Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Long Filler
Size: Torpedo 6.0″ x 54 ring
Courtesy of CigarsDirect.com

This new offering from Perdomo is a Nicaraguan puro that is made with 100% Semilla Habano tobacco.  Simply said, it is all Cuban-seed, Nicaraguan grown tobacco and they all happen to be selected from the same 2004 crop.  It is offered in 4 run of the mill sizes and in three different wrappers.  You can have it in a Connecticut Shade, Nicaraguan Corojo, and a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper.  I was curious when I saw it was available in a Connecticut Shade wrapper.  Where was that particular wrapper grown?  Do they grow that wrapper in Nicaragua?  I’m not sure but I didn’t think that wrapper type is grown anywhere in that country.  If it isn’t grown in Nicaragua, then that version obviously couldn’t be called a “Nicaraguan Puro” but I guess that doesn’t really matter.  Back to the cigar at hand.  For this review, I will be smoking the Maduro variety in the Torpedo format.

This one started off like another Perdomo cigar.  One I don’t care for.  There was a bitter and metallic flavor that reminds me of sucking on a penny.  Unlike that other cigar though, this one improved quickly and dramatically.  After a few puffs of that unpleasant metallic taste the cigar became very earthy and leathery with a slightly tannic finish.  Although not a very dynamic smoke I found it to be enjoyable.  The construction was impeccable which is typical of Perdomo cigars in my experience.  The Grand Cru is a medium bodied smoke and easily the most robust offering I have ever tried from Perdomo but even still it falls well short of being full-bodied.  Perdomo seems to be reluctant to make a truly full-bodied smoke, but they did seem to turn it up a notch for this blend.  In the last third earth was still the dominant flavor complimented by notes of black coffee with the finish turning a bit peppery.

This was a good smoke and my hope is that the metallic start was just a fluke although it isn’t the first time I have gotten that from a Perdomo cigar.  I plan to give this cigar another try soon.  Outside the first few puffs I really enjoyed it.

Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Cuban-Seed Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.0″ x 54 ring
Courtesy of CigarsDirect.com

Celebrating 10 years of the Perdomo Reserve line of cigars, Tabacalera Perdomo released the 10th Anniversary Edition sometime last year (if memory serves).  Dressed in a smooth and oily cuban-seed Criollo wrapper the 10th Anniversary is a good looking cigar.  They are available in five sizes:

• Figurado 5.75″ x 56
• Robusto 5.0″ x 54
• Epicure 6.0″ x 54
• Churchill 7.0″ x 54
• Torpedo 7.0″ x 54

Today I am smoking the beefy little robusto.  The ring gauge is a little large for my tastes and feel awkward to smoke, but the draw was excellent.  I don’t normally think of a five inch cigar as being all that short, but this one felt shorter than it was because of the HUGE 10th anniversary band.  It was so big I had to take it off before I started smoking it.  Luckily it came off very easily and did no damage ot the wrapper.  Upon lighting the cigar I am greeted by a creamy and decadent aroma the goes perfectly with the smooth, creamy, and buttery flavors of toasted almond, cafe au lait and wood.  The flavors were a contradiction, rich yet at the same time mild in body.  All this was nicely balanced with a light spice on the finish.  The smoke builds in body as I progressed through the cigar.  Eventually the creaminess subsided replaced by more woodsy flavors and spice.  Disaster struck in the last third when I heard a “crack” and the saw the wrapper begin to fall apart.  I don’t know what happened because up to this point the smoke was perfect in almost every way, draw, burn, ash, flavors, you name it.  I did what I could to hold the cigar together so I could finish it.  I was really enjoying it and I managed to keep it smokable until I was done with it.  I have smoked my share of Perdomo cigars and construction has never been an issue so I’d just chalk this incident up to a bit of bad luck and I consider it a fluke.

There have been a few occasions lately where I have found myself very pleasantly surprised by Criollo cigars and I can add this one to that list.  I thought it was an excellent, very smooth and enjoyable cigar that starts off mild and builds into a nice medium bodied smoke.  This one is definitely worth a try.

(I submitted this review in a contest at Cigar Inspector. I was lucky enough to win the contest. Be sure to go visit Cigar inspector to see this an many other great cigar reviews.)

Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Natural
Filler: A Family Secret
Size: Double Corona 7 5/8″ x 50 ring

A couple years ago I attended a cigar event at my local tobacconist’s shop. At this event I met a man who is generally considered one of the best, if not the best, cigar reps in the South East US… may be the best in the country. I first met Chris Harper when he was working for another cigar manufacturer. He now works for Perdomo and apparently they recognize his talents as well because he has quickly risen through the ranks there and has gotten himself a nice promotion that has expanded his responsibilities to a national, rather than regional, level. Chris is one of the friendliest and most genuine guys I have met in the cigar business. I count myself lucky to now call Chris a friend. Chris is a knowledgeable and passionate cigar guy with an insider’s knowledge of the industry so he is full of great stories about cigars and the cigar business. He once relayed to me the story of the Perdomo family which is a truly amazing story. Here is a brief synopsis of what Chris told me. You can also find a more detailed version of the story on the Perdomo website.

The Perdomo family story has all the makings of an excellent A&E Biography or perhaps a great made for TV movie. The two Patriarchs of the family endured a lot on their road to success in the cigar industry. In Cuba, both Silvio Perdomo and his son, Nick Sr., were making names for themselves as master craftsman in the Cuban cigar industry. Then in the midst of all this success their worlds were turned upside down by the Communist Revolution and Castro’s rise to power. Both were and are peaceful opposers of the Communist rule in Cuba. As a result, Silvio Perdomo was arrested and jailed. He endured 12 years of torture and mistreatment. The whole time he was imprisoned he refused to compromise his beliefs, never once conceding to demands that he show public support of Castro and the Communist party. Silvio’s son Nick Sr. almost lost his life because of the family’s anti-communist views. He was shot and critically wounded by communist guerrillas. Close friends of the family hid Nick and cared for his wounds. Before he could fully recover from his gunshot wounds friends were able to sneak him out of the country bringing Nick Sr. to the United States. Eventually Silvio was freed as well and rejoined his son in Miami. The two began making cigars again in their Kitchen and it wasn’t long before Nick’s son, Nick Jr., joined the family business. Now, from those modest beginnings the Perdomo family cigar business has a location in Miami and a huge factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

That’s the short version of the story of Tabacalera Perdomo and the Edición de Silvio line of cigars. Nick Jr. created the Perdomo Edición de Silvio as a living tribute to his late grandfather and mentor. The ultra premium selection of tobaccos that go into the blends of this line are a closely guarded secret known only to members of the Perdomo family. You can enjoy an Edición de Silvio in one of three wrappers. It comes in either a Natural, Maduro, or an exquisite (I speak from personal experience) genuine African Cameroon wrapper. There are six different vitolas available which are rolled exclusively by the factories five most skilled rollers. They are the Robusto, Toro, Petite Corona, No.2 Torpedo, Double Corona, and a monstrous Salomon.

Today, thanks to the generosity of my friend Mr. Harper, I am enjoying a Double Corona sporting a beautiful Natural wrapper. In my haste to get out to my local shop and smoke this cigar, I regretfully forgot to snap a picture of it so all I have is the scan of the band displayed above. Given the special nature of this cigar I decided that it should be treated with an extra measure of respect so I used Gordon Mott’s “Three Match” technique to light my Edición de Silvio. Click here to see Gordon explain the technique. That is exactly how I lit this cigar and it worked beautifully. The Natural Double Corona sports a decadent looking light brown wrapper with the look of expensive leather. It has a slight tooth and fine veins running throughout. In the traditional Cuban style it has a masterfully applied triple cap that clipped perfectly with my Palio. The draw was spot on with the perfect amount of resistance allowing it to produce thick clouds of white smoke. The smoke started off a bit peppery and a little harsh but that didn’t last for more than a few puffs. It quickly mellowed delivering a rich creamy flavor of toasted nuts. Further in the flavors changed to a pleasant spice with a slightly citrus undertone and a woody finish. As I neared the end of the smoke it picked up a bit becoming more robust and peppery making for a good finish to the experience. The construction of this cigar is predictably superb. Well filled with a perfect bunching of the filler, it had no soft spots. The burn was perfect from start to finish and the ash was perfectly formed and held firm. It had the whitest ash I have ever seen on a cigar.

The DC runs about $22 to $25 a pop. With a price tag like that, this smoke is a something that is reserved for special occasions unless you have an unlimited cigar budget. The Edición de Silvio is a superb cigar that you’ll want to have one or two on hand for that special celebration.

Rating – A+

I decided after smoking the Los Blancos Maduro that I wanted to stick with the maduro theme and review a few maduros in a row. To that end I smoked a Perdomo Reserve Maduro tonight. Perdomo is in a bit of a resurgence as of late. The quality of their cigars has been notably better and they have released some good new lines like the Lot 23′s. The Reserves I have smoked lately have been very good. Here’s my take on the Maduro “F”.

Appearance and Construction – 9/10
The Perdomo Reserve Maduro is a Nicaraguan Puro. This cigar has a smooth dark brown wrapper though a lighter shade of brown than many other maduros. It is slightly oily with just a few very small veins. It is a very good looking cigar and the most striking thing about it is it’s shape. I love the “F” shape that Perdomo has come up with. It is very unique being just a 44 ring gauge at the head it flares out to a chunky 56 ring before tapering back down to a 52 at the foot. It looks cool and sits very nicely in your grip. The cigar is packed full of tobacco and feels nice and firm down it’s length with no soft spots. It is a very well made cigar.

Flavor – 16/20
This smoke starts off a bit peppery and lacks that sweetness often associated with your typical maduro. After about the first inch it mellows a bit and changes from peppery to an earthy flavor with nutty undertones and black pepper on a long finish. It is a solid medium bodied smoke and has a mild buzz factor. A very enjoyable cigar.

Smoking Characteristics – 8/10
The cigar lit easily and produced lots of thick creamy white smoke. The burn was a little jagged but remained fairly even. The ash was white spotted with black and it held firm. It was a little papery on the edges but didn’t have a problems with flaking off during the smoke.

Price – 4/5
This cigar retails for just under $5. The construction and flavor of this cigar makes it a great deal at that price in my opinion.

Conclusion
This is a great little cigar with excellent construction and great flavors. The shape is really unique and adds to the enjoyment of the cigar. If you like maduros this one is a must try, especially if you like figurados. The next maduro I will review will be a Camacho SLR Maduro.

The Math
37/4.5 = 8.22*10 = 82.2