Drew Estate Tabak Especial Negra 6x60

Let me be clear, under normal circumstances, I am not a fan of flavored cigars, a fact I discussed many years ago when reviewing an Acid cigar by Drew Estate.  I was introduced to the Tabak line when given some samples last year at the Drew Estate Barn Smoker in Hopkinsville, KY.  It was late in the day, the secondary events where wrapping up, with most participants making their way back to the main venue to see the closing activities.  We stumbled upon a booth offering coffee, and seeing as I rarely say, "No" to coffee, I got a cup and went about adding cream to it to get it the way I like it.  

The Drew Estate team member offering up the coffee also offered to exchange us cigars for the coupons inside the voucher book we had been given upon our arrival earlier in the day, and with that offer, an exchange of goods took place.  It was late in the day, and the gentlemen was being overly generous, and instead of the 1 or 2 sticks our coupons entitled us to, I along with the rest of our group walked away with 4-5 sticks each, in my case, having all the sticks being of the darker Negra variety.

Truth be told, I had no intention of smoking these sticks, my plan being on giving them out when others show up and don't have cigars of their own to smoke.  It was my friend who suggested I try one of the Tabak, a suggestion that came after he smoked one and quite enjoyed it telling me not only how well it smoked, but how flavorful it was.

Still skeptical, it wasn't until we met up over drinks that I brought one with me, but in fairness had another cigar with me as well, intending to smoke that over the Tabak.  My friend is persuasive, and not wanting to be a spoil sport, I went ahead and cut the head and set about to toasting the foot.

In taking the first draw, the immediate taste I got was one of slightly sweet, but not the sickening sweet variety typical with most 'sugar-tipped' cigars.  The draw on the cigar was full and excellent from the first one, and the flavor was delicious, a slight undertone of coffee on the bottom, but notes of chocolate and cream on top really rounded out the flavor profile, but again, and I cannot stress this enough, it wasn't sweet.

Like I do with most cigars, I had a cup of coffee with me, a drink I never drink sweet or rarely with flavor, but a drink that paired quite nicely with the Tabak, and served to be quite a nice evening of cigars and conversation.

Fast forward to last week.  My wife, like just about everyone else in the world was sent home to work last March.  I've always worked from home, and since we do not have a large house, my office because our office, and my workspace became our workspace.  On this particular day, she had asked me if I wanted to sit outside with her, as she was getting ready to do her office Christmas party, Zoom style.  I obliged, and since she was attending a party, I might as well party as well.

I fired up the Keurig and prepped a cup of coffee, and since it was a party of sorts, I added some Disaronno just to amp it up a notch.  The cigar was cut, perfectly toasted, and I settled in with a good book (Story Brand by Donald Miller) adding my AirPod Pros into the mix through which some Christmas music could enjoyed.  She prattled on with her co-workers, I sipped coffee, enjoyed a delicious smoke, all while reading and enjoying music.

The particular Tabak here, the 6x60 is a big cigar.  It offers close to an hours worth of smoking enjoyment, and the flavor profile is one that everyone I've shared this cigar with enjoys.  Full of rich, vibrant coffee undertones, a vein of Chocolate comes to the surface, and in the instance of the 6x60, a slightly yeasty note is detected, almost lending a pastry like quality to the velvety smoke.  

The Tabak line, especially the Negra versions, have become one of my favorite cigars to enjoy - a fact emphasized by the fact that I've purchased entire boxes in 2 different sizes, the 6x60 and the 5x54 Robusto.  The 5x54 smokes a lot faster than the 6x60, an obvious fact given the size difference, and the 5x54 seems to smoke deeper into the band than the 6x60.  

I've noticed that the 6x60 starts to lose its charm around the 60% mark in the stick, whereas the 5x54 stays strong and delicious up to and including through the band.  Either way, I do not think you can go wrong with either cigar, and truth be told, this cigar would be great with some Disaronno straight up, you know, without the coffee.

Here is the thing though, anyway you enjoy it, the Tabak will not let you down.  It is truly a fantastic smoke, and one that I encourage you to give a try.  As for me, I'm waiting for the weather to clear up a bit, and the temperature raise a few degrees, because even as I write this post, I'm staring down a Tabak that is longing to be smoked, and I don't want to let it down.

Until we smoke again...