Southern Draw Cedrus Cigar Reviewed

Southern Draw is a premium cigar brand that has skyrocketed in popularity recently.

A few years ago, while visiting family in Austin, Texas, I first noticed Southern Draw cigars dominating the shelves of every cigar shop. Now, they seem to be everywhere I go, even as far out as the Pacific Northwest where I live.

Even Paul, Mr. BespokeUnit himself, mentioned that Southern Draw is a new staple in his rotation. Thanks to our partners at Cigar Page, I finally get to put them to the test!

I chose to start with the Cedrus because I love the flavor of cedar. I have a unique Spanish cedar box that I use to age my cigars long-term, and this blend promises a lot with its cedar notes and complex flavor profile. I’ll be reviewing it via the following sections:

Southern Draw Cedrus Cigar Details

  • Brand: Southern Draw
  • Range: Cedrus
  • Reviewed Vitolas: 5.5 x 54 Belicoso
  • Wrapper: Indonesian Besuki
  • Binder: Habano 2000 (Nicaragua)
  • Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
  • Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez
  • Handmade: Yes
  • Body: Medium
  • Estimated Smoking Time: 70 Minutes
  • Pricing: $149 / Box of 20 [Latest Price On CigarPage]

This Cedrus and all Southern Draw cigars are rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua. More specifically, they’re rolled at Tabacalera Fernandez, a cigar factory so named by its founder, AJ Fernandez, who produces his premium cigars under his own name.

Cedrus Cigar by Southern Draw

Southern Draw Cigars At CigarPage

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Look & Feel Of The Southern Draw Cedrus

  • Wrapper Hue: Milk Chocolate
  • Rolling Consistency: Even
  • Spring: Slightly Soft
  • Aromas: Cocoa, Graham, Mint

The Southern Draw Cedrus boasts a beautiful Indonesian wrapper with plenty of texture and a striking matte sheen. Despite its soft box-pressed vitola, some areas of the cigar feel notably softer.

Southern Draw Cedrus Nicaraguan Cigar

The aroma from the body and foot is a delightful blend of cocoa, graham crackers, and a minty effervescence. Inspecting the foot of the cigar, I’m pleased to see darker ligero leaves incorporated into the filler.

Reviewing The Southern Draw Cedrus Cigar

Pre-Lighting Experience

  • Draw: Slightly Loose
  • Aromas: Cedar, Molasses, White Pepper

Using my trusty guillotine cutter, I cut the cap off the Cedrus, revealing wonderful aromas of cedar and a molasses sweetness.

SD Cedrus with Olive Green Cigar Box

On the back of the palate of the dry draw, there’s also a white pepper funkiness present. Moreover, the draw seems slightly loose compared to what I typically prefer.

1st Third Smoking Experience

  • Notes: Black Pepper, Cedar, Tarragon

Upon lighting up, the Cedrus delivers the signature Nicaraguan black pepper flavor. After a few puffs, notes of cedar and herbal tarragon emerge on the back of the palate.

The retrohale reveals an oaky quality, reminiscent of a good bourbon.

2nd Third Smoking Experience

  • Notes: Clove, Grass, Cedar

In the second third of the Cedrus, herbal flavors become more prominent, with notes of clove and a fresh-cut grass aroma.

Smoking Review OF Southern Draw Cedrus

Of course, the cedar remains present, while the retrohale introduces a warm cinnamon sensation.

Final Third Smoking Experience

  • Notes: Honey, Black Tea, Cedar

Approaching the lower band, a delightful sweetness emerges, reminiscent of floral honey. There are also hints of black tea tannins mingling with the persistent cedar flavor. This might explain why the blend is named Cedrus.

The retrohale continues to offer warming spice aromas, now featuring freshly grated nutmeg.

Overall Burn

  • Ash Backbone: Solid
  • Burn Angle: Straight
  • Temperature: Cool
  • Draw: Perfect
  • Final Smoking Time: 70 Minutes

All of my review samples smoked flawlessly and were full of flavor. The burn line was straight, which is not an easy feat for box-pressed vitolas.

Cedrus Cigar Ash Stack

This being said, I noticed that these cigars smoked faster than other similar-sized cigars, likely because box-pressed cigars generally have less tobacco than round cigars.

Shop Southern Draw Cedrus Cigars

Overall Experience

The Cedrus comes adorned with stunning olive drab green band with gold detailing and ecru writing. Under the Southern Draw logo is the Latin inscription “soli deo gloria” or “Glory to God Alone.”

Cedrus Belicoso Box by Southern Draw Cigars

The cigars are packaged in a beautiful weathered green shoebox-style box with intricate gold detailing. While it may not have many embellishments, it certainly stands out among other boxes. A notable marking is a golden stamp that reads “US veteran owned and operated.” Super cool.

Pairing Recommendations For Southern Draw Cedrus

This cigar is gorgeous and perfect for a daytime casual hangout session—ideally on a porch or in a rocking chair.

Food-wise, the woody flavor notes would pair excellently with grilled fish or grilled summer veggies like squash. I personally think this blend is enhanced with some sweetness—apple pie would be my first choice!

Southern Draw Cedrus with Iwai Whiskey Bottle

Drinkwise, the Cedrus was made for whiskey.

Bourbon would be an excellent choice, but I’m pairing it with Mar’s Iwai 45, a Japanese whiskey that’s pretty close to a very clean scotch. I think the cedar notes of the Cedrus bring out a beautiful apple flavor in this particular whiskey. Plus, they’re both forest green, so you know they have to go together.

If a softer drink is on your mind, a nice glass of sweet iced tea, especially with some lemon, would pair great with those same woody notes. A butter white wine would also go along amicably with the herbal qualities of the Cedrus’ blend.

Closing Thoughts

While researching this cigar, I kept wondering which came first, the name or the blend. Did the blenders intend to create a super cedar-flavored cigar, or did the name find them?

Review OF Southern Draw Cedrus Cigars

I was hoping to figure out if they did some sort of unique aging or some other cedar infusion but I could not find anything of the sort.

Nevertheless, I’ll wrap this review up by saying that I found the Southern Draw Cedrus to serve as the perfect summer afternoon cigar. It is easily pairable, perfectly medium strength, and smooth smoking. At around $150 for a box of 20, it is easy to recommend.

Shop Southern Draw Cedrus Cigars
"A cigar that’s absolutely worthy of its name, the SD Cedrus’ woody and herbal notes make it an ideal summer smoke, especially considering its price."
Bespoke Unit Rating: ★★★★

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading this cigar review, feel free to check out more related content:

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