Drew Estate Chateau Real Lord Tennyson – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

Introduced in 2006, Chateau Real was one of Drew Estate‘s early attempts at making a non-infused line but was eventually discontinued in favor of brands like Herrera Estelí and Undercrown. In 2023, Drew Estate announced the return of Chateau Real as an exclusive for online retailers, reviving this classic line to the delight of enthusiasts.

The Chateau Real features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, known for its silky texture and subtle sweetness. Beneath this elegant wrapper lies a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, complemented by a Nicaraguan binder that adds a touch of earthiness. Measuring 7 inches in length with a 50 ring gauge, this Churchill-sized cigar offers a generous smoking time, perfect for those moments when you can sit back and truly savor each puff.

Priced around $7 per stick, the Chateau Real represents excellent value for a premium cigar, allowing enthusiasts to enjoy a luxurious smoking experience without breaking the bank. The Chateau Real line now includes three sizes: Churchill (Lord Tennyson) (7 x 50) at $7, Toro (Gran Templar)(6 x 50) at $6.75, and Robusto (Crystal Deluxe) (5 x 50) at $6.50. Jonathan Drew, president and co-founder of Drew Estate, expressed his excitement about resurrecting this “prince of a brand,” emphasizing the affordability and quality of the Chateau Real cigars.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Churchill
Length: 7″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blender: Willy Herrera
Number of reviewers: 4 – Jessica (Stogie Sister) Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi) Kevin J. (maninblack77) Noah S. (Noah)
Price: $7.00
Age: 5 Months
Release Date: November 2023
Contributed by: Blind Man’s Puff

Initial Impressions – Drew Estate Chateau Real Lord Tennyson

Appearance: 96

“Super smooth light caramel colored wrapper with tight seams.” –Jessica (Stogie Sister)

Aroma: 94

“An aroma that is rich and distinct pours from this stick, a heady mix of cedar and sweet spice.” –Noah S. (Noah)

First Third

Flavor: 93
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Woaaaaaaah!!!! After using my soft flame to toast the foot, a vast array of flavors hit my palate. A crazy amount of salted cashews, honey, vanilla, and citrus notes blasted their way to the forefront. While mild in strength it was very complex. The ash held on for over an inch before I tapped it off. What an extraordinary first third!” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

“Upon lighting, I am greeted with a blast of roasted nuts sprinkled with cinnamon and white pepper. It is a very mouth-watering profile. Reaching the midway point of the third I find that nuttiness takes a step back letting the cinnamon take the lead for a while. Through the sinuses has a combination of floral notes and baking spices. The smoke is relatively smooth with the baking spices lingering for a good long while creating an extremely long finish.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Second Third

Flavor: 94
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The second third opens with a lot of the same honey, lemon zest, vanilla, and salted nut flavors as well as some white pepper on the retrohale. The flavors are coming in waves at this point and each is more enjoyable than the last. Still mild to medium in strength and that is perfectly OK with me.” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

“Although this particular lineup of flavors isn’t my all time favorite, this smoke is pleasant enough and what I do like about it is that it has been dead consistent. There doesn’t really seem to be a dominant flavor as the mineral-rich earth, straw hay, peppercorn, peanut shell and currant all seem to be standing on equal ground and are playing nicely with one another. As the second third draws to a close, the retro jumps up a notch or two in complexity. Although it is still dominantly spicy, hints of coffee and chocolate join the mix making this smoke immensely enjoyable and a bit better balanced. A nice nicotine buzz sets in as well.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Final Third

Flavor: 95
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“The final third brings more complexity to the cigar, while still being light in strength. I now have citrus, cedar, hay, baking spice, wood, leather, and cream.” –Jessica (Stogie Sister)

“Entering the homestretch a roasted coffee bean note starts to gain traction. It slowly pushes everything but the white pepper note aside. The retrohale has morphed into a hazelnut and floral essence. This adds even more depth to the overall experience. The finish never ends.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Overall Impressions – Drew Estate Chateau Real Lord Tennyson

Draw: 99

“Perfect from the first puff to the very last, each tug produced a mouthful of smooth smoke without a ton of effort needed.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Burn: 95

“The burn was never razor sharp but it was straight and equal throughout. The burn line was a little on the thick side but all of the tobaccos burnt at an even rate.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

Construction: 95

“Burn and draw were perfect and the amount of flavors coming from thus cigar meant alot of time and care went into this.” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 95

“I really enjoyed the cigar, especially the last third which had more complexity. Great morning or pre-meal smoke.” –Jessica (Stogie Sister)

“Looking at this cigar I would have never expected the smoking experience I got. This is a fine example of not judging a book by its cover. This beauty had body and depth that has to be experienced. Bright and direct shifts in profile is welcomed for such a large cigar. There was never a moment when I wanted it to end. I will be on the look out for this cigar when I find out what it is and so should you.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)

“Each third seemed to outperform the last and it easily made this into an extraordinary smoking experience. So many decadent flavors kept hitting my palate. Would I recommend this cigar to anyone and everyone? You bet your ass I would. Whether it be a morning cigar or the last one of the day, this is a cigar for anytime and anywhere.” –Kevin J. (maninblack77)

“Admittedly, Connecticuts are always a bit hit or miss for me. Even though this one didn’t completely miss the mark, it certainly wasn’t a bullseye for me either. There was a number of things that I did like about this smoke. Not only was the smoking experience near trouble free, the draw was virtually perfect from beginning to end, the smoke was always silky smooth and the consistency of flavors made it so I didn’t ever have to think too much about what I was smoking. Early on, this smoke lacked balance which is really the major point of contention for me. It wasn’t until the second half of this cigar where complexity jumped up a notch, balanced ensued and the mix of flavors became undeniably pleasant. Had the balance and complexity been present from the very beginning, undoubtedly my opinions would be a little more favorable. I would love to explore this blend in a different vitola in hopes that a different proportion of wrapper, binder and filler would change things for the better.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 114

To view the complete scores and notes, click here

Drew Estate Chateau Real Lord Tennyson – Blind Cigar Review