For those of us who love premium cigars, the leaf known as ‘Medio Tiempo’ is almost mythical in status. This year, Southern Draw Cigars released a special iteration of the Kudzu called Lustrum. Not only does this cigar contain Medio Tiempo, but it is the wrapper leaf for this new blend. Garret and I each smoked a few, and here is our evaluation.
Southern Draw Kudzu Lustrum
MSRP: $11.99
Size: 5.5 x 52
Origin: AJ Fernandez (Nicaragua)
Wrapper: Habano-Medio Tiempo (Ecuador)
Binder: Nicaragua (Ometepe)
Filler: Nicaragua (Proprietary)
Prologue
Garret
I am new to the Southern Draw family. I knew the Rose of Sharon was a great stick. But, shamefully when Matt handed me this stick, I was unsure of what I was looking at. The Kudzu Lustrum? A dark chocolate wrapper with a golden bow tie and matching slipper? Oh yes please. The wrapper smells of sweet tobacco.
Matt
The appearance is beautiful, but also somewhat unique. It is veiny yet refined. It is oily, yet somewhat papery in appearance. It is dark brown, yet light in character. I know, clear as mud, right? The fact is, it is beautiful. The wrapper has an almost coffee sort of aroma, while the foot smells like cedar, pepper, and something like licorice root.
Act I
Garret
Draw is just on the side of loose, but in a good way. The flavor right at the foot is bright and earthy. The flavor on my lips brings a natural sweetness and some spice. What a start!
Matt
This cigar hits right away, but not with a sledgehammer. It comes on gently and entices the palate and the nose. Pepper is there, but very subtle. I get notes of creamy coffee, a bit of dry earthiness, and something that almost reminds me of the flamed spritz of orange peel that some establishments add to a cocktail. The retrohale has some of that citrus, and a very smooth black pepper aroma through the nose.
Act II
Garret
Apparently Daddy needed some sugar, cuz this Kudzu Lustrum is giving me sweets and whispering spicy things to my face. This is not an infused cigar, yet the unique flavors bringing my palate to a sweet spice is a rare occurrence in cigars… without help.
Matt
The middle of the cigar brings on a nice shift. The citrus and coffee notes are still there, but only in the background. The flavors and aromas in the front turn to roasted nuts and dark honey. This one is really weird, but I also get this pop through the nose that really reminds me of five-spice powder.
Act III
Garret
Somebody hold me back, I’m going to eat this delicious treat! This is a medium body cigar, with all the flavor. There was a transition that happened right before the band that took this cigar from great to greater-er. I can’t give you a defining flavor here. All I know is I want more. I want to eat it, I want it in my face.
Matt
The intensity comes up a rung at the end. The coffee and cream come back. Also, that orange peel is joined by some aromas of leather and something that reminds me of a damp hay loft. There is so much going on that I have to really try to focus and get everything. The retrohale intensifies and has more of that five-spice, but also some black pepper and molasses.
Epilogue
Garret
The Kudzu Lustrum by Southern Draw is more than a great cigar, it is unique in flavor, it performed flawlessly in both of my tastings and it left me wanting more. I could have smoked 3 of those in a row and not been bored with flavor or experience. Robert Holt, you’re a bad man and I love ya for it.
Matt
This is a cigar I wanted to smoke again as soon as I finished the first one. I just wanted more. I wanted to go back and see what else I could pick out. One thing I really enjoyed was the consistency. Each of the cigars I smoked for this review had great draw, impeccable construction, and complex flavor profiles. I know this one is somewhat rare, so I would encourage anyone to pick these up and enjoy when you can really sit back and focus on the smoke. There is a lot to love about this cigar.
Southern Draw Kudzu Lustrum – How Bout That Cigar?
Garret-Rating: How Bout you crawl across a desert, in bare feet, with no water, while being forced to listen to Nickelback on repeat, just so you can buy the last box of these left on planet earth, because it’s just that freaking delicious, and seriously… it makes me feel weird in my giggly places!
Matt-Rating: How Bout a Box?
Garret-Score: 96
Matt-Score: 93
Overall Score: 95
PAD: +1.5 (What is PAD?)
Garret-Flavor Summary: Sweet, Spice, Earth, Cream
Matt-Flavor Summary: Sweetness, Spice, Citrus, Cream, Coffee, Earth
Strength Assessment: Medium
Source: Cigars for this review were provided by Southern Draw