Pre-light Experience

There is a lot going on with this cigar visually. The wrapper is very dark brown with some raised veins and folds over the foot. The seams are easily visible as they are slightly raised in some places. It’s hard to tell with how dark the wrapper is, but the head appears to have two caps with the top finished off with a flag. There are two bands, with the primary being the standard company design but in a nice bluish-purple color and the secondary band is standard which denotes the line and carries the same color combination. There is a cedar sleeve below the second band that extends all the way to the foot. The aroma from the wrapper and closed foot is that of dark wood and damp earth. The pre-light draw brings dark wood, light tobacco sweetness and some white pepper. There is also a medium level spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The cigar comes with a nice dark wrapper and it is a solid maduro. There is some tooth present with the Broadleaf and it sports a few veins here and there that are medium in size. It is firm in hand and there is a little give with a soft squeeze. It is slightly rough in texture, the wrapper that is, and it is giving off an aroma of rich earth, strong pepper, manure and leather. The foot is similar, focusing more on rich earth and strong pepper.

Pre-light Experience

The Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Lancero has a cedar sleeve covering the bottom half of the cigar. The band is gold lettering and accents on royal blue. The cigar also has a secondary band with the same color scheme, identifying it as ‘Jacobs Ladder’. The cigar has a nipple cap,, and a closed shaggy foot. The cigar wrapper is very dark, approaching Oscuro color and has a rustic appearance. The aroma is sweet leather, and hints of pepper. I wasn’t able to pick up anything new from the closed foot.

Pre-light Experience

The Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Lancero is a maduro to oscuro wrapper shade. The wrapper is thick and hearty. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the flair style head has a well adhered triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper give dry red peppers and cedar. Aromas from the foot tell the same. Cold draw tells the same as well.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mixture of dark wood, cocoa, black pepper and crushed red pepper. At a half inch in, the crushed red pepper has dropped out as a slight cream has joined in with the full flavor profile of dark wood, cocoa and black pepper. At an inch in, the cream has increased a bit as the cocoa has decreased a bit and the dark wood and black pepper remain at previous levels. The retrohale is a potent and stinging mix of dark wood and black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the black pepper has receded a bit while the dark wood remains up front. The cream and cocoa are slightly behind the wood. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third opens up quite strong. I am picking up noticeable black pepper notes and it is paired with some rich earth, dark cocoa and espresso powder. It has a dry wood quality to it as well and this is a full strength and body firs third.

First Third

The Jacobs Ladder Lancero has flavors of sweet, creamy spices, with pepper that lingers at the back of the throat. At roughly the 30 minute, mark some sweet stewed fruit develops. I’m already feeling the nicotine strength of the cigar hit me at this point. At the bottom half of the third the pepper has subsided.

First Third

From first draw, the cigar is all about a chalky cocoa note. Digging deeper, dry red pepper spice and earthiness comes to life. Retrohaling makes me realize the power of the dry red peppers. On the finish, I’m a bit taken back by the amount of milk chocolate the cigar is giving off (I expect more of the chalky cocoa note). There is also a layered red pepper spice coating my tongue. Strength and body is for the most part medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, dark wood, cocoa and cream are up front while the black pepper is in the background. At an inch in, the black pepper has picked back up to be just behind the wood and cocoa as the cream has begun to recede. The retrohale carries a creamy dark wood note. As the third comes to a close, the cream has increased to become even with the dark wood once again while the black pepper is slightly behind and the cocoa has dropped out. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Second Third

When I get into the second third, I find that it has grown in terms of complexity and I am getting some more leather and manure qualities. There is still a significant amount of black pepper present and with that is the rich earth and espresso. It continues to smoke at a full level for strength and body, and this is not a cigar for a novice smoker.

Second Third

There’s no notable changes to the flavor profile moving into the second third. At the halfway mark of the cigar there is some lingering light plus leather on the post draw.

Second Third

Getting into the second third, the profile picks up some nice all spice and cedar characteristics. Furthermore, the red pepper spice becomes fuller. All the other notes are still very prevalent (chalky cocoa note and earthiness). Strength is nearing medium-full and body is a tad more viscous than medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the dark wood and cream remain up front with the black pepper slightly behind. There is a slight bitterness that has joined the profile. At a half inch in, a fair amount of char joins the dark wood which knocks down the cream quite a bit and the black pepper is very faint. At an inch in, the cream has picked back up to become even with the charred dark wood and the black pepper has left the profile. The retrohale carries the same profile. As the cigar comes to a close, the profile maintains the charred dark wood and cream. The strength in this third bumped up to medium-full.

Final Third

When I get into the final third, I find that it continues to deliver the flavor profile from the second third. It is not bad, but lacks in transitioning from each third. It is showing that strong pepper, rich earth, leather and espresso powder like before. Like the first two thirds, the cigar is full in strength and body in the final third.

Final Third

There is earth flavors on the retrohale, and carrying through into the post draw. There’s a slight amount of bitterness as the last third settles in, but it subsides after a few purges.

Final Third

Within the last third, the profile turns a bit more spice forward. Also, the strength is really starting to ramp up being close to the full range. Other than that, still getting the chalky cocoa, earthiness and cedar.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy but always kept up with itself. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

From start to finish the lancero produced a great burn line and with that was a solid light charcoal ash that held on well. There were times the ash could hold on for the whole third, but I ashed it and wasn’t going to focus on letting the ash hold on. This was a well constructed cigar.

Burn

The burn on the Jacobs Ladder Lancero is very straight through the entire smoking experience. The ash holds up to one inch increments and then drops off.

Burn

Perfect burn performance. Even, consistent, solid ash marks and ample smoke production.

Draw

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

Overall

The flavor was quite full from the start with dark wood, cocoa and black pepper and added some cream very quickly. The profile became a bit less complex as the cigar went on and ended with charred dark wood and cream. Construction was very good and the strength was above medium the whole way. With this being the second vitola in the line that I’ve reviewed, I’d probably lean towards the Robusto, but this Lancero isn’t far behind. If you like a darker, full flavored profile with the strength to match, then this cigar would be a good fit. This line is a winner for Southern Draw and I would have no problem smoking more of these.

Draw

Very nice draw on this lancero. Not too loose or snug. Smoked cool from start to finish.

Overall

I enjoyed the cigar and while I felt that it could have shown more transitioning throughout, I was pleased with what it delivered. It had a solid flavor profile, but thought it could have delivered more. With that being said, it might be better with a larger ring gauge. The cigar really showed the strength of the PA Broadleaf wrapper, but I think in a Lonsdale format you would get more complexity. Some cigars are not meant to be lanceros. As I said earlier though, solid flavor profile of espresso powder, rich earth and strong black pepper.

Draw

The draw is one notch into the resistant spectrum.

Overall

The Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Lancero has an enjoyable profile of spices, creaminess and pepper accents with a strength profile that will knock you out of your shoes. Although I enjoyed the Lancero, I preferred the flavor profile on the Toro, as I found it had more intensity and depth.

Draw

Perfect draw giving the ideal air flow.

Overall

The Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Lancero was a pleasurable smoking experience. When I’m in the mood, I enjoy smoking a proper Pennsylvania Broadleaf cigar giving a nice viscous mouth feel, notes that are not too dark by giving balancing sweetness and creaminess and not having it only be strength focused. The chalky cocoa and milk chocolate finish giving just the right accented spice was the key takeaway for me. Would absolutely smoke this again.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.49

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.20

Cost/Point

$1.61

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.50

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.40

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Lancero