Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut Coloniales is a light golden brown and carries a couple of slightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and well hidden while the head appears to be finished off with a well applied double cap. The band has the traditional design for the line but carries a white on blue color combination for the Connecticut. The aroma from the wrapper is hay and light wood while the foot brings wood, hay and white pepper. The pre-light draw brings a mix of hay and cardboard with a faint spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with toasted and lightly charred cedar along with some baking spice and a light mustiness. At a quarter inch in, the draw starts with a big blast of hay before the rest of the profile breaks through. Also, the baking spice is now black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile is now slightly toasted wood up front, with hay and mustiness right behind and some light black pepper on the finish. The retrohale has the toasted wood, hay, mustiness and light black pepper all very intertwined. At an inch and a quarter, the toasted wood, hay and mustiness are all even with the black pepper still in the background. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

Second Third

The second third continues on with the same profile aside from a light char joining back in. At a half inch in, the profile is toasted and musty wood with a light baking spice behind it as the black pepper, char and hay are gone. At three quarters of an inch in, the toasted wood is in the lead with the mustiness slightly behind and the baking spice quite faint. The retrohale is toasted wood and mustiness. At an inch and a quarter, some dry earth joins the profile. The third finishes with toasted and musty wood along with dry earth and a slight bitterness. The strength in this third bumped up to medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the toasted wood and dry earth are equal up front with the mustiness and slight bitterness in the background. At a quarter inch in, the bitterness increases a bit. The retrohale is toasted wood and mustiness with a light dry earth. At three quarters of an inch in, some char joins the profile. At an inch and a quarter, the char and bitterness are up front with the toasted wood, dry earth and mustiness not far behind. The cigar wraps up with this same profile. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect and had just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar started quite dynamic with flavors popping in and out and constantly changing ratios. It settled in with toasted wood and mustiness with some dry earth joining in. The final third saw some char and bitterness joining in and take over as the cigar closed out. Construction was great and strength built from slightly below medium to slightly above. The cigar had a nice start with a fair amount of complexity, but became average by the second third and then char and bitterness joined in the final third to take it down another notch. I’d be interested in smoking this in a larger ring gauge to see if it allowed the profile from the first third to last longer into the smoking experience. The price point is quite attractive for this line and for those that find they like this, could be something they smoke often. For the Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut Coloniales, it’s probably not something I’d be in a hurry to revisit, but like I mentioned, it’s intrigued me enough to see if a different vitola provides more of what I’m looking for.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.10

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut Coloniales