Willy Herrera’s Signature Expressions

Drew Estate has always recognized the legacy of Cuba, tipping our hat to the heritage of Havana while forging forward with our New York accent and Nicaraguan flair. Herrera Estelí is different. Named for our master blender, Willy Herrera, the Herrera Estelí brandmark honors Willy’s Cuban descent. Herrera Estelí consists entirely of Cuban-esque blends with lineages traced back to Cuba in their taste, aroma, and aesthetics. Herrera Estelí puts tradition and heritage at the forefront, as each of our prized and highly-rated Herrera Estelí blends adds a new dimension to classic Cuban cigar-making. By cultivating award-winning tobaccos from Nicaragua, Brazil, Dominican Republic, and San Andres, Mexico, Herrera Estelí drives confidently into the 21st century – a world where the thriving, lively tobacco cultures of the New World blend seamlessly with the legacy of those who came before.

Our founder and President, Jonathan Drew Sann, breaks the Herrera Estelí story down for us, “While we’ve always pontificated that Drew Estate honors the traditions of Cuba, it was only upon bringing Willy Herrera into the Drew Estate family that we felt empowered to fully demonstrate our commitment to this Habano heritage in a premium brandmark.

Willy was living in Miami’s Little Havana while our friendship was blossoming, and one of the requirements I set for him in joining Drew Estate was that he move to our manufacturing city of Estelí, Nicaragua and work the production floor day-in and day-out for a full year. Willy did so with pride, working hand-in-hand with the other cigar rollers at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate from 7AM to 3PM every day for the full year, adopting the ‘Drew Estate Way’ into his thinking and process development.

I knew we discovered a winner with Willy – a man capable of leading us into the third phase of Drew Estate’s blend leadership. I am incredibly proud of Willy, both as a colleague and as a friend. The Herrera Estelí brand is a culmination of our relationship and this crossroads in our journey.”