This was another cigar from the Perdomo tour. Upon my arrival in Nicaragua and after dealing with the rigors of clearing customs, I boarded a bus heading for Esteli. There were several cigars to choose from and I chose this one. We had been told that the ride would be about three hours, so I figured this cigar would take up half to two thirds of the time in transit.
The cigar presents well in a bulky vitola that seems well made and I can detect no issues or areas of concern. The wrapper is a dark coffee brown and it has some prominent veins and a ruddy appearance. The pre light aroma shows notes of dark fruit and earth. The pre light draw shows some light spice and notes of tobacco.
The cigar opens as I pass a menagerie of impoverished images surrounding Managua. It is striking to see a countryside so beautiful pockmarked by the visages of the destitute. The profile is showing notes of tobacco and light coffee notes, but they lack depth and there is a slightly acidic note to the initial notes. At the back of the palate there are some earthy flavors, but they border on vegetal in the opening moments. The draw is exceptional and produces booming clouds of smoke. The burn is a bit off, but I am not seeing any reason to be concerned.
The first third of the cigar continues to show a core profile of tobacco and some light coffee, the acidic note has gone away and the profile becomes more enjoyable. At the back of the palate there is still a vegetal overtone to underpinnings of earth. The draw is still free and easy and the burn, while still slightly off, is performing well in windy moving bus conditions.
The middle third of the cigar shows a profile on the way up, much as the bus has begun the ascent into the mountains that will lead us to Esteli. There are notes of coffee and rich tobacco flavors. There are still some undertones of tobacco that are clean tasting and fresh. At the back of the palate there are some peppery notes that begin to show through an otherwise earthy presentation. The draw has maintain it's superior qualities and the burn has evened slightly and shown strength in the less than standard smoking conditions.
The final third of the cigar begins as the beauty of Nicaragua starts to surround us, we have reached the areas where people, and the accompanying poverty, are not as prevalent. We are free to take in the mountainous vistas and the surrounding landscape of trees and other fauna. The cigar compliments my mood as I begin to relax, so does the profile. There are still some notes of coffee and tobacco, but they have mellowed considerably. At the back of the palate the pepper has tamed itself and a nice smooth earthy presentation prevails. The draw continues to be strong and the burn is no longer causing me any pause.
The finish is long, but a bit rough, showing notes of earth and tobacco.
Appearance- 87 not the best looking cigar, but not bad
Taste- 89 a nice profile, but the opening notes hurt the score
Construction- 91 an excellent cigar in terms of performance
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full that could have used more pop
Overall- 89.25 a very good cigar that could have been better with stronger opening notes
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