Blackened Cigars by Drew Estate — The James Hetfield Story
By Michel Besson, Fine Cigars Club | 21 June 2026
When Metallica's James Hetfield sits down with a cigar, he doesn't reach for just anything. The man who has spent four decades crafting some of the most precise, powerful music ever recorded brings the same uncompromising standard to everything he does — including what he smokes.
Blackened Cigars by Drew Estate is the result of that standard applied to tobacco. Born from a genuine friendship, refined over two years of serious smoking, and produced at one of Nicaragua's most celebrated factories, Blackened is one of the most interesting cigar stories of the past decade. Here's how it happened, what's in the blend, and why it matters.
How It Started: Three Men, One Vision
The origin story of Blackened Cigars is, fittingly, a story about fellowship.
James Hetfield and Rob Dietrich — Master Blender of Blackened American Whiskey — had long made cigars a central part of their friendship. They'd smoke together regularly, trading notes, exploring blends, and simply enjoying the ritual that cigars provide. It was Dietrich who eventually introduced Hetfield to Jonathan Drew, co-founder and president of Drew Estate.
Drew and Dietrich had known each other for well over a decade. The moment the three of them sat down together, something clicked. They shared a vision, traded stories about where they'd been and what they believed in, and started talking about what a cigar bearing the Blackened name might look and taste like.
"It is really a fun social thing for me — a fellowship. To have a few buddies sit around with a few sticks. My buddy Rob and I frequently enjoy cigars together, and he introduced me to Jonathan from Drew Estate. The three of us connected and shared each other's vision and story." — James Hetfield
From that conversation, a two-year project was born.
Two Years in the Making
What followed wasn't a marketing exercise. Jonathan Drew sent samples from the Drew Estate portfolio to Hetfield and Dietrich, who kept detailed cigar journals — smoking each one, noting what worked and what didn't, tracking their preferences across strength, construction, tobacco origin, and flavour profile.
The process was iterative and genuinely collaborative. Hetfield knew what he wanted: something dark, full-bodied, and built from maduro leaf. His preference for the maduro wrapper became the defining characteristic of the first blend. Everything else was built around that conviction.
After two years of sampling, the trio arrived at a final specification. The result was announced on Drew Estate's Freestyle Live broadcast on 28 September 2022 — revealed as the mystery cigar that had already been quietly circulating in Drew Estate's latest Freestyle Live Event Packs, smoked by enthusiasts who had no idea what they were holding.
The name Blackened comes directly from the Metallica catalogue — specifically the opening track of the band's 1988 album …And Justice for All, widely regarded as one of the most technically accomplished heavy metal records ever made.
The Blackened M81 — Maduro to the Core
The first release, and still the flagship, is the Blackened M81 "Maduro to the Core" by Drew Estate.
The name carries meaning on multiple levels. M stands for Maduro — the all-maduro construction that Hetfield insisted on from the beginning. 81 refers to 1981, the year Metallica was founded by Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in Los Angeles.
The blend:
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés — one of the world's great maduro leaves, grown in the volcanic soils of the Veracruz region. Deep, oily, complex, and naturally sweet
- Binder: Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf Maduro — a traditional American cigar tobacco with significant body and earthy depth
- Filler: Nicaraguan maduro and Pennsylvania Broadleaf (specifically Green River One Sucker tobacco — one of the strongest varieties grown in the United States)
Every leaf in this cigar is maduro. That's the statement. Jonathan Drew described it as revealing "layer-after-layer of maduro's deepest, darkest, most magical, and mysterious character."
On the palate, the M81 opens with dark wood and earth, before moving into pepper, cocoa, and a sweetness that comes from the fermentation of the maduro leaves rather than any additive. The Pennsylvania Green Sucker tobacco brings considerable strength — this is not a beginner's cigar. It's complex, full-bodied, and designed for smokers who know exactly what they're looking for.
Critical recognition: The M81 Corona was awarded 95 points in a blind tasting by Cigar Aficionado — one of the most respected scores in the industry — and was named the No. 7 cigar of 2023. James Hetfield appeared on the magazine's April 2023 cover. For a cigar launched in late 2022, that trajectory is remarkable.
The M81 is produced at La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Available sizes: Corona (5 × 43), Robusto (5 × 50), Toro (6 × 52), Corona Doble (7 × 50)
The Blackened S84 — Shade to Black
In 2024, the Blackened range was expanded with a second line: the Blackened S84 "Shade to Black" by Drew Estate.
The name is a nod to Metallica's landmark 1984 track "Fade to Black" — one of the band's most recognisable songs and a significant moment in their evolution as songwriters. S stands for Shade, a reference to the Ecuador Connecticut shade-grown wrapper that defines this blend.
Where the M81 is uncompromising and dark, the S84 takes a different approach. Jonathan Drew called it "a guitar solo in cigar form — long, lean, and delivering deep, concentrated flavour from foot to head."
The blend:
- Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut — a lightly-hued, shade-grown leaf that brings delicacy, creaminess, and nuance
- Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf — providing body and structure beneath the wrapper
- Filler: A blend of Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf
The result is a medium-bodied cigar that sits in clear contrast to the M81's full-bodied intensity. Where the M81 announces itself, the S84 draws you in. The Ecuador Connecticut wrapper brings creaminess and subtle sweetness, while the Nicaraguan fillers ensure there's backbone and complexity beneath the surface.
Rob Dietrich has described the S84 Lancero format specifically as offering an incredible wrapper-to-filler ratio — making each draw more refined and concentrated. "It's raw, real, and unapologetically bold — just like Blackened," he has said.
If you're new to the Blackened line, the S84 is the natural starting point. If you're an experienced maduro smoker, the M81 is where you belong.
The Numbers Behind the Name
Every detail in the Blackened brand is intentional:
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blackened | Opening track of …And Justice for All (1988) |
| M81 | Maduro + 1981 (year Metallica was founded) |
| S84 | Shade + nod to "Fade to Black", Ride the Lightning (1984) |
| Packaging | Black boxes, copper accents, all three collaborators' surnames on the band |
This is not a celebrity licensing deal. Hetfield's name is on the band, literally and figuratively. His journals shaped the blend. His preference for maduro defined the first release. His relationship with both Dietrich and Drew preceded the project by years.
Tasting Notes
| M81 — Maduro to the Core | S84 — Shade to Black | |
|---|---|---|
| Wrapper | Mexican San Andrés | Ecuador Connecticut |
| Body | Full | Medium |
| Primary flavours | Dark cocoa, earth, black pepper, dried fruit | Cream, cedar, white pepper, toasted nuts |
| Strength | Strong | Medium |
| Best pairing | Blackened Whiskey, dark rum, espresso | Single malt, aged rum, black coffee |
Where Drew Estate Fits In
For those less familiar with the cigar world, Drew Estate is not a typical manufacturer. Founded in New York in 1996 by Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samuels, the company relocated production to Estelí, Nicaragua, and built La Gran Fábrica into one of the most innovative and prolific cigar factories on the planet — producing approximately 80 million cigars per year.
Drew Estate is best known for the ACID line — infused cigars that brought an entirely new audience to premium tobacco — and for the Liga Privada range, which includes some of the most critically acclaimed cigars produced in Nicaragua. The Blackened collaboration sits within that same commitment to quality construction and genuine creative ambition.
I visited La Gran Fábrica during the TOR Tour 2026 in Nicaragua — the scale and craft of the operation is extraordinary. When Drew Estate puts their name on something, the manufacturing is beyond question.
Smoke Blackened in London — Rock & Smoke, 4 July 2026
On Saturday 4 July 2026, Fine Cigars Club is hosting Rock & Smoke at Bellefields Brixton — London's first dedicated Blackened cigar evening. Guests will smoke three cigars across the night: the M81 Maduro to the Core, the S84 Shade to Black, and a very special surprise third cigar. The evening features an open bar until 23:00, canapés, Flor de Caña rum with brand ambassador, Blackened Whiskey poured throughout, and Drew Estate goodies to take home.
Special guests include Rob Dietrich (Master Blender, Blackened Whiskey), Ricardo Ortiz (Drew Estate), Alfonso Scherzi and Carlos Zuniga (TOR Imports).
Tickets are £120. Capacity is strictly limited.
Shop Blackened Cigars at Fine Cigars Club
The M81 and S84 are available now at Fine Cigars Club with UK delivery.
Browse the Drew Estate Collection →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blackened Cigars by Drew Estate? Blackened Cigars is a premium cigar line created by Drew Estate in collaboration with Metallica's James Hetfield and Blackened Whiskey Master Blender Rob Dietrich. Developed over two years, it is produced at Drew Estate's La Gran Fábrica in Estelí, Nicaragua, and includes the M81 Maduro to the Core and the S84 Shade to Black.
What is the difference between the M81 and S84? The M81 is full-bodied and all-maduro — dark, complex, and built for experienced smokers. The S84 uses an Ecuador Connecticut shade wrapper and is medium-bodied, creamy, and more approachable. Both are blended to pair with Blackened American Whiskey.
Why did James Hetfield make a cigar? Hetfield has been a cigar enthusiast for many years. Through his friendship with Rob Dietrich, he met Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate. The three shared a passion for cigars and spent two years developing the Blackened line together — with Hetfield keeping detailed cigar journals throughout.
What score did the Blackened M81 receive? The M81 Corona was awarded 95 points by Cigar Aficionado and named the No. 7 cigar of 2023 — a remarkable result for a cigar launched in late 2022.
Where can I buy Blackened cigars in the UK? The M81 and S84 are available at Fine Cigars Club. Browse the Drew Estate collection →
Fine Cigars Club is a UK-based premium cigar retailer. We attended the TOR Tour 2026 in Nicaragua, visiting Drew Estate's La Gran Fábrica in Estelí firsthand. All editorial content reflects genuine experience with the producers and products we stock.