"Say hello to my little MUWAT!" Ok, it doesn't quite have the same ring as "...my little friend", but still applicable. MUWAT from Drew Estate is an acronym for My Uzi Weighs A Ton. A fitting title for a line where more than half of the vitolas are 60 gauge or larger. Those beasts were the first ones I saw wearing the MUWAT badge and automatically put them in the "nah, I'm all set" category. The ring gauge along with the economic price point had me assuming this was a cheap cigar that was being marketed to guys with oversized trucks who rip through the neighborhood at glass-shattering decibels. So when I was presented with the +11 vitola I was surprised to see there was a "normal" size version. In fact, there are a couple other vitolas below the 60 mark. In the spirit of a fair review, I set aside any preconceived notions I had and performed the Cut & Light ceremony.
The Deets
Cigar: Drew Estate MUWAT +11
Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua
Size: 5.5 x 52
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Negro
Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina, Nicaraguan
Appearance 8/10
The coolest aspect of the MUWAT look is the wrapper's visual texture. To the touch it's fairly smooth with only minimal vein bumps, yet visually there is so much going on. It's not meant to be a shaggy foot, and it isn't, but the nip of binder peaking out the bottom sort of bugs me. Overall a decent looking stick.
Draw 7/10
It was a pretty dense cigar so it got the full chop. Regardless, the draw was still tight. There wasn't a forest in there, that's good. It was just crammed up. I did a fair amount of poking around to try to fix it. The cigar was able to produce a puff if I pulled long enough. Good thing I was sitting.
Burn/Construction 7/10
The burn line required correction with each ash drop. This helped it from going off the rails completely. It wasn't the prettiest or the ugliest burn show. Ash was solid though. No flakes or lap accidents. The cap had a couple pieces unravel, but I sternly pointed a Harrison Ford finger at it and said "enough!". That seemed to do the trick.
Taste 8/10
1/3 - Usually when I fire up a cigar with Mata Fina there is a noticeable zing & boldness. Not so with this one. The uzi may way a ton, but it's light footed. That zing is there, although it's light. Notes of bright earth, black coffee, and low-sugar fat-free chocolate cake assist with the first act. Muted lime waves hello from the corner.
2/3 - The 2nd third is the same flavor profile and more on the Medium side now. Classic leather refuses to be overlooked. I kept getting a plump raisin note and that was very enjoyable.
3/3 - I found it interesting that the bright zing that comes with Mata Fina was more of an in & out note instead of being in the front the whole time. Once the final third came it was time for MF to play the session out. Spicy chai and fresh cut grass also help complete the herf session. My beloved raisin desperately tries to still be heard.
Overall 7.5/10
I expected a bold & sharp Meh cigar and instead I found it to be a pleasant medium. MUWAT isn't something that I'd be rushing to score again, but overall I was surprised at how inviting the flavors were. The finish was lengthy too, which was nice. Worth a try.
If the MUWAT is your jam, then you need to start snatching them up now. In January of 2022, Drew Estate announced that they would be discontinuing the MUWAT line.
**Number of cigars smoked for the review: 1