This is a review of the Fat Bottom Betty cigar from the Deadwood Tobacco Company. For those not familiar with Drew Estate’s edgy, unconventional brand names and front-marks, you’d probably think why is this stick called Fat Bottom Betty,  and who the “heck” is the Deadwood Tobacco Company? For all others, you may already know that this premium cigar is manufactured by Drew Estate at their Estelí, Nicaragua factory, and, it’s one of four vitolas in the  Deadwood line that includes Crazy Alice, Sweet Jane, and Fat Bottom Betty Gordito.

On my first inspection, I found Fat Bottom Betty to be a buxom gal with a hefty 54-inch ring gauge and 5-inch length that comes dressed in a  seamless dark brown Maduro wrapper with a slight reddish hue. The binder and fillers are billed as a manufacturer’s secret, but considering that it’s a Drew Estate creation, I assume that these tobaccos are of Nicaraguan origin, but this is just an educated guess.

Upon placing Fat Betty in my mouth, I was greeted with an artificial sugary taste coming from its sweetened cap. This came as a bit of a  surprise that was obviously inspired by many of the blends in Drew Estate’s wildly popular ACID line that also include a sweetened cap.

The oily wrapper leaf made torching and toasting this stick a bit of a challenge, but once lit, Betty came out of the gate with crisp even burn and solid white ash.

The first third starts off with black pepper, nutmeg, and plenty of sugary sweetness courtesy of the sweetened cap. Less than inch later the sweetness from the wrapper subsides a bit and I start detecting that hints of wood and leather have joined the party.  These four core flavors took me all the way through the first third of what I’d call a complex medium to full-bodied smoke that’s leaning more towards the medium side.

During the second third, Fat Bottom Betty delivers an entirely new experience as flavors of maple, cinnamon, and dark roast coffee take center stage with some lingering black pepper on the retro-hale.  While taking a break to enjoy the luring toasty tobacco aroma, I noticed that the sweetened cap has left a rather unpleasant aftertaste on my tongue. It’s definitely not a deal-breaker though,  because  Fat  Betty has developed into a unique and enjoyable smoke that simply screams Drew Estate!

• The fact this is a medium to full-bodied smoke that leans more toward the medium-bodied side, it’s the perfect cigar for newbies that are looking to move up a notch or two in strength.
• If you are put off by a premium cigar with a sweet gum cap, I highly recommend that you pair Fat Bottom Betty with a cup of coffee or your favorite adult beverage to lessen the aftertaste.
• If you are already a Drew Estate cigar fan, including some of the more conventional blends in their ACID series, you’ll probably enjoy Fat Bottom Betty or any of the other sizes in the highly regarded  Deadwood Tobacco Company line.
• Top-notch construction, a great burn, and an easy draw made Fat Bottom Betty a pleasing and effortless smoke from beginning to end, with very few touch-ups required.