There is little chance that you have not heard of Drew Estate's Kentucky Fire Cured cigar. This stick has accumulated a cult following since its release in December of 2013. After two and a half years of testing and smoking this cigar has definitely gained attention but does it live up to the hype?
Link to the Manufacture site:
The Anatomy of this cigar consists of
Filler: Kentucky Fire Cured, Nicaraguan, and United States
Binder: Undetermined (see bottom)
Wrapper: Kentucky Fire Cured, Nicaraguan (San Andres)
Vitola: The KFC Fat Molly (Robusto) comes in at 5 inches with a boastful 56 ring gauge.
Appearance: Dark brown with a slight sheen across the entire length.
Construction: Firm and even pack with a slight tooth.
Prelight: The first thing you will notice after taking off the cellophane is the incredible amount of aroma the KFC puts off. A very strong aroma of salty, burning hickory barbecue hits you while the cold draw gives very limited flavor of a light tobacco that leaves a spice on the lips.
First Third: During the first third I was surprised by light flavors of earth and hickory with slight pepper on the finish. I will expand on why I was so surprised later.
Second Third: The second third provides with nearly the same tastes as earlier but with a slight boost in strength, but not body.
Final Third: The KFC ends with more medium strength, almost full, with much more wood and a light pepper.
Overall: So at this point you may be confused why I was so surprised by this cigar. The surprise was spurred by this cigar's deceitful initial aroma. I was under the impression that this cigar would boast deep complex flavors of a fire pit but rather are very mild to medium. I was very confused why the KFC is so popular as I smoked but after more research and a rethinking I now understand. This cigar is in no way a flavor bomb. After reevaluating the smoke I realized that the KFC is a meant to be more of a mild to medium smoke. So do not make my mistake and think that this cigar will bomb your taste buds. The KFC is a nice, smooth, and consistent smoke that is perfect for a bonfire or barbecue. As for the undetermined Binder. After searching multiple sources, there is no definitive binder tobacco. I believe this is due to the company's difficulty in obtaining a proper burn. In Drew Estate's press release of the cigar they say one day they experimented with a pile of KFC tobacco and replaced the wrapper of a Liga Privada T52 with it. The liked the tastes but the burn would not hold straight. This is why two and a half years went into making this stick. As for the binder, I believe there is none and rather just a solution to give an even burn. In conclusion, this cigar should be perceived as a smooth milder smoke that is very enjoyable
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