Match Cigar Bar and Bourbon Lounge is one of my favorite places on earth. They have an awesome bourbon selection, two of the best bartenders in town, and great cigars. Saturday night they hosted Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera for a special cigar release party, which was a tremendous success.
I arrived 15 minutes before the event started and the line was already a dozen deep. Patrons were buying boxes of the new cigar, specially blended for Riverside Cigar Shop, in stacks. Willy Herrera was on hand to sign the boxes, and other members of the Drew Estate crew were raffling off beautiful Drew Estate merchandise.
The thing that’s notable about an event like this is how much of a cult-like following there is for this brand. Nearly everyone there was wearing some sort of Drew Estate gear. It’s easy to understand for me- I worked in a smoke shop for 3 years and came to love and appreciate the Drew Estate lines by working with them day after day. But I’ve never seen this kind of following for any other premium cigar brand. People had come from hours away for this release party. For a cigar.
I tried the new Herrera Esteli blend and was pleasantly surprised. It has a lighter wrapper, which is not something I would typically pick up if I saw it in the humidor. But it had the spice of a much darker maduro wrapper, the draw was good, and the burn was even. It’s a great value at $13.50 per stick, and it pairs well with Jinx’s signature Old Fashioned.
If you’ve never been to Match, it’s time to check it out. They can help you pair the perfect bourbon drink with your favorite Drew Estate cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl
