Sometimes I just sit and ponder my 23, almost 24 years, of cigar smoking and I think back to all of the brands and blends that I have seen come and go. During the boom there were just scads of cigars out there, most of them crap, and anyone could buy and smoke just about anything (if you were willing to smoke rolled dung that is). There are very few companies that have survived the test of time and for the Perdomo family to be celebrating their twentieth year in the business is just very, very impressive. I remember their humble beginnings and I remember some of the great blends of theirs that have, sadly, come and gone. I wistfully long for the days of the La Tradicion Cabinet Golf Edition, what a splendid cigar. I yearn for the La Tradicion Cabinet Exclusivo, one of my favorites from about eight or ten years ago. I still salivate over the rare and expensive Edicion de Silvios. It is fair to say that I have had a long relationship with Perdomo cigars, and while I have had some disappointments, for the most part the relationship has treated me very well.
This anniversary blend was met by me with some anticipation. I had heard hype about this cigar, I love sungrown wrappers, I typically enjoy Perdomo cigars, in short there were a lot of up checks here for me. About the only down check I can find at this point is the damn ring gauge, 56 is a real gagger for me and I don't care for cigars of this size usually just based on principle, in this instance though I will clear my mind and get to smoking.
The cigar presents nicely, if simply, without the standard anniversary adornments that so many other companies lavish upon their smokes. I like Perdomo's MO here, keep the cost down by eschewing all of the fancy crap and just give the consumer a cigar to smoke, for this I give extra points (by the way, this cigar was $8, a real steal for an anniversary cigar these days). An inspection yields my usual concerns about thick ring cigars, it just feels too loose to me and when a cigar is loose I am always worried about combustion issues and heat. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of dusty earth tones and there are some sensational hints of dark fruit and caramel here as well. The pre light draw shows some wispy coffee flavors and leaves a slight hint of anise on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and complexity. I will not hesitate to say at this point that I think the cigar is going to be something really special, and I am starting to believe that the Perdomo's may be quickly becoming the masters of the sungrown application. The core profile has a wonderful array of coffee, caramel and toasted marshmallow flavors that really come rushing home right away. The nuance here amongst flavors that are bold is really striking and the melange of tastes can really not be overlooked. The back of the palate and through the nose show some very solid flavors of light wood and rich earthy textures that complement the sweet elements of the core profile wonderfully. It is rare that I experience so much in the opening moments of a cigar, and this is a stunning performance. The draw is a little bit too loose for me, but large ring cigars almost always are in my world. The burn is very nice and a solid ash is forming without issue.
The first half of the cigar is, simply put, magnificent. The core profile settles into a wonderful game of point counterpoint between flavors that are well developed and full of depth and complexity. There are notes of coffee that are wonderfully balanced with a caramel tone that leads to a vanilla flavor that is complemented in a fine way by continued notes of toasted marshmallow. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I think you could order this array of flavors as a drink from some barrista somewhere. The back of the palate has also shown some transitioning elements. There are still some light wood and earth notes, but a nice raisin flavor has come in here as well and it provides a smooth and evening tone to the effort. The draw is still too loose, but I am not picking up any heat yet so I am ok. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really delivers the goods and has me thinking classic cigar. The main body of the profile begins to move into something a touch more robust, yet still full of nuance and depth. The core flavors are of white pepper, coffee and raisins and this eclectic mix actually touches off a real palate extravaganza as flavors that should not mix well just do. The back of the palate continues to offer some light earth tones, but the real star now is a rich and intensifying dark wood flavor that carries the main profile along beautifully. The draw is too loose to the end and it does cause some heat in the last third. The burn was also great until the last third when a run developed, but it evened out without too much effort from me.
The finish is a rich array of coffee, pepper and wood flavors that linger thickly on the palate, like a warm blanket, for several minutes.
Appearance- 91 simple and elegant, this company lets the cigar speak for itself
Taste- 98 just an absolute winner here, so much depth and nuance
Construction- 88 my only low score for the smoke, the draw was too loose and there was a burn issue late
Strength- 97 an absolutely wonderful medium smoke
Overall- 93.25 short of classic because of the construction score, but still way above average and a downright excellent smoke
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