You call that a storm? No, actually, they called that a “derecho.” Despite hurricane-force winds that arrived without warning on Friday night, I’m still here and kickin’. We lost power for about 16 hours, but actually suffered more damage the previous Friday caused by a lightning-induced surge. The heat wave continues, however (about “three degrees cooler than Hell,” as Walt would say), so I headed out early in the morning to get a smoke in before it got too warm outside.

This “First Impressions” video features a cigar that I acquired via trade or some other means sometime last year. It probably came to me from either Ben, Corey, or YoungBuck, but I frankly can’t remember whom. It’s the Esteban Carreras 211, a cigar I’ve never had before from a brand I’ve never tried before. There isn’t any information about the 211 line on the Esteban Carreras website, though various retailers describe it as being blended by AJ Fernandez, so I was excited to check it out.

Esteban Carreras 211 by the numbers:
Vitola: corona
Size: 6×44
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Factory: AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua UPDATE: According to Clay Roberts in this comment below, AJ Fernandez no longer manufactures cigars for Esteban Carreras.
No. smoked for review: 1 (first impressions)
Duration: 90 minutes
Source: trade
MSRP: $5.50
Website: estebancarreras.com
Twitter: @estebancarreras

(Video length: 10:54)

Soundtrack: “Route 17” by djolliej http://ccmixter.org/files/djolliej/35850
is licensed under a Creative Commons license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Overall, I was very pleased with my first foray into the offerings of Esteban Carreras. Flavors were nice and complex, although their intensity certainly diminished from the bold start. Other than a slightly snug draw, construction was fantastic throughout. The 211 is definitely worth trying, and I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open for it on cigar shop shelves.