Cigar Reveal #127
| S&T ID | #127 |
|
|
| Brand | Southern Draw |
| Cigar | Rose of Sharon Desert Rose |
| Wrapper | Ecuador |
| Binder | Nicaragua |
| Filler | Dominican Republic and Honduras |
| Retail Price | $13.00 |
| Tasting Notes | Cedar, black pepper, buttered toast, salted caramel, earth, sweet creaminess, hint of nuttiness |
| Description |
By now it should be no secret that we're fans of Southern Draw. The husband and wife team and their blender AJ Fernandez really seem to have a great understanding of each other that leads to unique and well-thought-out cigars with specific flavors to each blend. This is our third Southern Draw brand featured in our blind tasting (the first two were Jacob's Ladder Brimstone and Cedrus), and while it's certainly the most approachable of the three, don't be fooled by it's thin, beach-hued wrapper. The original Rose of Sharon, named after the wife of the husband and wife duo that founded Southern Draw, was crafted to be a mild cigar with delicate flavor notes. It was a rather romantic endeavor by husband Robert Holt, who said, "She don’t know she’s beautiful. Besides the apparent beauty of The Rose of Sharon in its semi box pressed format, the release is a celebration of grace and the devotion of Sharon Holt as she continues her daily service via strong faith and daily fellowship. Much like a Rose, Sharon exemplifies our brand with her beautiful soul, humility and a ‘subtle’ boldness which has made an incredible impact on so many lives." Touching, no? However, the Rose of Sharon "Desert Rose" debuted in a Limited Edition form in 2019 with a new filler and binder that gives it bit more punch than the original. “Desert Rose, has a heartier wrapper and is a more robust version of our original blend, a symbol of the family as we stand our ground and confront the changing seasons and mounting challenges that we continue to encounter as we execute our mission of unity, charity and the service via this little brand,” said Sharon Holt. And to us, the new blend sets it apart as a far superior smoke to the original. |
| Review #1 | Cigar Dojo |
| Review #1 Content | The profile remains fairly steady, introducing changes in such a slow and gradual fashion that you’ll have to consciously reassess the profile every so often. The buttery sensation eventually morphs into salted butter, evolving even further to become salted caramel. By the midsection, Desert Rose is practically dripping with creaminess, having notes of cream cheese and heavily buttered toast (i.e. toast so buttered that it begins seeping through to the bread’s underside). Near this territory, the cigar accumulates some spice and heat through the nostrils, having notes of white pepper, sage, and rye bread ... Would I smoke this cigar again? Again and again and again… It’s not just an amped-up Connecticut, but the most flavorful Connecticut I’ve experienced from any 2019 release thus far. It’s not a Connecticut that can only be recommended as a morning smoke, but one I’d take on at any moment, day or night. |
| Review #2 | Cigar Coop |
| Review #2 Content |
What an addition the Desert Rose is to the Southern Draw Cigars’ portfolio! This is a cigar that fires on all cylinders- flavor, complexity, and construction. While it was billed as a bolder alternative to the original Rose of Sharon line, I found this applied more to the depth of the flavors as opposed to the strength level. This was also a blend that aligned nicely with the box-pressed vitola format. This is a cigar I could recommend to any cigar enthusiast, any time of the day. It’s a cigar I would smoke again and would not hesitate to buy a ten-pack mazo of. |