Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 52 “Robusto”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $6.00

In 2007, the Perdomo Habano was released and made from tobaccos grown in Nicaragua on the Perdomo farms using Cuban seeds. The filler comes from three separate growing regions that include Esteli, Condega, and Jalapa.

The Perdomo Habano cigars can be had in 3 wrapper styles: Connecticut, Corojo, and Maduro. CA rated the Corojo blend 90.
Construction is near flawless from the jam packed stick to tight seams and small veins. It appears to have a double cap but I cannot be sure. The wrapper is oily and toothy.

The double cigar bands are beautiful. They are ornate pieces of art work. The foot band tells us which blend you are smoking.

I can’t remember if I’ve smoked this particular blend I am reviewing today. Actually, I can’t remember whose underwear I put on yesterday.

Now, my friends, it is a dark and dreary day in Milwaukee. Extremely overcast and no sun to be seen, so my photos will suck more than they usually do. I apologize.

I clip the cap and find aromas of minty cocoa, strong spice, cedar, leather, honeysuckle, and some barnyard. The honeysuckle was so strong that I was able to smell it lying on the table while I typed.
Time to light up.

The first puffs are very spicy. The draw is perfect. A sweetness jumps on board. There is so much smoke; I cannot hold the cigar in my mouth while I type. Cocoa arrives at the perfect time, and I expect some creaminess not too far in the future.

My oh my….less than half an inch in this cigar is a bona fide candidate for flavor bomb status. Most Perdomos use old school blending style. They need months of humidor time. My buddy, Rene Cardona, sent these to me and told he had them in his humidor for about a year.

The bold flavors are: Spice, cocoa, sweetness, creaminess, honey, cedar, nuts, and leather. While this is a great cigar, waiting several months is tough to do when you are on a budget. The most I can go is a few months.

It is very gratifying to smoke a cigar that from the start imbues all types of wonderful flavors that the cigar was blended to provide. Another piece of evidence that you don’t need to spend $12 on a good cigar. This $6 cigar is better than a whole list of expensive cigars; out of discretion, I won’t name them. I have enough people that dislike me.

Near the end of the first third, the burn line needs a minor correction. Up to now, it has displayed very good behavior.
Flavors are going all ZZ Top on me. Punchy and you gotta dance. This was a terrible segue into one of my rock stories. I will be brief. Back in 1971, I was in one of the great cover bands of So Cal. The leader said he heard about this band, ZZ Top, that was playing at some shitty dive in Anaheim and we should go. They started their first set in the middle of the afternoon.

There couldn’t have been 5 other people in the bar besides me and my 4 band mates. We sat right up front as the band got ready. The band stand was a foot tall. No. They did not have the “look” they have today. In fact, they wore matching three piece suits and they had short hair.

Word was that Billy Gibbons hung with Jimi and learned a lot.

Well, they started to play and our ears got pinned back. What a sound! Mike Cook, our band leader, and lead guitarist, noticed that Gibbons had a Marshall stack, just like him.

But Gibbons had turned the stack around facing the wall and threw a packing blanket over it. From that day forward, Mike did the exact same thing. Poor Mike died of prostate cancer a few years ago in his mid 50’s. I miss the lug.

Back to the cigar….The strength started out as medium bodied but by the beginning of the second third, it has moved to a strong medium/full body. I can feel it in my gut.

The cigar hit flavor bomb status long ago and is now becoming complex by containing the flavors in something like a ball of plutonium. No single flavor is dominant over the other. All are blasting away at the same time. The creaminess really tamps down the strong pepper.

The cigar has a perfect balance between flavor, strength, and character. There are subtle nuances coming from the tobacco itself. A great blend.

The halfway point sees the order of flavors as thus: Spice, creaminess, sweetness, cocoa, nuts, cinnamon, honey, cedar, coffee, and nutmeg.The cigar has the stereotypical flavor profile of a Nic puro. I like the size. The slightly larger ring gauge than a normal robusto helps prolong the smoke and bring out the flavors.

The giant bill board of a cigar band comes off easily.

I begin the last third and the flavors settle down. The complexity of the cigar shuffles some very subtle new flavors, such as butter, raisins, and a returning coffee.

My buddy Jason Harding at BestCigarPrices.com sent me a 5 pack to review. I told him that I had a stick I was going to review but it didn’t matter to him. That’s the kind of mensch he is. BCP has all the sizes and their prices are very good; although, this stick seems to be price controlled. Give the lad some of your business. They are good people over there. They are straight shooters. Clearly, it shows they take pride in what they sell… Unlike some of the really big outlets who just crank out house brands that are mostly crap. If you want to try two of the best house brands, I recommend Alec Bradley Star Insignia and the recently reviewed, Mythos.

The char line has been on the money since I corrected it early on. The cap is acting admirably as well.

I’m getting some nicotine kick now as the cigar moves to full body in the last couple of inches.

The flavor profile reverts to the early flavor bomb status. The red pepper has returned in force. And the creaminess, sweetness and cocoa are just blaring away.

The stick finishes out smooth and without a note of harshness or heat.

This is a good cigar. I’d like to try the Habano Corojo as it got a 90 rating. I can’t imagine that it is that much better than the Maduro.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar reviews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, perdomo, perdomo habano maduro cigar review