Southern Draw Quick Draw Broadleaf Corona Gorda (5-5/8 x 46)

As I look back on this cigar, the consistency of the smoke output was what stuck out the most. The flavor profile is rich and dark but not overbearing in any regard. Overall smoke time was around an hour even for such a small gauged cigar. If you like body at a reasonable price point, I’d say give it a go! Before Lightup: Right off the bat, the aroma is dark – think dark chocolate without the bitterness mixed with a distinct tobacco. The pre-light draw was tight, but that’s due in part to the closed foot, and carried that same dark tone that seems to embody this Pennsylvania broadleaf. First Light: Since this stuck has a closed foot, no toasting was necessary and we lit right in. Initial flavor was a neutral and very creamy dark chocolate and leather. Smoke output was phenomenal, what I’ve come to expect from the folks at Southern Draw, and carried a very velvety consistency. The retro was super smooth, in fact I held the cigar away from my face and gave it a second look because I was like, “Dang, that’s nice!” Notes on the retro we’re similar to first like flavors. First Third: This stick settled into a medium to full body quickly once the closed foot flavors dissipated. Not much has changed in flavors with the exception of an uptick to the leather flavor – the dark chocolate remained unchanged. The burn was razor sharp but the ash only held for about half an inch before falling off on its own. Smoke output remained consistent whether the stick was puffed frequently on laid aside to make a note. Second Third: Flavors are consistent with a slight brightness added in – let’s call it a citrus – which really lightened up the flavor profile and was quite a nice touch. A little pepper has come through on the retro but not to the point of burning. It’s more like a slow roasted chili. Absolutely nothing to complain about as far as construction goes. The stick is packed firm but not hard, and burns evenly all around. The real surprise for me at this point is the overall smoothness of this cigar for how dark the flavors notes are. When it came time to remove the band, maybe I got a fluke but it was difficult to remove – almost as if they double glued the junction or got some on the cigar itself. Final Third: Whether puffing frequently or coming back after making a note or two, the consistency of the cool smoke output needs to be mentioned. I could take a puff a minute or 3 a minute and the cherry never got too hot. As a result, the smoke was always enjoyable. As far as the flavors go, the citrus was short lived and the chocolate morphed into more of a medium bodied coffee. The sweetness from the wrapper has faded and not there’s a dark earth flavor coming through – the best way to describe it is like earth after a rain. There was a distinct pepper note added that was bold but not overwhelming. The retro was intense but still very smooth and creamy. Smoke output is still plentiful but did start to warm up toward the end. Smoking time also slowed between the second and final thirds. Overall: This stick is wonderfully dark and creamy, dare I even say chewy at times because of the plethora of smoke. It is definitely a medium or medium to full body with no strength at all (smoked until about an inch left). For the price, I’d give it 8 or 8.5 out of 10 for overall rating.