Southern Draw Kudzu

Southern Draw Cigars is making a name for themselves, bringing back the concept of “Southern Hospitality” and values from life in the south. Respecting your fellow neighbors – where men can be men – and the cultural respect for women, which they deserve. These are all highlights from the Southern Draw fellowship and a big part of their mission to bring quality smokes that make you understand what living in the south is all about.

Started by United States military veterans, they’ve partnered with the likes of A.J. Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua at Tabacalera Fernandez. Currently producing a quarterly limit of 15,000 sticks per blend, with three blends currently, including the Quick Draw, Firethorn & the Kudzu, which I’m writing about today. Kudzu is the original blend created by Southern Draw, which features an oily, box pressed, twice-fermented Habano Oscuro wrapper with premium Nicaraguan aged tobaccos.

Southern Draw Kudzu Breakdown

Before lighting up a cigar, I try to form an opinion of what i’m about to smoke. It’s a fun little game I play, trying to see how any preconceived notions might be different from the actual experience. In this instance, I could tell by the firm, yet evenly rolled, almost lightly twisted, box-pressed Toro – this was going to produce a good volume of smoke. The pre-light aroma hinted at being on the lighter side of medium body. If I was betting money on this, I would’ve said it was of 100% Dominican origin. Boy was I wrong on that.. As it turns out, I guess 2 out of 3 isn’t bad!

I’ve become a huge fan of box-pressed cigars over the years, as most of the time the draw you get from these is impeccable. This one follows suit. With a closed foot, you never want to toast it prior to first light. This ensures you get that entire flavor of the wrapper first and foremost as intended by the manufacturer. An earthy aroma and notes of cedar are brought to the front before lighting, and the closed foot allows that to be the main focus initially. There is a sense of bitterness on the lips from the oily Habano Oscuro wrapper.

This particular stick showed a rare level of consistency in flavor profile from start to finish. It was interestingly not a bad thing, considering the character didn’t change much. While it wasn’t the most complex smoke, it had good flavor & wonderful construction. Knowing, from the start, what you’re going to end up with isn’t always bad, especially if it’s good from the beginning.

Easy draw – sometimes felt a little too easy but it never took away from the pleasure of this experience. Lots of smoke as well – one of my favorite parts to enjoying a quality stogie, there was no disappointment here. A beautiful light gray, almost white ash gathered up to an inch or more before it gave way. You’re gonna have a hard time winning a long ash contest with this one, as it doesn’t pack the tightest roll but that allows for the smooth draw and large volume of smoke. Strong notes of cedar appeared to be the focus for the entire length of the cigar. A very woodsy flavor kept me longing for a campfire outing in a national park somewhere, roasting s’mores with my favorite craft beer.

Would I smoke this cigar again?

Yes I would. I’d be curious to see if the consistency stays from stick to stick. I also look forward to trying a couple of the other offerings from Southern Draw, as this was a very pleasant experience. Cheers to the folks at Southern Draw, keep up the great work!

Short Link: