Blackened S84 Toro - Box of 20

S84 Shade to Black takes the same dark, structured filler found in M81, Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf tobacco bound with Connecticut Broadleaf, and wraps it in a considerably lighter leaf: an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed shade wrapper with a golden hue, noticeable veins, and a subtle oiliness. The name is a direct reference to Metallica's "Fade to Black" from their 1984 album Ride the Lightning, and this Toro is one of the original four sizes released alongside the Robusto, Corona Doble, and Corona.

The opening third brings hay and peanut nuttiness, joined by a subtle red pepper spice and, in more than one detailed review, an unexpected buttery sweet cream note some reviewers compare specifically to Italian lemon cookies. As the smoke moves into its second third, that sweetness persists and picks up vanilla, while the pepper intensifies into a cayenne-like heat, and cedar, cashew, and light citrus notes weave through depending on the individual stick. The final third is where reviews most consistently converge: wood and cedar move to the front, the nuttiness recedes, earth and baked bread notes join in, and the overall strength and body build from mild-medium up to a genuine medium, sometimes medium-plus.

Construction earns strong marks in most reviews, tightly rolled with a very good draw and burn, though it's fair to note a recurring, specific concern: multiple independent reviewers have observed slight cracking on the foot of the wrapper, and at least one detailed review found the cigar burning notably faster than expected for its 6 x 52 size, with the second half less consistently enjoyable than the first. Reception genuinely ranges from those who consider this an outstanding, complex smoke to others who found it merely average, a fair range worth knowing before committing to a full box, though the majority land closer to the positive end.

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Flavor progression:

1. Opening: hay and peanut nuttiness lead the way, a subtle red pepper spice developing alongside an unexpected buttery cream sweetness
2. Mid-smoke: vanilla joins the sweetness as pepper intensifies into a cayenne-like heat, cedar and cashew notes weaving through
3. Close: wood and cedar move to the front as nuttiness recedes, earth and baked bread joining in as strength builds to medium

Key Features:

1. Brand: Blackened by Drew Estate
2. Line: S84 Shade to Black
3. Collaboration: James Hetfield (Metallica), Rob Dietrich (Blackened Whiskey), Jonathan Drew
4. Released: March 2024
5. Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, Estelí, Nicaragua
6. Country of Origin: Nicaragua
7. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed (Shade)
8. Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
9. Filler: Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania Broadleaf
10. Construction: Handmade
11. Vitola: Toro
12. Size: 6 inches x 52 ring gauge
13. Strength: Mild to Medium, building through the smoke
14. Flavor Profile: Hay, peanut, red pepper, cream, cedar, vanilla, wood, earth
15. Smoke Time: Approximately 75 to 90 minutes
16. Box Count: 20 cigars
17. Price per Cigar: approximately $6.90