Overall, the Herrera Esteli Brazilian Maduro was a medium body and strength cigar that offered a pleasant array of notes and aromas. There was a core of sweetness and cocoa through most of the first half eventually shifting to more spice as it burned to the finish. It did have a flaky ash and there was a slight wave in the burn but never needed a touch up. The final third burned a bit hot. This is worth a picking up a five pack and makes for a great mid afternoon or late evening smoke. I rate this a 92

Flavorwise, the Herrera Estelí Brazilian Maduro Toro Especial started out like gangbusters delivering some incredible rich coffee notes in the first third. While the second two-thirds were enjoyable, the flavors weren’t at the high level of the first third. On the burn and draw, this is a cigar that didn’t score as high as I would expect from one coming out of Drew Estate. In the end, there are still more positives than negatives. It’s still a cigar I’d recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast or a novice looking for something medium/medium plus. As for myself, it’s a cigar I’d smoke and purchase again. I think there is a lot of potential with this blend and I’m curious to see how the other sizes smoke.