This year, Robert Holt and his Southern Draw Cigars family were celebrating 5 years in the premium cigar business and they did it in grand style, as they showcased an array of products at the Premium Cigar Association trade show. Starting with the new Jacob’s Ladder Brimstone, which is the boldest fullest strength cigar the company has made to the five year anniversary Kudzu Lustrum, the company had much to talk about and for buyers to sample.
They also introduced a Connecticut version of their 300 hands project, which is a way of giving back to the people of Nicaragua and they expanded the company’s IGNITE program to offer assistance to the Naval Seal Foundation. There was a 3 vitola line extension of the CEDRUS blend and lastly, but very special to Robert, was the new box pressed Belicoso Fino Desert Rose, a line extension to the Rose of Sharon, a continued nod to his “rock” and “guiding light” – his wife Sharon Holt.
I caught up with Robert at the show, and though his booth was jamming with retailers, he offered me time to sit with him and talk about these introductions. Before that sit down, he joined his son Ethan Jacob, to unveil the new Jacob’s Ladder Brimstone. Ethan described the Brimstone as a “big, bold, and brash new blend – that will kick you in the rear“.
After the Jacob’s Ladder Brimstone unveiling, I sat down with Robert and we walked through the full line of new offerings and also discussed his 5 years in the business and the challenges he had to overcome growing the business.
The Rose of Sharon – Desert Rose
Described by the company as a hearty sun-loving cigar that thrives in hot temperatures, the DESERT ROSE is a perfect addition to the Rose of Sharon premium cigar line.
The Desert Rose is covered in a velvety smooth Ecuadorian cloud-grown Claro wrapper, and integrity from a thick and flavorful Condega, Nicaraguan Habano binder and a new filler combination marrying both Corojo 99 and Piloto Cubano ligeros from Honduras and the Dominican Republic.
The Desert Rose is an almost flawless medium bodied, medium flavored cigar that is as beautiful as the original blend while offering a buttery smooth yet spicy “burst of flavor” with each draw before yielding to a very clean palate
The Desert Rose is produced in Esteli, Nicaragua at the A.J. Fernandez Cigar Co. and is available in a single, Belicoso Fino 5.5 x 52 (box pressed) vitola. Total release for 2019 is 75,000 cigars (full production of 150,000 cigars is scheduled for 2020, 2021 etc.) and is scheduled to be released in equal amounts in July, September and November 2019. MSRP has been set at $11.99 per cigar or $119.99/box.
Jacob’s Ladder Brimstone
Brimstone, a moniker referencing the Bibles’ passages about fiery torment, is the fifth size of the Jacobs Ladder and uses a patiently aged Pennsylvania Broadleaf USA wrapper.
The complete bend is described as:
- Wrapper – Pennsylvania Broadleaf USA
- Binder – USA Maduro
- Filler – Potent Triple Ligero, from Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
Southern Draw Cigars notes:
The Jacobs Ladder Brimstone is expressed in a single 6 x 50 perfecto and comes packaged in 20-count boxes and 20-count refill bundles. MSRP has been set at $11.99.
Total production, for 2019, is limited to 75,000 cigars and is scheduled to be released in equal amounts in July, September. and November.
Kudzu LUSTRUM
Once every five years, Southern Draw Cigars plans to release a special one-time blend to celebrate the family’s commitment to the growing brand. To be known as the LUSTRUM– meaning a five year period, the limited production offerings will be very small batches of 25,000 – 75,000 total cigars.
The company has designated the initial release as the Kudzu LUSTRUM, celebrating the original Kudzu cigar blend offered by Southern Draw Cigars which was first produced by their exclusive factory partner A.J. Fernandez Cigar Co. in 2014.
The blend of this limited production Nicaraguan puro is described as:
- Wrapper – Thick and Oily Medio-Tiempo Habano
- Binder – Nicaraguan Ometepe
- Filler – Vintage Nicaraguan long-leaf
Kudzu LUSTRUM has been expertly constructed in Esteli, Nicaragua at the A.J. Fernandez Cigar Co. and will be is available in a single vitola, Belicoso Fino 5.5 x 52 (box pressed) with a total of 2,500, 10 count paper mazos (bundles) featuring hand drawn art depicting the family’s prior military service and the history of the brand. Priced at ONLY $11.89 each or $118.99 per 10 count mazo.
300 Hands Connecticut
Southern Draw Cigars added the 300 HANDS Connecticut blend to its growing portfolio of premium cigars and has updated its rustic display to best share all three blends and “story cards” with the faces, names, roles and charitable needs of the 300 HANDS featured staff. “This is their story.”
Announced a year ago we are reminded that the 300 HANDS, is an all too real story of collaboration told through a value line of premium cigars from Southern Draw Cigars. The 300 HANDS Connecticut is handcrafted at the AJ Fernandez Cigar Co. in Esteli, Nicaragua. The blend is described as:
- Wrapper: Connecticut, USA
- Binder: Peru
- Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
300 HANDS Connecticut joins the 300 HANDS Maduro and 300 MANOS Habano with all three blends offered in five classic sizes, each sold in 10- count bundles (each retail order will include a FREE vertical display tray that is just 12”w x 10”d x 12”h and holds three blends and 10 cigars of each size with easy to use refill bundles)
- Petit Edmundo (4.75 x 52) – $5.99 (Bundles of 10, $59.99)
- Coloniales (5.25 x 44) – $6.19 (Bundles of 10, $61.99)
- Corona Gorda (5.625 x 46) – $6.29 (Bundles of 10, $62.99)
- Piramides (6.125 x 52) – $6.39 (Bundles of 10, $63.99)
- Churchill (7.0 x 48) – $6.49 (Bundles of 10, $64.99)
The company plans to release – 150 display trays, 50,000 cigars per sizes for 2019 for a total of 250,000 cigars. Southern Draw Cigars will start shipping the 300 HANDS Connecticut in – August & October 2019.
CEDRUS Line Extensions
The award winning CEDRUS – THE HOGAN, Belicoso Fino 5.5 x 52 will now have shelf mates in humidors across the country as the Southern Draw Cigars family announced three new line extensions for IPCPR 2019.
The company also stated that the Southern Draw Cigars family will celebrate the new releases during a National Launch Event with long time valued retail partner, Club Humidor of San Antonio, Texas on August 2, 2019. (Event time is TBD).
Produced at the AJ Fernandez Cigar Co., Esteli, Nicaragua, the CEDRUS has a blend described as:
- Wrapper – Besuki TBN – Indonesia
- Binder – Habano 2000- Esteli, Nicaragua
- Filler –
- Viso
- Piloto Cubano – Dominican Republic
- Criollo 98 – Esteli, Nicaragua
- Seco
- Habana 92 – Quilali, Nicaragua
- Ligero
- Corojo 99 – Jalapa, Nicaragua
- Viso
The three line extensions are:
- Robusto – 5.5 x 54 (box pressed)
- Toro – 6.0 x 52 (box pressed)
- Gordo – 6.5 x 60 (box pressed)
The company noted that 50,000 per size will be released for 2019 leading to a full production of 100,000+ cigars in all subsequent years. They will be packaged 20-count boxes (standard SDC boxes) and 20-count refill bundles.
Priced between $11.99 – $12.99 each, the CEDRUS line extensions will be officially released August 2, 2019, at a national launch event held at Club Humidor (San Pedro), San Antonio, Texas. Shipping will be August 15, October 15, and December 15, 2019 – for all IPCPR 2019 orders
Expanded IGNITE Program
In honor of the many brave US soldiers across the globe, Southern Draw Cigars, once again, offer the IGNITE program for 2019, this year focused on the Navy SEAL Foundation.
Like last year, the IGNITE program is a joint program with premium cigar retailers, sponsors, industry media and supportive consumers to bring awareness and to offer financial support to service members that are important to the family.
IGNITE 2019 will include a total of 50,000 cigars packaged in 5,000 black enamel humi-jars with radiant gold lettering, offering six NEW cigar offerings throughout 2019. Each release will offer a single blend and a single size cigar packaged in the newly designed IGNITE 2019 humi-jars and a small amount of 10 count bundles
All IGNITE cigars are perfectly protected by Boveda’s patented 2-way humidity control and a freshness seal, each donated by IGNITE sponsor www.bovedainc.com. Each purchase of an IGNITE 2019 humi-jar will result in a charitable contribution of 12.5% of the cost to the Navy SEAL Foundation. Southern Draw Cigars notes that is only possible as each valued retail partner jointly contributes to the selected charity. For more information on the IGNITE Mission, Vision and Values please visit www.southerndrawcigars.com/ignite