Southern Draw Cigars is based in Texas and combines the Southern States roots of the company's founding family with the old-world cigar-making techniques of Cuban artisans. The result is a range of delicious cigars blended from double fermented, vintage Cuban-seed tobaccos and handmade in Nicaragua.
It is that hand-rolled process that gives Southern Draw 300 Hands cigars their name. The line was created to pay homage to the 300 "small steps" that are needed to produce each individual stick and the hands of the factory workers who carry out those steps. The old saying that "it takes a village" is as true of cigars as it is of children.
The three varieties of 300 Hands are just part of a highly rated line-up that offers incredible value for money without compromising on quality - a genuine 'best of both' option if you're looking to get the best bang for your buck when you buy cigars from Cigars.com.
A little background on the 300 hands line
The Southern Draw 300 Hands line is unusual in that it contains a blend of Nicaragua and Dominican Republic aged long-filler tobaccos, not only in five vitolas, but in three distinct styles: Maduro, Habano, and Connecticut. Each style uses a different combination of binder and wrapper, to produce a unique smoking experience.
In this Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut review, we'll be focusing specifically on the variety that comes with a Peruvian binder and - as the name suggests - a Connecticut Shade wrapper.
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andres (Maduro), Ecuador (Habano), Connecticut Shade (Connecticut)
- Binder: Indonesia (Maduro), Cameroon (Habano), Peru (Connecticut)
- Filler: Nicaragua/Dominican Republic
- Smoke time: 90-100 minutes (Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut Pyramides)
- Sizes available: Southern Draw 300 Hands Petit Edmundo (4.75 x 52)
- Southern Draw 300 Hands Coloniales (5.25 x 44)
- Southern Draw 300 Hands Petit Corona (5.63 x 46)
- Southern Draw 300 Hands Pyramides (6.13 x 52)
- Southern Draw 300 Hands Churchill (7 x 48)
Notes on the cigar's construction
The Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut has a relatively pale appearance thanks to that Connecticut Shade wrapper, which is expertly rolled to a smooth, even, and quite a dry appearance. It's finished with a blue and white band that features the words "cigars of Nicaragua," another subtle nod to the people who produced each handmade cigar to such high standards.
A few words on the cold draw
The cold draw on the 300 Hands Connecticut is interesting and worth the extra few minutes to explore. There's the dry hay profile of Connecticut Shade tobacco, which sets this stick apart from the other 300 Hands varieties. There's also a sweetness and a citrus tang, which you'll find continues into the smoke itself.
What flavors did I enjoy?
Overall, Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut packs a lot of different flavors into a pleasantly blended profile. There's a smooth, creamy mouthfeel with cocoa, nuts, cedarwood, and toasted bread. Look out for that sweet lemon taste and the grassy hay of the Connecticut wrapper.
The flavor profile would pair perfectly with sweet vanilla, making an ice-cold cream soda the ideal companion to refresh your palate as you progress through the 90 minutes or so of your 300 Hands Connecticut journey.
First Third
As you take your first few draws on 300 Hands Connecticut, you can expect the hay of the Connecticut Shade wrapper, but this will quickly fade into the background, to be replaced by a sweet lemon cedar profile. Gentle warming spice is provided by white pepper, and this is especially true of the retrohales, which should get your sinuses tingling.
Second Third
The middle third does not depart significantly from the established flavor profile, but that's no bad thing. There's more of that hay-like dry grass taste from the wrapper, along with the vanilla sweetness of toasted marshmallows that will have you reaching for your cream soda.
Final Third
In the final third, 300 Hands Connecticut continues to deliver cedar, citrus, and straw, a combination that is not too complex, but well-balanced and satisfying. The expert construction means you can expect an even burn all the way to the foot and solid ash that does as it's told.
How strong is the 300 Hands?
While not overpowering, 300 Hands Connecticut holds its own. We rate this stick around a medium body with medium-full strength and plenty of flavor throughout. As always, savor the cold draw and the retrohales if you want to get every ounce of aroma and taste from these deeply satisfying cigars.
Final thoughts
Southern Draw 300 Hands is a line with a real heart. As well as taking its name from the people who work on its production, Southern Draw donates 25% of their profits on 300 Hands to Nicaragua to help improve living conditions, provide housing and raise education levels. Even aside from that, 300 Hands Maduro, Habano, and Connecticut are all excellent smokes and well-deserving of a place in your humidor.
Available in bundles of 10, 300 Hands offers truly incredible value for each cigar, or you can go for the Southern Draw 300 Hands White Ignite Jar or Black Ignite Jar for a sampler of 10 different sticks from the range, both of which are also available at Cigars.com.