Blackened “M81 Maduro to the Core” and “S84 Shade to Black” by Drew Estate now Expanding Internationally

Drew Estate is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated international launch of cigar lines: BLACKENED Cigars “M81 Maduro to The Core” and “S84 Shade to Black.”

Drew Estate is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated international launch of cigar lines: BLACKENED Cigars “M81 Maduro to The Core” and “S84 Shade to Black.”

These exceptional Blackened Cigars, which represent a new chapter in the collaboration between Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate; James Hetfield of Metallica; and Rob Dietrich, Master Distiller and Blender of BLACKENED American Whiskey, will be launched and ready to order at Intertabac 2024, starting on September 19, 2024. 

The BLACKENED Cigar journey began with the creation of the BLACKENED “M81,” a heavy leaf cigar born out of a shared passion for music, fellowship, and the art of cigar making. Hetfield, Dietrich, and Drew collaborated closely, drawing on their collective expertise and love of the leaf. The result is a robust and flavorful smoke, wrapped in a thick, oily Maduro leaf from Mexico’s San Andres Valley. Select Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro filler tobaccos round out the cigar, taking the enthusiast on a deep, dark, journey into Maduro tobaccos.

“This was a project purely born from passion,” says Dietrich. “The M81 is a monster of flavor – dark, bold, and rich, designed for those who appreciate the deeper and darker side of cigars.”

Following the success of the M81, the trio introduced the BLACKENED “S84 Shade to Black,” a cigar that offers a distinct yet complementary experience. Wrapped in a luxurious Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf, the S84 balances the smoothness of the Connecticut Shade with the richness of the Maduro binder and filler. This cigar is a celebration of craftsmanship and innovation, pushing the boundaries of the Connecticut Shade cigar.

James Hetfield of Metallica shares, “These expressions are more than just cigars for us. It is a celebration of passion and a tribute to the craftsman who strives for excellence in their lives.” 

Jonathan Drew adds, “It’s definitely life changing to partner with Metallica’s James Hetfield on a passion project. Rob Dietrich has been my homeboy for well over a decade so this is like a dream come true. All three of us feel incredibly excited to bring BLACKENED Cigars to the international audience.  We talk about it all the time and it’s finally here in front of us.”

Both BLACKENED M81 and S84 are available in four sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), Corona Doble (7 x 50), and Corona (5 x 43). Each cigar is presented in beautifully designed 20-count boxes that reflect the bold and dynamic energy of the brand.

The international launch of BLACKENED Cigars M81 and S84 signals a new era of innovation and collaboration in the cigar industry, bringing together the worlds of music, craftsmanship, and cigars in a way that is both unprecedented and unforgettable.

ABOUT ROB DIETRICH 

Rob Dietrich is the Master Distiller & Blender of BLACKENED^® Whiskey, and the former Master Distiller for Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. Rob has more than 15 years in the industry and gained notoriety during his time at Stranahan’s for producing unique, award-winning whiskies such as the limited edition, cask-finished Snowflake, and more recently, the Master of Whiskey series with BLACKENED. Rob is responsible for every aspect of production and is committed to not only maintaining the original recipe of Blackened, using artisanal methods and a handcrafted approach, but is also dedicated to creating contemporary and unique world-class whiskey. Rob Dietrich initially learned the art and science of distilling from legendary distiller Jess Graber whom he proudly calls his mentor. His passion for music was honed across 10 years spent in the music business, beginning with working with Bill Graham Presents, and also as a freelance agent for a variety of venues like Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater and The Fillmore in San Francisco and Denver, as well as producing and managing many tours and festivals. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and served from 1992 to 1995. His two tours in Somalia as well as relief operations in Haiti helped shape his life-affirming philosophy.

ABOUT DREW ESTATE

Founded in 1996 in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, Drew Estate has single handedly defined modern day cigar culture through a hard-hitting, authentic, bottom-up approach to lifestyle branding and culture building. Our mission and manifesto is “The Rebirth of Cigars,” which we amplify through our uncanny authenticity, high energy and through deeply-loved brands produced from La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua, such as: ACID, 20 Acre Farm, Deadwood, Factory Smokes, Herrera Estelí, Isla del Sol, Kentucky Fire Cured, Liga Privada, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial and Undercrown; and the celebrated Barn Smoker, Cigar Safari and Freestyle Live experiential events. Learn more about our story and our brands by visiting Drew Estate.

ABOUT METALLICA

Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich and including guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, selling nearly 125 million albums worldwide and generating more than 17 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents—more than 1.3 million of whom belong to the band’s fiercely loyal and consistently growing Fifth Member fan club. Metallica’s catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All, Metallica (commonly referred to as The Black Album), Load, Reload, St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired…to Self-Destruct, and most recently the Grammy-winning 72 Seasons, released April 14, 2023 on the band’s own Blackened Recordings label. Metallica’s awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a 2009 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Sweden’s Polar Music Prize. In 2017, Metallica established the All Within My Hands Foundation to give back to communities that have supported the band. To date, All Within My Hands’ collective efforts have raised nearly $15 million – providing $8.2 million in grants to career and technical education programs, over $3.6 million to combat food insecurity, and more than $3.5 million to disaster relief efforts.