Perdomo Lot 23 Gordito

Size: 4.5 X 64
Shape: Gordito
Origin: Nicaragua
Body: Medium
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Clock: 45 mins

Having been inundated with work for the last month, I finally managed to sneak a short and delicious smoke into my dinner break. I crept off to the park close by and brought my Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro along with me.

As I stepped through my pre-light ritual, this cigar seemed to be pretty outstanding. It’s extremely attractive, the pre-light aroma was delectable, the sweet raisin accompanying the cedar and spice in the draw, and the wind tunnel-like draw. As usual, my pre-light assessment did not let me down.

When I lit this little pudgy guy up, I was first struck by an excellent combination of cedar and earth with some scintillating spice gliding gently over both of these dominant flavors. As this stick burned into the first quarter, toasted coffee flavors emerged and took over the dominant role in the profile. The silky, creamy texture of the smoke complemented these flavors perfectly as the profile evolved and became thick with chewy leather notes.

Quickly burning through this stick, wood and spice flavors took the lead as some subtle sweetness re-emerged. The spice that was detected upon first light remained forward and pleasant when the smoke was rolled through the nose.

These flavors continued their interplay through the end when I begrudgingly had to set this puppy down to return to work way too soon for my liking. I would’ve gladly taken the time to burn through another one or two of these smokes before returning to the grind.

In short, this was a fantastic smoke. I was grateful for the brevity of the experience due to my personal lack of time, but how I wish it could’ve gone on forever. Like so many things, one of its best assets is its only downfall: it ends.

Rating:
Presentation: 8/10 – The band on this cigar is beautiful and rustic, utilizing shades of brown to provide the needed contrast to make the name on the band pop. A dark shade of blue is utilized to show off the central image on the band: a tobacco farm. Some asymmetry is also utilized in the design of this band by placing the company’s name off to the right (from the viewer’s perspective) of the central image of the band.

Appearance: 8/10 – The wrapper had a lovely dark color (heck, it is a maduro) which becomes a little inconsistent by transitioning to some lighter hues towards the head. Toothy, bumpy, and oily, the wrapper is, overall, quite lovely.

Construction: 34/35 – The consistency of the pack seemed slightly off since I found a few slightly soft spots along the stick. However, this did not affect the burn at all. If these soft spots influenced the wide open draw, then who cares? The draw, by the way, was incredibly open. Smoking this cigar required little more effort than breathing.

Flavor: 43/45 – Very complex with lots of purity and clarity to the blend. Flavors mingled nicely and exchanged dominance without a hitch. Bravo!

Overall: 93/100 – This cigar is a winner. To quote the Tabacalera Perdomo website, this blend can be compared to “…a wine maker’s special reserve…” This cigar was certainly an excellent experience and one I would repeat in a heartbeat. Something else to consider: the price. Check out the prices and you will be shocked. To get a cigar which has properties which even come close to this one you’d have to spend at least twice as much. If you love medium to full bodied smokes, this is the next cigar you should try.