Slow-Aged by Perdomo Steve R Every now and then I catch wind of a new cigar that makes me grow as impatient as an eight year old kid on Christmas morning. Carmen our inventory manager tries to keep these shipments a secret, knowing I’ll bug him on a daily basis to see if it has arrived. Slow-Aged was one of those shipments. It only took a few words for me to grab my attention: Perdomo, bundle, bargain. I love Perdomo and I love bargains. Put them together and you’ve got Steve dialing Carmen’s extension every time I see a truck pull up to the receiving docks. Well, they finally arrived. Slow-Aged is a good looking bundled cigar, available in one size only, a 6”x52 toro called ‘Glorioso’. Prior to smoking my first 2, I knew nothing about this cigar. Since then, I’ve learned that the natural wrapper is a dark Connecticut shade leaf and the filler is a blend of three different Nicaraguan tobaccos. Perdomo, bundle, bargain, toro, complex...and I haven’t even talked about how it smokes, yet! So, I’ll do that now. It smokes great! I’m only about a quarter of the way through my bundle so far, but I can tell this one’s a winner. Each cigar performed beautifully. The burn was slow, cool and stayed even from start to finish. The flavor was rich and smooth. I noticed a unique trace of coffee and cocoa complemented by a slight creaminess that gradually became more robust as the cigar burned. Although Slow-Aged is not as full-bodied as the rest of Perdomo’s arsenal, it has some noticeable pop that will get’cha if you’re on an empty stomach or had your fill of Schlitzes. But the real focus with this cigar is on flavor. Well rounded, mature and never overwhelming, the Glorioso is a cool burning handmade that puts out a generous dose of refined flavor that’s easy on the palate. The aftertaste is subtle, but lingers just long enough to keep you satisfied. I like everything this cigar has to offer. The glossy, darker than usual Connecticut shade wrapper, the bold, complex flavors, the perfect draw. All this for a price that’s second to none. Once again, Tabacalera Perdomo scores big points.
Slow-Aged No. 826 Gonz "Slow-Aged No. 826", tell me that isn't the perfect Barry White song title? Or maybe one of the lost Mozart Concertos, who knows? I've been smoking this for the past week and brought some along on my first round (well 9 holes) of golf for the year. Lesson #1: it was windy as hell so learn from me - you need 1 cigar per hole on windy days or you'll feel like a schmuck b/c the 5-pack you brought will be gone by the 4th hole. Dammit. Lesson #2: this beaut is not for the following situation: "hey Sally, never tried a cigar before, try this one." Sally's green complexion didn't even go-away when she returned from the can. Are you awake yet? You bet, I lit one of the Connecticut Broadleaf Maduros about 10 minutes before I started typing and I'm rip-roaring and ready to go. The rich, rich body of the Nicaraguan filler and abundant full-flavored aroma will violate that plug-in air-freshener you've got plugged in your office. A seemingly generous helping of ligero leaf (that top part of the leaf that ads a deep almost bitter flavor) is at just the right amount to provide a unique flavor profile that fills every part of your palate and finishes with an espresso-bean flavor lingering on the back part of your tongue. About mid-way through, the richness mellows a bit and I've started to taste the sweetness of the maduro wrapper more prominently. The size is perfect for me, generously proportioned at a 52 ring gauge and 6 inches. This clearly adds to the robust-ness of flavor. The burn is a bit ornery at first, but the ash holds firm to well over an inch with little flaking even with a slightly awkward shaped burn. The final half is a true-delight, you can burn this to your fingertips. The cigar is perfectly chock full of tobacco, rolled extremely well, and truly up-to the perfecting Perdomo standards - those guys really know what they’re doing. Billy Perdomo now runs the shop in Nicaragua and I'm telling you - they're doing so many good things right now. I had the pleasure of seeing him in action at CigarFest '05 and he is amazing. Now, the best part, true to the Gonz cheapskate style - this cigar is $2 a stick! What a gem. Light up a few, be prepared for a circus of dancing magicians and you'll get nothing less. Light'em up!
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