Following past successes with something better can be difficult, but if there’s anyone who has experience in that department, it’s Drew Estate and James Hetfield! The initial release of Blackened, the M81, took the cigar scene by storm, and now it’s time for a lighter shade to pass over us all.
The Shade to Black is a mellower twist on the original M81, using a gorgeous Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper, but maintains a core of Connecticut and Pennsylvania Broadleaf alongside Nicaraguan Maduro long-filler leaves. That same core packs the same punch, but the golden shade-grown wrapper adds a creamy and smooth element to an otherwise rich and heavy flavor profile.