Robert Holt of Southern Draw Cigars knew he had a hit with his Kudzu cigar last year, so he took it to a new level in 2016 with the Code Duello Kudzu Limitada.
Bypassing the IPCPR this year, Robert spent his time creating some new vitolas and working on new blends in Nicaragua. One of those was the Code Duello line that included two blends, the Firethorn and the Kudzu. These limited edition cigars are available in pairs that are meant to be shared with your friends. You may have read our review of the Firethorn 6 x 56 early this year.
Like the Firethorn, the Code Duello Kudzu is available in 2 vitolas:
- KUDZU 6 X 56 – A box pressed double Oscuro perfecto
- KUDZU 5 X 58 – A box pressed double Ometepe perfecto
The blends of each vitola are different and they are different from the original Kudzu. The Code Duello Kudzu 6 x 56 Oscuro blend is described as:
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Double Oscuro)
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
The MSRP for these are $21.99 for a pair.
Last year the Southern Draw Kudzu ranked #12 in the Stogie press Top 25 Boutique cigars for the year.
For this review I sampled the Code Duello Kudzu 6 x 56 Double Oscuro
Cigar Review Notes
- Dark brown wrapper, smooth, with little veins and lightly boxed pressed
- The foot is finished with an extra piece of leaf
- Pre-light aroma offers tobacco, cocoa, spice, and hay
- Cold draw offers cinnamon and raison and a hint of pepper
- First puffs deliver an early pepper shot – I needed that Robert!
- Pepper and cedar sweetness mix early on
- A tangy orange zest mixes in
- The sweetness takes over after an inch of burn with a citrus finish
- Medium grey ash holding solid to form with a thick burn line
- Sweet roasted nut aroma
- Coffee bean enters end of first third
- Aroma moves to more of a spicy floral
- Sweet Ginger enters
- Very smooth retrohale as a buttery note finds its way in just shy of the primary band
- Barrel gets a little squishy
- A dry berry enters like a dry red wine at the half way point
- Burn has been perfect so far
- A bitter citrus peel note wrapped in oak enters in the final third
- Medium to full Strength
- Total smoking time around one hour
Overall, the Code Duello Kudzu Limitada Oscuro was quite a shift from the original Kudzu I sampled last year. This was a more complex smoke with delicate flavor transitions centered around a core of sweetness. I smoked both of the duo – sorry but I wanted to make sure I got the flavor notes right.
Code Duello Kudzo Oscuro