Southern Draw Firethorn Augusta Box-Pressed Belicoso

Somewhat new to the cigar scene, Southern Draw has been making waves throughout the industry. Southern Draw is owned and operated by a family of United States military veterans and is dedicated to producing high quality, unique, and consistent handmade premium blends. According to the website: "Our brand was founded on the tradition of the “Southern” Ladies and Gentlemen which has been referred to as a “culture of honor” however our brand has since grown beyond the traditional South and with that growth we aspire to be part of a culture where we should avoid intentionally offending others and have a reputation for not accepting improper or divisive conduct towards others… We also respect the rich cultures and traditions of tobacco growing and the production of premium hand made cigars by honoring the vital importance of the “Draw”, referring to that wonderful, tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited and allows the smoke to be slowly drawn into the mouth."

The Southern Draw Firethorn is nothing short of stunning. Working with the one-and-only legendary cigar master AJ Fernandez, this smoke is near perfection. Created in small batches in Nicaragua, this stick employs a double-fermented Habano-Rosado wrapper leaf from Ecuador, a Mexican San Andrés binder, and a bevy of Nicaraguan Cuban-seed fillers at the core. Give the foot a toast and you’ll find medium to full bodied notes of sweet toffee, baking spices, carrot cake, and aromatic cedar. Our panel suggested pairing it with Stone Xocoveza Stout.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.