Corona Extra, Maduro, 5.6" x 46 ring gaugePrice: $6.50
I can only remember having one, maybe two, Perdomo cigars in all the years that I've been smoking cigars. After hearing that they were one of several companies that would be absorbing the new SCHIP tax without passing on the price increase to their customers, I decided that I should change that. So last week while I was at my local B&M, I spotted the Perdomo Patriarch. The expert-on-duty said it was a good stick, so I thought I would give it a try, especially at the price of $6.50. First a little background: Nick Perdomo, Jr., crafted this cigar to honor his father, Nick Sr. It is available in both Corojo and Maduro wrappers with Nicaraguan filler from all 3 growing regions of that country: Esteli, Jalapa, and Condega. It is available is a variety of traditional Cuban sizes.
The wrapper on the Patriarch was a dark, rich brown. The aroma was earthy with mostly just tobacco on the body and chocolate on the foot. The wrapper was smooth with the cap very, very cleanly applied. It was mostly firm to the touch with one spot that was rock hard--hopefully not a blockage, but something to watch out for. The prelight draw had notes of coffee, chocolate and dried berries.
It took a while to get this one lit, but once it got going, the cigar produced a good volume of smoke. It was definitely full-bodied right from the beginning, the flavor earthy and leathery with a little bit of pepper spice. The draw was just right, easy to smoke but not loose.
As I got into the second third, the predominant flavor was strong black coffee. This is definitely a cigar that you will taste in the back of your throat for hours to come; the flavor is bordering on harsh without ever actually crossing that line.
By the time I finished, I was glad this cigar did not get more powerful and full-bodied as it went--the truth is, there was much higher is could go in those areas. This is a powerful stick that should satisfy those looking for a buzz, especially if you get a larger size than this Corona Extra (I think the Churchill or Torpedo sizes would most fit that desire). The burn was perfectly even throughout and the draw never varied either. Overall a very nice cigar that can also be considered a bargain smoke in these financially-constrained days.
Body: 10/10
Strength: 9/10
Complexity: 7/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10
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