Cigar Geeks - Southern Draw Cigars Rose of Sharon Lancero

Cigar Geeks Geek Critique

Southern Draw Cigars Rose of Sharon Lancero
Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Vroomp

86
Cigar Geeks Rating

Welcome to another Member sponsored Geek Critique. This one has been generously sponsored by our member nickthafish (Nick). The cigar provided for this round is the http://www.cigargeeks.com/cigardb/default.asp?action=showcig&cigar_id=158165">Southern Draw Cigars Rose of Sharon Lancero. Hand crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua – The Rose of Sharon embraces a unique blend. The natural cloud cover of Ecuador has supplied us with a prized wrapper, a velvety feel, gentle sweetness and a toasty burn, our beloved Nicaragua has gifted us with rich and elegant binder and filler tobaccos while the distinct Piloto Cubano of the Dominican Republic adds a dose of boldness and spice that allows this blend live up to its moniker: "She don't know she's beautiful!"

Southern Draw Cigars Rose of Sharon Lancero

Brand:: Southern Draw Cigars
Name:: Rose of Sharon Lancero
Length:: 6.5
Ring Gauge:: 40
Country of Origin:: Nicaragua
Filler:: Dominican Republic
Nicaragua
Binder:: Nicaragua
Wrapper:: Connecticut
Ecuador
Color:: Colorado Claro
Strength:: Mild
Shape:: Lonsdale
Notes:: http://southerndrawcigars.com/our-cigars/rose-of-sharon/

This cigar was enjoyed with V-8 Splash Tropical Blend

Pre-Light: 9 Points of 10 Possible

This box pressed cigar had a smooth almost seamless wrapper of medium brown with a semi-dry look and minimal veins. The cap sported a small pigtail and the foot was semi closed with a slightly shaggy end. The cap was well applied and took to the v-cut well. There is a fairly strong barnyard & hay aroma to the cigar. The cannon is between firm and medium soft.

Lighting and Burn: 13 Points of 15 Possible

I was expecting some stronger flavors from this to start judging from the pre-light aroma, but it is actually a very mild cigar in the first third. The ash is medium dark grey and falls in 1/2" to 5/8" chunks. The draw is about perfect (better than most Lanceros), although the size isn't quite Lancero and smoke output is good. The cigar gives off very little smoke when resting and I thought it had gone out on several occasions, but it didn't. The burn rate was consistent with a small ring cigar and required no touch ups. Total smoke time was about an hour and five minutes.

Construction: 26 Points of 30 Possible

The draw was quite open and produced good volumes of cool smoke and the room note was pleasant. The wrapper held well throughout the smoking time with just a tiny bit of unraveling towards the final third and the cap remained intact for the duration. The only fault I could find with construction was the semi-firm cannon, probably due to less filler for box pressing.

Flavor and Aroma: 38 Points of 45 Possible

As I said, this is a fairly mild cigar from start to finish with a medium body and medium full flavor. The most flavor only came through when retro-haling. This is not a very complex cigar and very little transition between thirds except in the final third where I could taste a bit more with retro-haling.

In the first third there is only light Bread, Hay, and some very mild baking spices present. Mostly discernible in the retro-hale.

Second third added some sweetness like simple syrup or vanilla with a mild fruit flavor like apple or unripe pear and a slightly herbal quality.

In the final third the cigar produced a bit of pepper on the nose and a mild cherry flavor aftertaste, but the bread flavor is throughout the stick. The spices come and go as well as the fruit. I did enjoy the final third the most and smoked it down to the point of being unable to hold it.

Summary

In summary, this was a fairly enjoyable albeit mild smoke for me with no real wow factor, but steady cool smoke with a few subtle flavors mixed in. Would I smoke another? Sure. Would I buy a box? Doubtful...