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
Showing posts with label sungrown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sungrown. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Perdomo Exhibicion Sungrown Robusto (5x50)
Cigars from the IPCPR are starting to show themselves and I recently ran into Billy Perdomo and he handed me some of these new cigars in maduro and sungrown wraps. Billy knows what I like and he had a knowing smile on his face as he slipped me these bad boys and he slyly said, "Let me know what you think".
The cigar is beautifully done, but in a simplistic old-fashioned way. The band work is rustic and workaday and the cigar is well constructed. The wrapper is toothy, but shows some nice oils and very little veining. The cap is well done and the overall impression of the cigar is something I like, not too flashy and just sexy enough to get my attention. The pre light aroma smacks of wood and sweet fruit. The pre light draw is a little peppery but not overwhelmingly so.
The cigar opens with a satisfying profile of toasted marshmallow and light spice. I am stunned by the depth of these flavors so early in the smoke as Perdomo often takes some time to warm up in it's other blends. At the back of the palate there are some excellent notes of dark wood and roasted nuts that complement the front of the experience seamlessly. The draw has some tension and I would like it to be a touch looser, but I don't think it will cause any performance issues. The burn is sharp and nice white ash is forming and holding well.
The first half of the cigar continues to progress with depth and complexity. The toasted marshmallow notes continue to show through, but there has been a transition into more dark wood notes in the front of the palate that adds some nice depth. At the back of the palate a nice earthy presentation takes center stage and continues to complement the cigar beautifully. The draw opens slightly and becomes near perfect for me. The burn continues to be excellent and the ash holds for 2.5 inches before I lightly knock it off.
The final half of the smoke thins a bit, but there are still some nice core flavors. The main body shows some nice dark wood and fruit notes, but the depth is not what it was earlier in the smoke. The back of the palate continues along earthy lines but there is some loamy mustiness that creeps into the effort here as well, not a death knell by any means, but you have to be accepting of this change. The draw continues to be nearly perfect at this point and the burn continues to show well.
The finish is long and satisfying showing dark wood and earth long after I set it down. All in all another Perdomo winner in my book and as an added bonus I am hearing the price point will be economical.
Appearance- 91 a nice, simple, old-fashioned approach
Taste- 90 a very nice cigar that would have been better if the flavor had not waned in the back half
Construction- 91 some early tightness in the draw, but overall well above average
Strength- 92 a very nice medium
Overall- 90.75 a very nice smoking experience
The cigar is beautifully done, but in a simplistic old-fashioned way. The band work is rustic and workaday and the cigar is well constructed. The wrapper is toothy, but shows some nice oils and very little veining. The cap is well done and the overall impression of the cigar is something I like, not too flashy and just sexy enough to get my attention. The pre light aroma smacks of wood and sweet fruit. The pre light draw is a little peppery but not overwhelmingly so.
The cigar opens with a satisfying profile of toasted marshmallow and light spice. I am stunned by the depth of these flavors so early in the smoke as Perdomo often takes some time to warm up in it's other blends. At the back of the palate there are some excellent notes of dark wood and roasted nuts that complement the front of the experience seamlessly. The draw has some tension and I would like it to be a touch looser, but I don't think it will cause any performance issues. The burn is sharp and nice white ash is forming and holding well.
The first half of the cigar continues to progress with depth and complexity. The toasted marshmallow notes continue to show through, but there has been a transition into more dark wood notes in the front of the palate that adds some nice depth. At the back of the palate a nice earthy presentation takes center stage and continues to complement the cigar beautifully. The draw opens slightly and becomes near perfect for me. The burn continues to be excellent and the ash holds for 2.5 inches before I lightly knock it off.
The final half of the smoke thins a bit, but there are still some nice core flavors. The main body shows some nice dark wood and fruit notes, but the depth is not what it was earlier in the smoke. The back of the palate continues along earthy lines but there is some loamy mustiness that creeps into the effort here as well, not a death knell by any means, but you have to be accepting of this change. The draw continues to be nearly perfect at this point and the burn continues to show well.
The finish is long and satisfying showing dark wood and earth long after I set it down. All in all another Perdomo winner in my book and as an added bonus I am hearing the price point will be economical.
Appearance- 91 a nice, simple, old-fashioned approach
Taste- 90 a very nice cigar that would have been better if the flavor had not waned in the back half
Construction- 91 some early tightness in the draw, but overall well above average
Strength- 92 a very nice medium
Overall- 90.75 a very nice smoking experience
Sunday, March 13, 2011
H. Upmann Sungrown Short Chuchill (4.5x54)
This cigar begins a tour of random singles that I have had banging around my humidor for some time. All of them, including this one, are cigars that I have not written reviews for before.
This short, fat cigar is sort of ugly in appearance. The band is somewhat large for a cigar of this size and the artwork is busy. The wrapper is seemingly too light to be sungrown and it has prominent yellowing veins running the length of the vitola. The cigar seems to be too firm and I have some concerns about how it will draw. The pre light aroma has some interesting ideas of cinnamon and pepper. The pre light draw is somewhat lackluster showing only weak notes of sweet nuts.
The cigar opens with a profile that has all the hallmarks of a fine sungrown pedigree. There are some very solid notes of pepper, wood, sweet spice and rich tobacco. This particular blend could use some more depth and complexity, but overall the experience is pleasant in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a bit of an aftertaste that I would classify as salty and vegetal. The draw is a bit tight, but it is not causing any issues at this point in the smoke. The burn is slow and even and a nice white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar continues to develop nicely. The main profile maintains a nice showing of pepper and sweet spice, still lacking in depth and complexity, but acceptable nonetheless. At the back of the palate there are still some salty flavors, but they are accompanied by a flavor that I would characterize as nutty. The draw continues to be too tight for my taste, but it still not creating any unfortunate labor. The burn is nearly even and the ash is a solid white mass.
The final half of the cigar is not as strong as the first half, in so much as you could classify the front half as strong, which it really was not. The profile starts to weaken and shows some pepper and spice, but there is a vegetal quality that is creeping in here. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some heavy notes of cedar, but some strange flavors that strike me as being somewhat akin to what mildew smells like. The draw continues to be tight, but is still not terrible. The burn is lopsided, but again not causing any issues.
The finish is a touch bitter, but lingering and satisfactory pepper notes dominate. This is not the best sungrown offering I have ever smoked, I would be more inclined to smoke a Fuente Sungrown selection, but this was also not terrible.
Appearance- 83 not the most attractive smoke
Taste- 86 I will rate this slightly above average, but some more depth, complexity and consistency would make it better
Construction- 87 the tight draw throughout disallows further consideration for a higher mark
Strength- 87 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 86 a solid slightly above average smoke
This short, fat cigar is sort of ugly in appearance. The band is somewhat large for a cigar of this size and the artwork is busy. The wrapper is seemingly too light to be sungrown and it has prominent yellowing veins running the length of the vitola. The cigar seems to be too firm and I have some concerns about how it will draw. The pre light aroma has some interesting ideas of cinnamon and pepper. The pre light draw is somewhat lackluster showing only weak notes of sweet nuts.
The cigar opens with a profile that has all the hallmarks of a fine sungrown pedigree. There are some very solid notes of pepper, wood, sweet spice and rich tobacco. This particular blend could use some more depth and complexity, but overall the experience is pleasant in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a bit of an aftertaste that I would classify as salty and vegetal. The draw is a bit tight, but it is not causing any issues at this point in the smoke. The burn is slow and even and a nice white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar continues to develop nicely. The main profile maintains a nice showing of pepper and sweet spice, still lacking in depth and complexity, but acceptable nonetheless. At the back of the palate there are still some salty flavors, but they are accompanied by a flavor that I would characterize as nutty. The draw continues to be too tight for my taste, but it still not creating any unfortunate labor. The burn is nearly even and the ash is a solid white mass.
The final half of the cigar is not as strong as the first half, in so much as you could classify the front half as strong, which it really was not. The profile starts to weaken and shows some pepper and spice, but there is a vegetal quality that is creeping in here. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some heavy notes of cedar, but some strange flavors that strike me as being somewhat akin to what mildew smells like. The draw continues to be tight, but is still not terrible. The burn is lopsided, but again not causing any issues.
The finish is a touch bitter, but lingering and satisfactory pepper notes dominate. This is not the best sungrown offering I have ever smoked, I would be more inclined to smoke a Fuente Sungrown selection, but this was also not terrible.
Appearance- 83 not the most attractive smoke
Taste- 86 I will rate this slightly above average, but some more depth, complexity and consistency would make it better
Construction- 87 the tight draw throughout disallows further consideration for a higher mark
Strength- 87 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 86 a solid slightly above average smoke
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Arturo Fuente 858 Sungrown (6x47)
First off I would like everyone to know just how rare the Sungrown version of this cigar is. Until I got my hands on this one I had not seen one in nearly a decade. I was like a giddy child in the toy store when a BOTL gave me this one. I wanted to save it for a special occasion, but said the hell with it. A special cigar makes any occasion special, so one night I busted it out and smoked it on my lanai with me, myself and I.
A little back story first. Every cigar smoker has an evolution of sorts during their smoking careers. I have been smoking for nearly twenty years now and I have had several. This sungrown blend from Arturo Fuente in all of its vitolas was one of my evolutions. It was about 12 years ago, in the horrid post boom period, when I decided I needed to step up the flavor and intensity of what I was smoking. Through the boom I was a Fuente and Padron loyalist, but when the boom ended and cigars became plentiful I really spread my wings. One of the areas that I took flight in was seeing what Fuente had to offer other than the standard boom available smokes. I found the Fuente Sungrown lines and a lifelong match was made. I have moved on to stronger blends, as anyone that reads my reviews knows, but I still come back to the Fuente Sungrowns every now and again for some whispers of nostalgia.
This rare cigar presents with the usual 858 ruddiness, these will never win a looks contests, but looks don't matter when you know what you are getting. There are some prominent veins and the wrapper has miles and miles of toothy texture. An inspection reveals one area that may have a void and I am nervous about it. The pre light aroma has the usual Sungrown earth and spice notes with maybe a bit of dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some leather and wood flavors that remind me of bygone days.
The cigar opens with the true Fuente Sungrown profile. Plenty of pepper and leather meet the palate right away, I savor every bit of this opening gambit and remember what it is to smoke these creations. At the back of the palate there are some beautiful notes of dark wood and rich tobacco that off set the front of the profile in a way that only Fuente can. The cigar is not particularly complex, nor the flavors particularly deep but it is exactly as I remember. The draw is a bit too loose for me, but Fuente are almost always too loose for me. The burn is right on the money and a nice white ash is forming.
The first half continues to walk me down memory lane and I wistfully remember a simpler cigar time when you could smoke just about anywhere you wanted to, I briefly lament the changes that political correctness run amok has wrought. The profile continues to show some pepper, but the more prominent flavors of leather and wood are showing through. At the back of the palate there continues to be a show of nice tobacco flavor. The draw and burn remain the same.
The final half of the cigar maintains the same hallmarks. Fuente cigars really are a model of consistency for me. I have always found that the profile changes are few and instead some thought and concentration has been put into making the cigar solid from start to finish without a lot of ballyhoo. The profile continues to show leather and wood notes with some brushes of pepper for good measure. The tobacco flavors at the back of the palate continue to show solidly. The burn and draw are also consistent throughout.
The finish is smooth and continues to tease the palate with wood and pepper flavors.
Appearance- 86 never a really good looking vitola
Taste- 90 a very solid performance
Construction- 90 again very solid, the draw was too loose for me though
Strength- 92 a very solid medium that complements the profile in an extraordinary way
Overall- 89.75 a very good experience
A little back story first. Every cigar smoker has an evolution of sorts during their smoking careers. I have been smoking for nearly twenty years now and I have had several. This sungrown blend from Arturo Fuente in all of its vitolas was one of my evolutions. It was about 12 years ago, in the horrid post boom period, when I decided I needed to step up the flavor and intensity of what I was smoking. Through the boom I was a Fuente and Padron loyalist, but when the boom ended and cigars became plentiful I really spread my wings. One of the areas that I took flight in was seeing what Fuente had to offer other than the standard boom available smokes. I found the Fuente Sungrown lines and a lifelong match was made. I have moved on to stronger blends, as anyone that reads my reviews knows, but I still come back to the Fuente Sungrowns every now and again for some whispers of nostalgia.
This rare cigar presents with the usual 858 ruddiness, these will never win a looks contests, but looks don't matter when you know what you are getting. There are some prominent veins and the wrapper has miles and miles of toothy texture. An inspection reveals one area that may have a void and I am nervous about it. The pre light aroma has the usual Sungrown earth and spice notes with maybe a bit of dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some leather and wood flavors that remind me of bygone days.
The cigar opens with the true Fuente Sungrown profile. Plenty of pepper and leather meet the palate right away, I savor every bit of this opening gambit and remember what it is to smoke these creations. At the back of the palate there are some beautiful notes of dark wood and rich tobacco that off set the front of the profile in a way that only Fuente can. The cigar is not particularly complex, nor the flavors particularly deep but it is exactly as I remember. The draw is a bit too loose for me, but Fuente are almost always too loose for me. The burn is right on the money and a nice white ash is forming.
The first half continues to walk me down memory lane and I wistfully remember a simpler cigar time when you could smoke just about anywhere you wanted to, I briefly lament the changes that political correctness run amok has wrought. The profile continues to show some pepper, but the more prominent flavors of leather and wood are showing through. At the back of the palate there continues to be a show of nice tobacco flavor. The draw and burn remain the same.
The final half of the cigar maintains the same hallmarks. Fuente cigars really are a model of consistency for me. I have always found that the profile changes are few and instead some thought and concentration has been put into making the cigar solid from start to finish without a lot of ballyhoo. The profile continues to show leather and wood notes with some brushes of pepper for good measure. The tobacco flavors at the back of the palate continue to show solidly. The burn and draw are also consistent throughout.
The finish is smooth and continues to tease the palate with wood and pepper flavors.
Appearance- 86 never a really good looking vitola
Taste- 90 a very solid performance
Construction- 90 again very solid, the draw was too loose for me though
Strength- 92 a very solid medium that complements the profile in an extraordinary way
Overall- 89.75 a very good experience
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Arturo Fuente Chateau Sungrown
This is another old standby, and was a standard cigar in my lineup for years. The cigar presents in a cedar sleeve with the famous black satin band at the foot. The cigar itself has some prominent veins and the construction feels a bit firm. The pre light aroma is of earth and spice. The pre light draw shows notes of spice, earth and some grass.
The cigar begins with a spicy profile that shows notes of pepper and earth. There is a clean tobacco flavor that I have always noticed in this cigar, and this one is no exception. The draw is a bit tight, making the smoke thin. The burn is somewhat lopsided, but a crisp white ash is forming. There are some grassy flavors at the back of the palate and through the nose, which is disturbing.
The first half of the cigar shows plenty of spice and pepper, but the continuation of grassy flavors detracts from the smoke. The draw opens slightly and the production of smoke is satisfactory. The burn is still slightly akimbo, but the white ash is firm.
The last half of the cigar continues with a profile of spice and pepper, but the grassy notes persist and detract from the experience. The draw and burn have both improved and show no defects. There is some sweet earthiness at the back of the palate that helps offset some of the grassy effects.
The finish is troubling and shows a melange of spice, earth, pepper and grassy notes.
Appearance- 87 some veining hurts the score
Taste- 84 grassy flavors throughout detract from the score
Construction- 86 early draw issues limit the possibilities here
Strength- 87 a nice medium/smoke
Overall- 86 a slightly above average smoke
The cigar begins with a spicy profile that shows notes of pepper and earth. There is a clean tobacco flavor that I have always noticed in this cigar, and this one is no exception. The draw is a bit tight, making the smoke thin. The burn is somewhat lopsided, but a crisp white ash is forming. There are some grassy flavors at the back of the palate and through the nose, which is disturbing.
The first half of the cigar shows plenty of spice and pepper, but the continuation of grassy flavors detracts from the smoke. The draw opens slightly and the production of smoke is satisfactory. The burn is still slightly akimbo, but the white ash is firm.
The last half of the cigar continues with a profile of spice and pepper, but the grassy notes persist and detract from the experience. The draw and burn have both improved and show no defects. There is some sweet earthiness at the back of the palate that helps offset some of the grassy effects.
The finish is troubling and shows a melange of spice, earth, pepper and grassy notes.
Appearance- 87 some veining hurts the score
Taste- 84 grassy flavors throughout detract from the score
Construction- 86 early draw issues limit the possibilities here
Strength- 87 a nice medium/smoke
Overall- 86 a slightly above average smoke
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Pinar Del Rio Habano Sungrown Corona
Another new offering. This cigar presents with a chestnut hued wrapper that seems a bit light in color and dry in texture for a sungrown cigar. The wrapper is otherwise nice and has few veins. I appears to be well applied and the cigar is appropriately firm. The pre light aroma is of light honey. The pre light draw has hints of light tobacco and a grassy undertone.
The cigar begins with a very mild profile that is floral, there are some notes of dry grass at the back of the palate. The burn is a bit lopsided, but otherwise acceptable, producing a gray/black ash. The first inch of the cigar passes without and notable further development.
At just past the one third point the core of the profile is grassy with hints of other vegetation. It is not a pleasing development and there are astringent undertones coming forward. The burn has stayed consistent.
The final half of the cigar has shown no further development either. The core is still of grass and vegetation. The burn is still acceptable.
The finish is short and grassy. There is a notably bitter aftertaste. This is not like any other sungrown example that I have ever smoked. Not pleasing and not worth smoking.
Appearance- 81 and unremarkable dry and drab presentation
Taste- 73 grassy, vegetal notes accompanied by bitterness leads to a poor score
Construction- 87 the cigar was well made and burned and drew acceptably
Strength- 75 a strength that was mild, but not noteworthy when compared to the other inferior attributes of the cigar
Overall- 79 don't waste the time
The cigar begins with a very mild profile that is floral, there are some notes of dry grass at the back of the palate. The burn is a bit lopsided, but otherwise acceptable, producing a gray/black ash. The first inch of the cigar passes without and notable further development.
At just past the one third point the core of the profile is grassy with hints of other vegetation. It is not a pleasing development and there are astringent undertones coming forward. The burn has stayed consistent.
The final half of the cigar has shown no further development either. The core is still of grass and vegetation. The burn is still acceptable.
The finish is short and grassy. There is a notably bitter aftertaste. This is not like any other sungrown example that I have ever smoked. Not pleasing and not worth smoking.
Appearance- 81 and unremarkable dry and drab presentation
Taste- 73 grassy, vegetal notes accompanied by bitterness leads to a poor score
Construction- 87 the cigar was well made and burned and drew acceptably
Strength- 75 a strength that was mild, but not noteworthy when compared to the other inferior attributes of the cigar
Overall- 79 don't waste the time
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