Vital Stats:
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Ometepe
Filler: Proprietary/Nicaraguan
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez
Blender: Robert Holt
Number of reviewers: 5 —– Ron (shuckins) Craig (WyldKnyght) Dave (mdwest) Kent (Throck) Jack (Jack_H)
Price: $9.00
Age: 2 Months
Release Date: May 2014
Contributed by: Southern Draw Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 93
“This cigar had a nice dark oily maduro colored wrapper. It was box pressed and had a shaggy foot. I could see lots of medium veins.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
Aroma: 92
“The wrapper smelled like old leather and the dry puff had a nice pepper taste.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
First Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Starts off with more of a light pepper and wood taste than anything else. A spattering of heat dances across my palate but I’m picking up glimpses of of a dry leather and roasted coffee flavor lingering in the background.” –Ron (shuckins)
“The first third was dominated by more earthy flavors with notes of spice that took a backseat. It was nothing too complex, but enjoyable nonetheless. Even burn with an incredibly smooth draw were the trademarks of this section.” –Kent (Throck)
Second Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“By the time I get to the second third, pepper notes start working their way into the finish and the very faint sweetness that had been detected in the first third is completely gone. An interesting change.” –Dave (mdwest)
“The second dropped in strength but the pepper notes came to thr forefront. I quite enjoyed the decrease of earthiness as the complexity artificially increased due to this change. The draw was consistent, but the burn started to take a haphazard course.” –Kent (Throck)
Final Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“By the final third, the pepper that had become very noticeable in the second third has begun to dissipate and the dark roasted coffee that had disappeared from the first third has started to make its way back into the profile again. Another interesting transition.” –Dave (mdwest)
“Another nice change comes as the cigar progresses.There is much more rich flavor that can come off as a bit harsh at times. This is a cigar that has a lot of character and the final third is no exception with a rich smoked oak barrel flavor and some black pepper that reappears.” –Jack (Jack_H)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“No complaints at all with the draw. It produced just the right amount of smoke, not too much and not too little. Goldielocks would approve.” –Jack (Jack_H)
Burn: 90
“Initially, the burn was ideal, but in the second third I started encountering problems with unevenness. The last third corrected itself again, but needing to light a few areas that were not smoldering at all in the mid-portion which was slightly discouraging.” –Kent (Throck)
Construction: 92
“Very nice box pressed cigar,that looks to be well put together and tightly packed,although very light in the hand.” –Ron (shuckins)
Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Overall Experience: 92
“A dry tasting cigar that I’m not gonna hammer on too much because I think some humidor time was needed. Put this one on my wait to see list.” – Ron (shuckins)
“Overall, I really enjoyed this cigar, which surprised me because I don’t normally like a cigar with so much pepper and spice. The fact that it mellowed and transitioned into a nutty flavor really peaked my taste buds. I would definitely smoke this cigar again.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
“Overall, not a bad stick at all. Lots of flavor transitions to keep you interested and near perfect performance. While the stick wasn’t a powerhouse on flavor, the flavors presented were nice and blended well together. I would certainly revisit this cigar again later.” –Dave (mdwest)
“This was an average, mild cigar that did not have anything in particular stand to the forefront other then a beautiful draw. I am a fan of boxed-pressed cigars, especially during windy golf days, and might entertain this stick another time down the road, but I would not be a frequent purchaser as I enjoy cigars with more body and complexity.” –Kent (Throck)
“I could smoke this cigar any day of the week. Totally enjoyable with three distinct portions, each with similar yet nuanced flavors. I would deem this box worthy and I can’t wait to find out what it is.” –Jack (Jack_H)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 73
| Reviewer | Appearance | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron | 93 | 90 | 88 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 85 | 88 | 85 |
| Craig | 93 | 95 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 90 | 90 | 92 | 95 |
| Dave | 93 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 88 | 92 | 88 |
| Kent | 95 | 92 | 95 | 95 | 92 | 97 | 90 | 95 | 95 |
| Jack | 97 | 95 | 92 | 90 | 92 | 97 | 95 | 90 | 95 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
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Blind Cigar Review: Southern Draw | Kudzu Toro