Southern Draw Morning Glory Staff Review
Southern Draw Morning Glory cigars debuted in 2022, and I’m reviewing a classic 6-by-52 Toro blended and produced in Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez. Husband-and-wife team Robert and Sharon Holt (no relation to Holt’s cigars) founded Southern Draw over a decade ago. As avid gardeners, they named Morning Glory after the flowering plant species. Robert and Sharon often feature horticulture themes throughout the Southern Draw portfolio, which includes over a dozen blends.
The couple partnered with AJ Fernandez to launch the Southern Draw brand after searching for a cigarmaker with significant stockpiles of premium tobacco and the resources to produce high-quality, consistent cigars at scale. Although many of AJ’s blends are stronger, milder cigars like Rose of Sharon remain the most popular. Morning Glory introduces a milder profile, with a chestnut-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper and a complex core of Corojo ‘99 and Criollo ‘98 long-filler tobaccos harvested in Nicaragua.
Southern Draw Morning Glory cigars come in light-blue boxes of 20, with elegant blue-and-green bands. After sliding a fresh Toro from its cellophane sleeve, aromas of damp soil, grain, and leather emerge upon close inspection. The slightly veiny wrapper covers a consistently packed frame from head to foot when I perform a brief pinch test. Once I clip the cap with my guillotine cutter and savor the cold draw, a steady stream of wheat, coffee bean, and white pepper hits the palate. The Toro provides adequate airflow, a sign of excellent construction.
After slowly toasting the foot, a jolt of pepper dominates my nasal cavity, nearly provoking a sneeze before receding. Southern Draw Morning Glory startles the senses as it comes to life. Although some creamy nuances materialize in the first minutes, the blend reveals an astringent quality that complicates the profile. Tasting notes of tea leaves, straw, and baking spices enter the fray. But I’m undecided as to whether they add balance or distract.
Twenty minutes in, savory notes of graham cracker and coffee bean show potential. However, the Toro progresses with a flaky, uneven burn that requires attention. After tapping the ashes off and doing a quick touch-up, Morning Glory is back on track. Hints of herbs, wheat, and minerals create an unusual dynamic as I yearn for the cigar’s earlier traces of creaminess to return.
By the time I remove the band and savor the nub, creamy nuances offer some comfort, though a chalky note persists. Southern Draw Morning Glory shows promise, but it meanders at times through the first two-thirds, creating hesitation. Notes of leather and coffee bean linger at the end, contrasting the cigar’s underlying vegetal quality.
In my final take, Morning Glory may be a case where AJ has experimented with a blend that’s a little milder and outside his normal wheelhouse. I’m curious if aging the cigar in my personal humidor will improve the profile over time. If you’re already a fan of AJ’s milder blends, like New World Connecticut, add Southern Draw Morning Glory to your next order and see how it registers with your taste buds.
