For their next project, Southern Draw is turning the reins over to their 10,000 most loyal consumers, valued retail partners and media members. The company has created a very modern Quick Response (QR) portal, accessed from any mobile device, to allow participants to input valuable information including cigar reviews, ratings and recommendations. That data that will be used to determine a new brand to be launched by Southern Draw Cigars in 2023 and a similar campaign that will bring a follow up launch in 2024. For years consumers have offered to test Southern Draw blends test blends, and in some cases, they did. However, the company wants to empower them by harnessing the power of the crowd, to heed their collective feedback and to deliver a product chosen by them, meaning cigar blend, size, and format.
"With the exception of the middle portion, I was pleased with the experience. There were periods of very nice flavor and this would be enough for me to revisit this in the future. There was some power in this one so beginners beware…drink a beverage and you’ll probably be fine. Overall this was a nice way to finish an evening." -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Today, Southern Draw Cigars announced two cigars exclusive to Cigars International: Fraternal Order White and Fraternal Order Black. Both cigars are rolled at AJ Fernandez's factory in Esteli, Nicaragua like all other Southern Draw releases. Both will be available at CI retail locations Friday, May 23rd in limited quantities.
I liked this cigar quite a bit. While I was initially worried about that strong mesquite woodsiness overpowering any other flavors that might come my way, the cigar managed - and managed well - to balance that with some other flavor notes that made this smoking experience one that I wouldn’t mind at all revisiting." -Matt Cade (CADE)
AJ FernandezAllArturo FuenteAtabeyBlack Label Trading CompanyBlk WksCarlos Fuente JrCasa FernandezCrowned HeadsDavidoffDieselDon Pepin GarciaDrew EstateDunbarton Tobacco & TrustEl ArtistaEladio DiazEmilio CigarsFeaturedFoundation CigarHendrik KelnerIPCPRJaime GarciaJames BrownJon HuberJonathan DrewJuan MartinezKyle GellisMax FernandezMBombayMel ShahMLB Cigar VenturesMy FatherNewsNicholas MelilloPete JohnsonRobert HoltSouthern DrawSteve SakaTatuajeTop 25Warped
·Each of our panelists were given 10 votes to towards our Top 25 Cigars of the Year - 2018. As with previous years, the order of their votes mattered as their #1 vote is worth twice as much as their #10. Our list is made up of cigars that had a wide release this year. The cigars that are eligible do not have to have been reviewed on Blind Man's Puff, but the reviewer must have smoke it at some point to vote for it.
"The flavors on the cigar were interesting and complex from the get-go. While the strength never passed a solid medium the taste was a journey starting with a sweet floral beginning into the more spicy cedar middle followed by a super complex end with nuts and pepper. The ash and burn were pretty much perfect. My only real complaint was how fast it smoked timing in at just over an hour. I will be grabbing some more of whatever this is for a nice morning cigar." -Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
Southern Draw Cigars is celebrating 5 years in the business. The company says that because of its growth, it has noticed many used cigar boxes at its warehouse, retail stores, and customers. With this in mind, it has opted for a more eco-friendly box design moving forward. There was also a potential patent dispute, so the company has chosen to change design.
Southern Draw Cigars, along with some of their premium cigar retailers and sponsors, are announcing the new charitable strategy as they endeavor to IGNITE some good. In the vision statement for IGNITE, Southern Draw Cigars states; "IGNITE is a creative way for Southern Draw Cigars to dedicate NEW release cigars to provide hope, morale and charity to those in need. Southern Draw Cigars with its partners will join together by voluntarily assisting in all lawful ways, to support mutually agreed upon charities and causes."
Southern Draw announced two new line extensions to the Desert Rose cigar today, the Famous Exclusivo (Exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop) and the Lonsdale. The company also announced that the original Desert Rose Belicoso Finos 5.5x54 will now be a regular production cigar in both 20 count boxes and 20 count bundles.
"This is a story of the individual parts of this cigar. Initially, I wasn’t convinced I would enjoy the smoke because it really blasted my sinuses on the retro. Each portion, however, changed so significantly that I almost felt like I was smoking a totally new cigar after the transition. Because of the transitions, I was fully engaged with the smoke and really enjoyed it. I would gladly smoke another!" -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
