We’re directing shade on a cigar whose name stems from the beautiful bell-shaped, lavender-blue flowers known as Jacob’s Ladder.
It was released quickly in 2016 to beat the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) August deadline. However, it took another year for one of the boldest smokes in Southern Draw’s portfolio to appear more widely.
A quick glance at the recipe makes it easy to see why it was billed as the company’s fullest premium offering. This stick is cloaked in a super-dark Broadleaf wrapper from Lancaster, PA. An Ecuadorian Maduro binder and hearty aged fillers from Nicaragua accompany it.
The Jacobs Ladder cigar comes in three sizes — a 6.5 x 60 Gordo, a 5.5 x 54 Robusto, and a 6 x 52 Toro. We’ll be lighting up in this Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder review. But first, let’s learn more about the brand founded by husband-and-wife team Robert and Sharon Holt.
Brand overview
A proud U.S. veteran-owned company, Southern Draw Cigars are handmade in Nicaragua at the AJ Fernandez factory in Estelí. They stand for the revival of the Southern gentleman — a culture built on honor and respect with a deep admiration for women.
They have established a formula for using the names of flowering plants for their stogies, with lush smokes like the Desert Rose and Firethorn.
However, Jacob’s Ladder's name extends beyond the borders of a flowering plant. The name refers to the Biblical story that tells of the correlation between heaven and earth that Jacob, son of Isaac, dreamed about in the book of Genesis. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also a symbolic nod towards Ethan “Jacob” Holt — son of Robert and Sharon. He took on a full-time role with the company in 2021 as Manager of Insider Sales and Retail Partner Engagement.
Southern Draw is dedicated to producing unique blends drawn from various distinctive tobaccos. Each stick has a certain Southern charm, with many receiving glowing reviews from cigar enthusiasts and publications. For example, the Cedrus (91-rated) and Kudzu (92-rated) both scored impressively in Cigar Aficionado.
I can no longer resist the rich, earthy aromas permeating from my Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder Toro. It’s time to get down to business with a cut and a light.
Cigar specs
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 6
Ring: 52
Strength: Medium - Full
Smoke Time: 115 minutes
Cold draw
The two blue bands on the Jacob’s Ladder are embossed with gold ink. A cedar sleeve runs from below the second band down to the foot, which provides a pleasant contrast to the mocha-colored wrapper.
Pre-light puffs are easy and mellifluous as sweet tooth hits of mellow cedar and gooey German chocolate cake cross my palate, finished with a bit of pepper.
First third
Many Nicaraguan stogies are frontloaded with black pepper, and this cigar is no exception. It opens with a peppery punch that coats the entire tongue, before balancing into a sweet and peppery character that this smoke seems to be built around.
Baking spice, dark earth, and a hint of cocoa powder come to play shortly after, dialing back the spice to glorious effect. Another layer of black pepper is present on the retrohale, but without the pop of the earlier spice that followed after putting fire to the foot.
Second third
As the middle of the Jacob’s Ladder Toro develops, things become darker, richer, and grittier. Some pepper is still alive and kicking through the nose, but the second half showcases the sweet, earthy, and strong ligero tobacco with prominent black coffee, dark earth, and oak notes.
Chocolaty nuances remain in the background, giving a welcome sweetness that is sometimes easily swept aside by the pepper in ligero leaves.
The strength has gone up a couple of notches, but the Pennsylvania wrapper delivers a continuously subtle sweet character, different from your typical Connecticut Broadleaf. It helps the smoke remain bold without being overbearing.
Final third
The final flourish returns to the heavy level of pepper, but it still has enough sweetness and deep rich flavors to keep the profile singing in harmony. Cedar, leather, and heavily toasted wood all appear, with some juicy dark fruit notes coming and going as they please.
I have no qualms with the draw, which stayed straight throughout the entire smoking journey. The cigar delivers a strong kick with about an inch to go, so I let common sense prevail and lay it to rest in my ashtray.
This doesn’t detract from my Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder experience, as I’ve been treated to well over an hour and a half of deep, rich nuances, pepper bite, and sweet subtleties.
Conclusion
Pair your Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder Toro with an espresso or a dark beer (if you want something more substantial). Take the time to puff it slowly, and it will be worth every penny.
Offered in 20-count boxes, add this dark, refined, and full-bodied Nicaraguan blend to your wish list today.