At the upcoming IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, Southern Draw will unveil its fifth regular production line, Cedrus.

The cigar uses an Indonesian Sumatra wrapper varietal known as Besuki TBN, while the binder is a habano 2000 leaf from Estelí, Nicaragua. The filler contains four varietals:

  • Dominican piloto cubano viso
  • Nicaraguan criollo 98 viso from Estelí
  • Nicaraguan habano 92 from Quilali
  • Nicaraguan corojo 99 ligero from Jalapa.

It’s being made at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. in Estelí and is a blend that Robert Holt, founder of Southern Draw, called the company’s “most distinguished tasting cigar,” making mention of the Indonesian tobacco’s distinctive spice profile as well as an herb-like profile that comes from the Quilali tobacco, which is grown in a mountainous region of the country approximately 70 miles northeast of Estelí.

The line will debut with just one vitola, The Hogan, a 5 1/2 by 52 box pressed belicoso fino that will come in individually numbered 10-count boxes. A total of 5,000 boxes are being made, as well as 1,000 10-count refill bundles, a total run of 60,000 cigars. It is priced at $11.99 per cigar and $118.99 per box.

Cedrus gets its name from Cedrus libani or Lebanese cedar as it is commonly known. In ancient woodworking, the trees were highly sought after as they offered firm, high quality wood that delivered a pleasant scent, making them coveted for temples, palaces and sailing vessels. It lives on today as a wood used to create cigar boxes, as well as in Southern Draw’s branding and logos.

Continuing with the celebration of both flora and people as the inspiration of its lines, Southern Draw focused on another varietal of cedar tree, the Western Red Cedar, which is grown in the Pacific northwest region of the United States and Canada and is know both for growing up to 200 feet tall and being capable of living for over 1,000 years. There is also a specific variety of Western Red Cedar known by name Hogan, which is grows in a stand of trees along Hogan Road in Gresham, Ore.

That varietal shares a name with the people who the cigar is a tribute to, Phil and Shelly Hogan, both early supporters of the company. In a press release, Holt said that the Hogan’s support and contributions “have been as steadfast and enduring as the cedar tree even as they have humbly remained in the shadows of our early successes.”

Holt went on to say that Phil, who served in the United States Navy, “is the most honorable and accountable guy we know and someone who we could only aspire to be like,” while Shelly has been “a tireless supporter of all things we do, a helping hand of 20 years that has quietly contributed much to Southern Draw Cigars’ early success.”

As part of the release, the Hogans will attend the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show to celebrate the cigar’s launch as well as share their stories of military service and international travel. The cigar will be unveiled on July 14 at 11 a.m.

The Southern Draw Cedrus will only be made available to existing Southern Draw retail partners that attend the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2018 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.