Casual Smoker Reviews Metallica’s Blackened Shade To Black

When it comes to cigars, I'm no connoisseur or snob by any means.  Much like whiskeys, bourbons, or wine, each individual will either like a particular one or not, or land somewhere in between.

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With cigars much like alcohol, I've had some really expensive ones that weren't that good, and some less expensive ones that were great.  A type of cigar I tend to lean towards as a favorite is a Robusto.  As a casual smoker, they usually are less than an hour to finish, and a decent stick for my taste buds can be acquired for around 8 bucks.

I was visiting Eau Claire, Wisconsin and stumbled upon probably the biggest humidor I've ever been in.  On a mission for my favorite Robusto, the Illusione 88, I saw several boxes of the Blackened Shade To Black from Drew Estate.

These cigars are a project from Rob Dietrich, the Master Distiller & Blender of BLACKENED Whiskey; James Hetfield, Metallica co-founder, singer and guitarist; and Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate.

I grabbed a couple in the Robusto form and made my way home.  First, I was surprised at the price.  At about 9 bucks a stick, I assumed with the Metallica heritage these were born from, they would be more expensive.

Both of these cigars smoked well and stayed lit through the whole experience.  The draw was easy enough and the flavor was smooth throughout with a smidgen of pepper towards the end.  Nothing was earth shattering about the flavor and I'd say it was very mild for the most part, something a casual smoker or someone new to cigars could equally enjoy.

Overall, I'd purchase them again for the price point and wrap quality.  A decent mild cigar with easy draw, and not having to be relit multiple times over 45 minutes is a win in my book.