Drew Estate’s Pope of Greenwich Village Returning to Smoke Inn
The Pope of Greenwich Village, a 2015 release that was part of Smoke Inn’s Microblend Series, is coming back for a second release.
Today, Drew Estate announced that the 6 x 40 short lancero would be returning on May 27th, launched as part of a virtual event co-hosted by Jonathan Drew and Abe Dababneh, the proprietor of Smoke Inn. Like the original, the 2021 version uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Connecticut stalk-cut habano binder, and a filler that includes Brazilian mata fina and Nicaraguan tobaccos.
“Working with Jonathan Drew and the folks at Drew Estate back in 2015 to create the Pope of Greenwich Village was a milestone in Smoke Inn’s history,” said Dababneh in a press release. “It has been a fan favorite. I am elated to see this Smoke Inn Micro Blend return for the public to enjoy!”
Release Date: February 2021
Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
From a visual perspective, the Plasencia Year of the Ox is an imposing sight, with its large size, bulbous foot and a golden brown wrapper that seems to glow in open shade. The wrapper is parchment rough to the touch and features a number of prominent veins, while one sample has a huge soft spot more of a crater really just under the secondary band. Aroma from the wrapper and foot is a combination of sweet cedar, earth, barnyard, generic nuts and slight cookie sweetness while the cold draw brings flavors of dark chocolate, hay, cedar, peanut shells, leather, earth and a touch of indeterminate sweetness.
TPE 2021: Day 0
As part of my multiple former careers and my current one as co-owner of this website, I have attended more conventions and trade shows than I can possibly remember that were held in a variety of different countries. One of the cigar-related trade shows I have never had the pleasure of visiting or covering is the Tobacco Plus Expo otherwise known as TPE but due in large part to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, that is changing this year and as a result, I will most likely be in the air on the way to Las Vegas or already there as you read this.
Release Date: March 2021
Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
There are a couple of things about the Liga Privada Único Serie Year of the Ox that catch my attention: the gold foil is the first and most obvious, though easily the least worthy of discussion beyond its crinkly texture. The purple and gold foot band is the next on my list; the purple feels new for a Liga Privada release, and the gold used differs just enough from the foil to be noticeable. Finally, the script on the primary band also feels just a bit different from other Liga Privada releases that it makes me wonder about the font selection. After spending a bit processing those things, I assess how to remove the trio. They would seemingly slide off neatly as one unit on the first cigar, though I need the primary band left on for photos. The second sample is much harder to remove, so I start by removing the foot band, then sliding off the foil with the upper band. Once that’s done, I see that the Year of the Ox ha
Release Date: March 2021
Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
Covered in a very dark almost black under some light sources the wrapper is sandpaper rough to the touch, the Vintage Rock-A-Feller Limited Edition Art of Magic also features a large number of very noticeable veins running up and down its length. There is also some trace amounts of oil present and the cigar is just short of rock hard when squeezed. The aroma from the wrapper and foot is a combination of strong brewed sweet tea, oak, leather, barnyard, gritty earth, generic nuts and slight citrus while the cold draw brings flavors of bitter dark chocolate, peanut shells, oak, leather tack, hay, black pepper and light varnish.