Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and has a couple of slightly raised veins present. The seams are smooth and very well hidden while the head is finished with a well applied double cap. The band is white with wavy edges and carries the line name in black print and an image of Nicaragua on the back. The aroma from the wrapper is hay while the foot brings a general wood note. The pre-light draw brings a slightly sweet hay note.

Pre-light Experience

The Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo is a well constructed cigar with small to medium sized veins presented throughout. It has a nice natural coloring to it and is firm throughout. Aromas of hay and smoked meat are present on the wrapper while the foot is giving off aromas of leather, wood and earth.

Pre-light Experience

The Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo has a similar band to the other offering in the series, with this one having black font on a white rustic band. The cigar wrapper is chocolate brown and silky smooth. Nosing the wrapper reveals mild cedar, with hints of barnwood, and mild hay in the foot.

Pre-light Experience

The Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo has a light caramel shade to the Habano wrapper. Veins well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head well wrapped. Aromas from the wrapper tell namely construction paper, cedar and a slight hint of white pepper spice. Aromas from the foot give fairly aggressive white pepper spice and dried nuts. Cold draw gives white pepper and rich cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with a young wood note, black pepper and some creaminess. At a half inch in, the wood still carries a slightly young profile while the pepper and cream are at even levels. At an inch in, the retrohale consists of the slightly young wood and cream. As the third comes to a close, the black pepper is now very faint while the slightly young wood and cream are up front. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

The first third begins by showing some salty wood and spice notes and there are some leather, earthy and woody qualities present as well. I would classify the cigar as being medium to medium-full in body and strength, and the flavors a re right there as well.

First Third

Flavors on the initial few draws are sweet baking spices, coffee and finishing with lightly toasted wood. The cedar post draw begins to push from the post draw into the retrohale. At the 15 minute mark, some milk chocolate is coming through, as the chocolate harmonizes with the coffee. As the first third progresses, toasted earth joints the post draw. At the bottom of the third, the cedar starts to take over the palate.

First Third

The first third creates a flavor profile centered around construction paper, dried nuts and subtle white/black pepper spice. Through retrohaling, the flavor profile deepens such that there are bigger notes of dried nuts and black/white pepper spice. The finish is on the shorter end with namely soft black/white pepper, airy bread and construction paper. Strength and body is a dead on medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, a dry earthiness joins the profile. At a half inch in, the earthiness is equal with the wood While the cream and black pepper are in the background. At an inch in, the earth has a slight lead over the wood. The retrohale has the wood slightly ahead of the earthiness. As the third comes to a close, the cream picks up a bit, becoming even with the wood and earth. The strength in this third remained at slightly below medium.

Second Third

When I get into the second third, I find the spice level increases; there is a rise in pepper notes and with that are the some earthy and herbal wood notes. Not overly complex and it is smoking at a level between medium and medium-full.

Second Third

The second third starts out with lightly toasted cedar. The toasted notes on the post draw begin to intensify as the middle third settles in. At the bottom half of the middle third, some mild sweetness joins in the profile.

Second Third

The second third widens the flavor array. Biscuits and minerals show in conjunction with the same construction paper, dried nuts and subtle black/white pepper. The finish also picks up more spice and at the same time lengthens. Strength and body maintains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the wood gains a bit of toast to go along with the earth as the cream recedes a bit and the black pepper is very faint in the background. At a quarter inch in, a vegetal note joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch, the wood and vegetal notes are even with the cream slightly behind and the earthiness in the background. The retrohale carries a mirror image of the same profile. As the cigar comes to a close, the vegetal note has increased to take the lead in the profile. The strength in this third moved up to medium.

Final Third

I am in the final third of the cigar now and it is showing similar qualities to that of the second third. There are some spice notes still, mostly pepper, and it has that earth and leather quality as well. There are some mineral aspects, but as I said before it is not overly complex. Like it has been throughout, it is smoking at a level between medium and medium-full.

Final Third

Moving into the last third, the 300 Manos Habano has some creaminess on the retrohale, with the toasted cedar losing some of that toasted quality. As the final third settles in, the cedar has fallen to light strength levels.

Final Third

The first half or so of the last third is a continuation of the second third. But the latter half reverted back to more construction paper and black/white pepper spice. Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn line was a bit wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Then burn on the 300 Manos Habano is very good and it is producing an even burn line with a firm charcoal colored ash on the end. From start to finish, the burn is solid and producing no problems.

Burn

The burn on the 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo is slightly wavy throughout, with the ash holding on in 1 inch plus increments.

Burn

Picture perfect burn performance. Even burn, ample smoke production, solid and tight ashes.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

I was looking forward to smoke this version after smoking the Maduro as I felt I might enjoy this a bit more and that was true. The flavor profile of young wood, cream and black pepper was enjoyable and later added some earth and vegetal notes. Construction was pretty good and allowed me to just focus on flavors. Strength never got higher than medium and the cigar produced plenty of smoke. The price point on the Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo is attractive and I could see this being quite popular as the flavor profile would appeal to a large number of smokers. I’d have no problem smoking more of these in the future.

Draw

Like the burn, the draw is very good throughout. There is a slight bit of snugness with the draw, but that is to my liking. There is a lot of smoke produced and it helps with picking up the flavors.

Overall

I found the Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo to be an average cigar and subpar when compared with the 300 Hands Maduro. I think the flavor profile was lacking in complexity and depth and there was no transitioning from start to finish. While the cigar smoked great, it was rolled well and present no problems with the draw, it was lacking in the most important aspect of the cigar, flavors.

Draw

The draw is somewhat towards the snug end of the spectrum, but not enough to impact the draw in a measurable way.

Overall

The Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo is a pleasant smoking experience, but lacks the intense flavor complexity of the 300 Hands Maduro. The flavor profile is largely toasted cedar, with occasional notes of baking spices and coffee.

Draw

The ideal draw with the right amount of air flow and tightness.

Overall

Amazing and heart warming story aside, the cigar smoking experience did not quite live up to the great story and concept of 300 Manos. I felt the construction paper/burning paper note overall was too common and notable for most of the cigar. The second third shifted away from that by giving more spice and the introduction of minerals, but that wasn’t enough. I recommend picking one up to try to gauge buying more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$0.91

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$1.02

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.00

Cost/Point

$1.00

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$0.98

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Southern Draw 300 Manos Habano Petit Edmundo