Undercrown Maduro Toro
Undercrown Maduro is Drew Estate’s factory floor original, the blend that started as a house smoke at La Gran Fábrica in Estelí and became the first regular production line in the Undercrown family.
The story goes… After Liga Privada took off, the rollers and bunchers who made it were asked to stop smoking it so more could leave the factory. They answered by building their own liga from many of the same leaf types, but different vintages and primings. That blend was good enough that Drew Estate put it into commercial production in 2011 under the name Undercrown.
The construction is made in Nicaragua: a dark Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Connecticut River Valley stalk cut and stalk cured Habano binder, with Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan filler. The inverted crown is a tribute to the rollers and bunchers in the factory, the people who first made the blend for themselves.
Stogie At A Glance
Review
First Third
Pepper and cocoa powder notes on the light, with almost a sort of brininess on the retro hale. A slight chocolate sweetness is coming out on the finish, smooth draw. Beautiful looking wrapper. A slight dark cherry note in cedar are starting to come out on the retro, a sort of peppery coffee note on the finish, bright white ash. Cedar is starting to come out now with some chocolate and a savory note as well, almost like Rosemary. I'm not saying I taste Rosemary but that's what it reminds me of. Just after the halfway point of the first third, more Cherry and cedar notes coming through, with coffee and slight pepper on the finish. Getting to the end of the first third cedar and Cherry continue, with almost a slight old fashioned cocktail with an orange slice. Note, could be from the dark cherry note and sweetness, but that's what I'm getting.
Second Third
Starting the second third cedar is very strong, with a slightly sweet and savory earthy note, hay-like. Chocolate pudding like note has added in the second third, also a sort of corn or tortilla note has added to the aroma. Slight creamy note with chocolate coming out on the finish with light pepper. Cherry and cedar coming back, with cedar and pepper and a slight cinnamon gum note on the finish. Lots of cedar in the second third, with a light chocolate note and some white pepper on the finish. Very cedar forward. A slightly sweet and spiced cedar is coming through, with more of an exotic spice as well, almost like tiki masala. Cedar and a light creamy pepper are the main notes on the palate and finish as I'm getting near the end of the second third.
Final Third
Cedar is becoming even stronger and the final third, also the pepper has gotten slightly more intense and the smoke has gotten slightly hotter. Savory notes keep coming back, with light chocolate notes and pepper on the finish. A creaminess is still present but much more understated than before. Finally, a change from the cedar, more chocolate notes and a slightly sweeter version at that. Cedar and an earthy coffee finish with some pepper. The old fashioned note from before is coming out again, with cedar and pepper on the finish. Chocolate note is starting to come out again on the palate and on the finish, with some light pepper as well. Cherry notes starting to come back with the cedar, cedar and pepper on the finish. A chocolate and and cherry notes have gotten stronger near the end of the cigar, creamy coffee and pepper on the finish.
Score
89/100
AI Info
The lion and upside down crown come from Drew Estate’s own brand story. Liga Privada was the scarce “king” blend. Undercrown was the rollers’ own smoke, so the crown sits under the lion instead of on its head. Steve Saka said that when the line launched: if Liga Privada was for the king or boss, this one was for the princes.
Company copy also says the lion stands for the factory workers’ courage, and the inverted crown stands for their humility.
Jonathan Drew has called it the workers’ brand and the “people’s champion.”
Drew Estate’s site still frames it the same way: born on the factory floor, made by the buncheros and rollers for themselves.