Perdomo La Tradition Cabinet Series Reserve Maduro Robusto (5x54)

This has been a standby in my smoking lineup for several years, unfortunately it has somewhat gone the way of the Dodo as they are not made with regularity anymore. I have smoked boxes and boxes of all sizes of these Red Labels and have always found them to be particularly enjoyable smokes. This particular one has been in my humi for several years and was howling out to be smoked.

The cigar has aged well and shows some light plume and crystallization of the oils. The wrapper is not as dark as I recall it being when I laid it to rest several years ago, but there is still the look of power here. An inspection reveals a void about an inch from the head and I am concerned about the possibility of burn issues. The pre light aroma is of rich tobacco and semi sweet chocolate. The pre light draw hints of dark wood and coffee flavors.

My anticipation level being nearly at the top, I cut and light. The cigar opens with a rich profile of dark tobacco notes and a very full coffee flavor also comes through. At the back of the palate there are some notes of dark wood and very satisfying earthy flavors. The draw is a bit tight at this point and I can feel some heat starting to build. The burn is also slightly askew, but I do not touch up.

The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The profile is rich and flavorful, showing blasts of tobacco with a coffee overlay, there are also some excellent notes of chocolate coming through here as well. At the back of the palate the woody notes have taken on a hickory note and the earthy notes have gained a salty quality that I find interesting. The draw continues to tighten as I approach the void I detected earlier and I wonder if there is also a plug behind the void somewhere. The burn has straightened, but as I approach the halfway point it begins to collapse again.

The final half of the cigar begins to burn way to hot, and the draw has deteriorated into a mess. The profile takes on the scorched and chary qualities that are familiar to all of us that have smoked cigars with draw issues. I relight a couple of times, but it is for naught, and I am forced to put this cigar down with about a third of it remaining. It is truly a shame.

The finish was middling and charred.

Appearance- 94 a very appealing smoke, made more so by crystals and plume
Taste- 80 below average due to the issues with construction, very unfortunate because the opening moments were well above average
Construction- 75 about as bad as it could get in the second half
Strength- 87 a very nice full
Overall- 81.75 this was a real downer for me, I will say that I do love this smoke, do not let this review deter you

Perdomo La Tradicion Cabinet Series Golf Robusto

This is another cigar I am revisiting from last year. I have traditionally found this smoke to be one of the most consistent cigars that I smoke on a regular basis. It presents well with a light shade medium brown wrapper. There are some prominent veins, but the wrapper has an interesting dusty feel to it. The construction holds up well upon inspection and I don't detect any areas of concern. The pre light aroma is of light tobacco and light spice. The pre light draw shows notes of cedar and other light wood.

The cigar opens with a nice profile of cedar, light spice and toasty tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there is a lingering woody sweetness that borders on being syrupy. The draw is smooth and easy, almost too loose for me, but it performs well. The burn is sharp and even all the while producing a nice gray ash.

The first half of the cigar continues to intensify in flavor. There are nice cedar notes with light tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate the sweetness has given way to nice leathery tones that balance the profile nicely. The draw continues to be a bit loose, but it is not causing any issues or imparting any heat into the smoke. The burn is still even and the ash is very sturdy, holding well into the smoke.

The final half of the smoke continues to impress with it's straightforward simplicity. This is not an in your face cigar, all though the flavors are prominent, it is more subtle, moving like an assassin in and out of the shadows of the palate. The profile continues to show notes of cedar mixed with a nice tobacco flavor. At the back of the palate there is still a solid leathery note moving in harmony with the rest of the profile. The draw is still loose, but there is still no heat in the smoke. The burn stays excellent throughout.

The finish is smooth and shows lingering flavors of tobacco, cedar and leather.

Appearance- 89 some veining hurts the score
Taste- 93 a surprising experience
Construction- 91 the loose draw was the only detractor from the experience
Strength- 93 an excellent medium
Overall- 91.75 an excellent smoking experience for the second year in a row