My Weekend Cigar: Perdomo 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo Robusto
This weekend I had the chance to get my hands on a cigar that I've been curious about ever since the IPCPR show last July when Perdomo Cigars debuted their 10th Anniversary Series. The cigar in question is the 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo Robusto, and it did not disappoint.
Fortunately, I had the chance to smoke it in the retail store during a Perdomo Cigars in-store event with other customers, so we could compare notes.
Appearance and pre-light: The cigar had a seamless, buttery smooth Criollo wrapper that's made even more attractive by the large, copper & gold band. The cigar, which weighs-in at 5" x 54 with an all Nicaraguan tobacco filler & binder blend, was firm with no apparent soft spots. When I clipped the cap, it came off in a perfect little disc, exposing just the right amount of tobacco at the head. The draw was scary easy, too.
Light-up: I made sure to toast the cigar as gently as possible and it lit perfectly across once I blew on the foot. From the first draw, the smoke was creamy, smooth, well-balanced, and offered a fine aroma.
The smoke: As I smoked this cigar, I found it impressively complex, and tried to put my finger on just what flavors were going on in there. The more dominant flavors were that of sweet cedar and oak, with a rich, earthy character, while the finish left a trace white pepper on the palate with a suggestion of almonds. I would classify the smoke as medium-bodied/full flavored, because as the cigar continued to smoke into its second half the flavors improved dramatically while staying on an even keel into the final act.
And here was another nice little surprise. I was getting down to the nub and the cigar was just starting to "turn." So I perched it on the holder to let it go out naturally. As I continued to talk to my friend Bill, one of our regular customers, out of habit I reached for the stub and took another drag. Incredibly, the bitterness was gone! That lasted a few more puffs, but by then (about half an inch) the cigar was pretty much all she wrote.
I now have a newfound fondness for Criollo wrapper leaf, and the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo Robusto might even make my "Top-10 Best Cigars of the Year." Another great job by Nick Perdomo Jr. and his team that I would highly recommend to smokers of every experience.
If you've had any of the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo cigars, please leave your comments.
~ Gary Korb
Fortunately, I had the chance to smoke it in the retail store during a Perdomo Cigars in-store event with other customers, so we could compare notes.
Appearance and pre-light: The cigar had a seamless, buttery smooth Criollo wrapper that's made even more attractive by the large, copper & gold band. The cigar, which weighs-in at 5" x 54 with an all Nicaraguan tobacco filler & binder blend, was firm with no apparent soft spots. When I clipped the cap, it came off in a perfect little disc, exposing just the right amount of tobacco at the head. The draw was scary easy, too.
Light-up: I made sure to toast the cigar as gently as possible and it lit perfectly across once I blew on the foot. From the first draw, the smoke was creamy, smooth, well-balanced, and offered a fine aroma.
The smoke: As I smoked this cigar, I found it impressively complex, and tried to put my finger on just what flavors were going on in there. The more dominant flavors were that of sweet cedar and oak, with a rich, earthy character, while the finish left a trace white pepper on the palate with a suggestion of almonds. I would classify the smoke as medium-bodied/full flavored, because as the cigar continued to smoke into its second half the flavors improved dramatically while staying on an even keel into the final act.
And here was another nice little surprise. I was getting down to the nub and the cigar was just starting to "turn." So I perched it on the holder to let it go out naturally. As I continued to talk to my friend Bill, one of our regular customers, out of habit I reached for the stub and took another drag. Incredibly, the bitterness was gone! That lasted a few more puffs, but by then (about half an inch) the cigar was pretty much all she wrote.
I now have a newfound fondness for Criollo wrapper leaf, and the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo Robusto might even make my "Top-10 Best Cigars of the Year." Another great job by Nick Perdomo Jr. and his team that I would highly recommend to smokers of every experience.
If you've had any of the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Cuban Criollo cigars, please leave your comments.
~ Gary Korb
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