Rock & Smoke London — An Evening with Blackened Cigars
By Michel Besson, Fine Cigars Club | 21 June 2026
Some cigars are made to be smoked. Some are made to be remembered. Blackened — the cigar line born from a collaboration between Drew Estate, James Hetfield of Metallica, and Blackened Whiskey Master Blender Rob Dietrich — falls firmly in the second category. On 4 July 2026, Fine Cigars Club is bringing Blackened to London for an evening that matches the line's ambition: three exceptional cigars, an open bar, a Flor de Caña rum tasting, Blackened Whiskey, and the people who made it all happen in the room with you.
What Is Rock & Smoke?
Rock & Smoke is an exclusive, ticketed evening hosted by Fine Cigars Club at Bellefields Brixton, one of London's most distinctive event venues. It is built around a single idea: that the best cigars deserve the best setting — great spirits, great company, and an evening that goes beyond a standard tasting.
The event centres on Drew Estate's Blackened cigar line, smoked alongside the whiskey it was designed to accompany. With the people who created and distribute it in the room — and a rum tasting from Flor de Caña's brand ambassador alongside — this is as close to a cigar immersion evening as London gets.
What's Included
Every £120 ticket covers the full evening:
- Three Blackened cigars — the M81, the S84, and a surprise third vitola
- Open bar throughout the evening
- Flor de Caña rum tasting with the brand ambassador
- Blackened Whiskey — the spirit the cigars were blended to accompany
- Canapés
- Drew Estate swag and goodies
The Cigars
Blackened is not a marketing exercise. The cigar line was developed by Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate and Rob Dietrich of Blackened Whiskey — with James Hetfield's fingerprints on every decision — specifically to be smoked alongside Blackened American Whiskey. The result is a range that delivers the complexity and body to hold its own against a serious spirit without overwhelming it.
Blackened M81
The M81 is the flagship of the line — a medium-to-full-bodied smoke named after Metallica's album Master of Puppets (released in 1986, hence M81 combining the initial and year). Rolled at Drew Estate's factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, it uses a San Andres Mexican wrapper over a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. Notes of dark chocolate, espresso, leather and a long, sweet finish — built to sit alongside the bourbon-forward character of Blackened Whiskey without compromise.
Blackened S84
The S84 takes its name from Metallica's Ride the Lightning (1984, S for the lightning bolt). Slightly different in blend and character to the M81 — a touch more refined, with cedar and cream alongside the darker notes — it offers a different angle on the same pairing philosophy. Both cigars reward slow smoking and honest attention.
The Surprise Third
We're keeping the third Blackened vitola under wraps for the evening. Expect something special.
The Spirits Pairing
Flor de Caña Rum Tasting
Alongside the whiskey, Flor de Caña's brand ambassador will be leading a guided rum tasting. Produced in Nicaragua — the same country that grows the tobacco in your Blackened cigar — Flor de Caña is one of the world's great aged rums, known for its exceptional smoothness and complexity. The tasting adds a distinctly Nicaraguan thread to the evening, connecting the spirit of the country where the Blackened cigars are made to the glasses on the table.
Special Guests
Four people who know Blackened better than almost anyone will be in the room with you on 4 July.
Rob Dietrich — Master Blender of Blackened American Whiskey and co-creator of the Blackened cigar line alongside Jonathan Drew and James Hetfield. Rob brings the whiskey side of the collaboration to life in a way no tasting note can replicate.
Ricardo Ortiz — Senior Account Manager for International Sales and Operations at Drew Estate. If you want to understand where the Blackened cigars come from — the factory, the blending process, the relationship between Drew Estate and the Metallica universe — Ricardo is your man. He joined us in Miami at the start of the TOR Tour 2026 and his knowledge of Drew Estate's operation is extraordinary.
Alfonso Scherzi and Carlos Zuniga — from TOR Imports, the UK's leading New World cigar importer and the team responsible for bringing Drew Estate's portfolio — including Blackened — to the British market. Alfonso and Carlos will be on hand throughout the evening.
The Venue
Bellefields Brixton 9 Stockwell Ave, London SW9 9SY
Bellefields is one of South London's most characterful event spaces — converted, atmospheric, and a deliberate choice for an evening that doesn't do ordinary. Doors open at 18:30 on 4 July 2026.
Secure Your Seat
Tickets are £120 and include everything: three Blackened cigars, open bar, Flor de Caña rum tasting, Blackened Whiskey, canapés, and Drew Estate swag. Capacity is strictly limited.
About Drew Estate's Blackened Line
Drew Estate is the world's largest hand-made cigar manufacturer, producing approximately 80 million cigars per year from its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The Blackened collaboration sits alongside the brand's most celebrated lines — Liga Privada, Undercrown, Kentucky Fire Cured — as one of its most distinctive: a cigar range conceived entirely around pairing, built in close partnership with the whiskey it was made to accompany.
For more on Drew Estate's cigars available in the UK, visit the Drew Estate collection at Fine Cigars Club.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blackened cigar line? Blackened is a premium cigar line created by Drew Estate in collaboration with Metallica's James Hetfield and Blackened Whiskey's Master Blender Rob Dietrich. The range is blended specifically to pair with Blackened American Whiskey and produced at Drew Estate's factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Who is Rob Dietrich? Rob Dietrich is the Master Blender of Blackened American Whiskey — the whiskey brand co-founded by Metallica and blended to accompany cigars. He is one of the key creative forces behind the Blackened cigar line alongside Jonathan Drew and James Hetfield.
Where is the Rock & Smoke event? Bellefields Brixton, 9 Stockwell Ave, London SW9 9SY. Doors open at 18:30 on 4 July 2026.
What is included in the ticket? Three Blackened cigars (M81, S84, and a surprise third vitola), open bar, Flor de Caña rum tasting with brand ambassador, Blackened Whiskey, canapés, and Drew Estate swag. All included in the £120 ticket price.
How do I buy tickets? Tickets are available now at £120 via the link below. Capacity is strictly limited.