Perdomo Cabinet Series Maduro Robusto

[jazznut]

Perdomo Reserve La Tradicion Cabinet Series Maduro Robusto

Dimensions: 5 inches by 54-ring gauge
Date smoked: Tuesday May 1st, 2007
Accompanying drink: Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky (43%ABV)
Setting: A relaxing sun-and-clouds spring afternoon on the back porch.

Superficial appearance: The semi-gloss Maduro outer leaf appeared relatively seamless in terms of its rendering, and exhibited a dark chocolate hue profusely embellished with burnt umber markings. A textural combination of suppressed veins and pronounced tooth in the wrapper lent the cigar a further air of attractiveness. The Perdomo sported a deeply seated cap possessing a rounded contour.
Interior appearance: The filler leaves ranged in colour from olive-tinged medium brown to a notably dark brown bordering on blackish. The scrolling of the tripa displayed a high degree of compactness.

Tactile characteristics and draw: The finger feel was uncompromisingly firm throughout the body of the Robusto, with practically no give evident under pressure. This sheer density translated into a mildly resistive draw tempo that suited the overall demeanour of the Nicaraguan very well.
Combustion parameters and ash: The cigar ignited and burned in well nigh ideal fashion, with only a few periodic and very minor aberations occurring along the edge of the solid ash, which varied in tone from pale grey to ruddy charcoal. During the early moments, the dropping of the ash left a cone-shaped remnant. However, as the session proceeded, the retained ember adopted a much flatter profile. Total smoking time clocked in at approximately 1½-hour.

Pre-light aroma: The unlit Perdomo gave off a sweet, confectionery-like fragrance, as though rich soil, nuts, sugared coffee grains and dark chocolate had been ground together. I discerned a hint of leather as well.
Pre-light draw: Drawing on the as yet unlit Robusto served to elicit the rich tobacco characteristic of the blend, which showed an exceptionally earthy quality.
Post-light aroma: Torching of the Nicaraguan released wisps of wood and spice carried on a current of pungent, smouldering, earth-laden tobacco.

Opening: I was quite surprised by the demure overture, during which well cured tobacco rode above sensations of fertile soil and undergrowth. The leather aspect of the pre-light aroma reappeared and seemed a tad more prominent, now exuding notions of cedar as well as a discreet sweetness.
Early stages: Coffee and dark chocolate, in equal measure, rounded out the medium to medium-full bodied core of toasted tobacco. A subtle peppery spiciness began to flit about the caramel sweetness prior to a dash of citrus zest emerging. This portion of the session, though fairly intense, transpired in a balanced and non-abrasive manner.
The heart of the smoke: Meaty, gamey, barbecue marinade notes increased the apparent richness of the tobacco while contributing an additional roasted quality. I thought I might have perceived just a touch of charred wood creeping into the picture at this juncture, yet the overall effect managed to retain a pleasing sense of harmony.
Latter stages: The various flavour elements coalesced, resulting in a tighter intermingling of spice, wood and tobacco. Those nuances of undergrowth and coffee resurfaced, and that dollup of dark chocolate also re-entered the fray, if just barely.
Finale: The Perdomo continued to show good integration, though offering little progression through to the closing moments.

Comparative analysis: The Perdomo Reserve Maduro Robusto profiled here represents the third cigar of this size in the La Tradicion Cabinet Series I’ve tried. Of the trio, the Champagne sets itself apart from the other two owing to its gentler tobacco tonality, which is decidedly centered around a melding of nuts and mocha. The Maduro and Sun Grown, in contrast, come across as much closer cousins stylewise. Nonetheless, in terms of how skillfully that ethereal sweetness is drawn into the ripeness of the tobacco blend, not to mention how excitingly the respective cigars perform down the stretch, I’d have to place the Sun Grown a horse’s length ahead of the Maduro at the finish line. The latter simply seems a micron more linear and a tad less pulsating at the end. It’s a close call, though.

Some afterthoughts: Pairing the Dalwhinnie with the Perdomo worked wonderfully through the earlier stages of the session, as the surging honey and subtle smokiness of the Scotch played off the discreetly sweet, earthy, woody and spicy Nicaraguan to perfection. Such was not the case during the latter portion of the smoke, however, when the cigar’s deepening tenor started to outdistance the more consistently gentle nature of the spirit. In future, I believe I’d opt for a high-proof Bourbon or, perhaps, a cask-strength, wine cask-finished Islay whisky.