas Gage is a 7 x 40 Lancero that will be exclusively sold to Drew Diplomat retailers. The Phineas Gage Lanceros are packaged in ten-count boxes with an individual petaca for every cigar. Pricing was set at $19.00 MSRP per cigar.

The Robusto is a 5 1/4 x 54 parejo that will be an ongoing release. Pricing is set at $358.00 per box SRP or $14.95 per cigar. This cigar made its debut at the Pennsylvania Barn Smoker in July.

The Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo features a Connecticut Corojo H99 hybrid wrapper that is derived from Stalk Cut Habano and Connecticut Corojo seeds that are grown exclusively for Drew Estate. The cigar also features a San Andres Otapan Negro Último Corte binder and Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Pennsylvania Green River One Sucker filler tobaccos.

Almost four years after it first made its debut at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show, Drew Estate’s Liga Privada 10 Year Aniversario Toro is now regularly available as a monthly allocation for qualifying Drew Diplomat Program participants beginning this month. The Liga Privada 10 Year Aniversario is highlighted by a U.S. Connecticut Criollo wrapper and features a San Andres wrapper and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. The Criollo wrapper was in short supply and so had been a very limited release to this point. In addition, at this year’s Connecticut Barn Smoker event, a Robusto size of the 10 Year Aniversario made its debut. There also is a third size of the 10 Year Aniversario called Savage Feast. This is a 5 3/8 x 60 Flying Pig perfecto which is used specifically for events.

Speaking of Flying Pigs, Drew Estate shipped six of its signature Flying Pig cigars. These are 3 15/16 perfecto cigars that are released in limited batches on a near-annual basis. The Flying Pigs shipped include: Liga Privada No. 9, Liga Privada T52, Undercrown (Maduro), Undercrown Shade, and Undercrown Sun Grown, and the Kentucky Fire Cured Flying Pig. These cigars are exclusively for Drew Diplomat retailers.

From the Liga Privada Unico Serie, the Liga Privada Unico Year Year of the Rat returned. This is a limited-production cigar under the Liga Privada brand that has been released in the previous two years. The Liga Privada Year of the Rat consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Brazilian binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. The cigar comes in one size – a 5 1/2 x 46 Corona Gorda. This cigar is exclusive to Drew Diplomat retailers.

Finally the Herrera Estelí Habano and Herrera Esteli Maduro Lanceros have returned. These have also been releases that have been on a near once-a-year basis. The Herrera Estelí Habano Lancero features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Honduran Habano binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The Herrera Estelí Connecticut Broadleaf Lancero consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Both lanceros are available in a traditional 7 x 38 format. Each is presented in 15-count boxes priced at $194.25.