Vitola: Corona Gorda (flat box-press)- 6” x 46 ring gauge
- $7.99
- Purchased at Maxamar
Background
Twenty years ago, Maxamar Ultimate Cigars opened in Orange, California, using funds from a stock sale…a stock called Inktome, apparently. In 2016, Maxamar and the online arm, Small Batch Cigar, came out with the original Herrera Esteli Inktome, a cigar paying tribute to the origins of the cigar shop. They scheduled a sequel for the end of 2017 and I finally got a chance to try them while on my trip to California in October 2018.
While the first Inktome was a round Corona Gorda size, this time around they used the flat box-pressing you may have seen on the Herrera Esteli Norteño line. The blend uses Nicaraguan fillers, a Honduran binder, and a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf. This version also takes on the name “Exception,” so the full name is Herrera Estelí Inktome Exception.
“Andrew Considine, Head Cigar Smoker of SmallBatchCigar.com, commented on the latest exclusive from Drew Estate: ‘The Herrera Estelí Inktome Exception is a departure from mundane routines and is the epitome of everything we believe in: providing exceptional experiences every single day. We are excited to continually work with Drew Estate in the development of the Inktome series.’”
I have smoked a couple of this vitola before this review sample, all of which I purchased at Maxamar Ultimate Cigars in Orange. You can get yours online from Small Batch Cigar.
Prelight
The banding for this Herrera Estelí is what we’ve come to recognize as “normal” for the store exclusive lines they produce: red background with white type surrounded by gold (the regular look is white background with red type). The wrapper leaf was a milk chocolate brown and not nearly as dark as I’ve seen Ecuadorian Habano go, notwithstanding the “dark” designation on these.
The aroma from the wrapper was a deep, funky earthiness, while the foot had some of the same earthiness mixed with leather and hay. The prelight draw was excellent and had flavors of earth and molasses.
Flavor
Once I lit up the Herrera Esteli Inktome Exception, I got a good solid earthiness, with a backing sweet note that was somewhat fruity and somewhat molasses. There was a little vegetal flavor, some hay, and a bit of pepper spice on the palate, while the retrohale had a strong wasabi heat that dissipated quickly, along with with a nuttier note. After a few minutes, I noted the sweetness start to ebb away while the vegetal notes got stronger. Overall, the cigar started off medium-to-full in body with a thick, oily smoke that hung about my head.
The second third had the Inktome Exception getting more leathery with a bit of a resurgence in sweetness. The pepper on the palate was almost nonexistent at this point and on the nose, it drained to a point where much more of the nuttiness came through.
The last third had a great balance of sweetness and pepper, earth and hay, accompanied by a full-bodied smoke and medium strength.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and solid ash all the way.
Value
Great cigar, great price point…what more do you want?
Conclusions
I don’t know how much this version of Herrera Estelí differs from the standard blend, but I do know that I like it immensely. In this Exception size, the Inktome really is exceptional, providing consistently full-bodied, oily smoke with a complex, well-balanced flavor profile. I can see a box of these in my near future.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
