-Tony

After reviewing the Sun Grown version of the Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged line, I was eager to grab some of the Maduro, the darker wrapped sticks having been by far my favorite of the old blend.  So after giving them a nice little rest in my humidor, here is my take on the Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged Maduro.  Like the Sun Grown, the Maduro comes wrapped around a core of aged Nicaraguan filler and shares the same sizes – Robusto 5 x 54, Epicure 6 x 54, Torpedo 6 ½ x 54, Churchill 7 x 54, and Gordo 6 x 60 – which run in the same $7 – $8.50 price range.  Once again, these were picked up from Cuenca Cigars.

The Basics:

Wrapper:  Nicaraguan Maduro, aged 14 months in bourbon barrels
Binder:  Nicaraguan
Filler:  Nicaraguan Condega seco aged 4 years, Jalapa viso aged 5 years, Esteli ligero aged 6 years
Size:  Robusto
Price:  $7.25
Smoking time:  One hour, fifty minutes
Pairing:  American Brewing Co. Caboose Oatmeal Stout (ABV 6.2%)

Pre-light:

The Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged Maduro is cloaked in a very dark wrapper that goes from reddish-brown to nearly black with minimal veins and some noticeable tooth to it.  The seams are very tight and the pack is more than firm; it’s nearly rock-hard.  The flashy new banding sports a beige background with dark yellow, burnt sienna, and black, offset by bright chrome silver filigree and borders, with the foot band indicating the Maduro wrapper.  The wrapper gives off a rich, musty tobacco aroma, with earth and a bit of tang.  The foot shows off an even richer profile of the same, with a sort of meatiness thrown in for good measure.  After easily sliding off the foot band, an effortless clip of the cap reveals a snug draw that shows natural tobacco, sweet grassiness, and a bit of woodiness.

First third:

The first few puffs are surprisingly mild, with the natural tobacco and sweet cedar at the forefront and black pepper flavor (but not the heat) and some coffee bringing up the rear.  The retrohale shows earthiness and there is a leathery dryness to the mouthfeel.  The tight roll of the stick is making it a little difficult to get a good mouthful of smoke without requiring a double-puff, but it’s getting better as it goes.  The burn line is a bit thick and pretty even, and the light gray ash is compact.  The ash refuses to tap off at over an inch in length, which probably means that it will decide to fall into my lap soon.  The sweetness is climbing as the Perdomo Habano BBA Maduro slowly moves into the low end of the medium-bodied range, with all of those well-aged tobaccos making for what has so far been a very smooth smoking experience.

Middle third:

After the ash finally fell at a good 1½”, and thankfully into my ashtray, the Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged Maduro has moved into the central third with an easier draw and shift in flavors.  The sweetness has stepped back and a savory, almost meaty, umami tone has moved forward, and the smoke is no longer as dry as it was in the initial third.  The wood is now more oak than cedar, and a bready note has emerged as well.  Just past the halfway point, the sweetness has again moved up, along with the pepper, which is just beginning to assert itself on the retrohale, while the cigar tips just over the medium-bodied threshold.

Final third:

As the Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged Maduro enters the home stretch, the sweetness has once again moved to the background, as the rich natural tobacco, earth, bread, oak, and savory notes vie for attention.  Coffee has also re-emerged.  The cigar has been burning like a champ throughout, never needing a correction or re-light while staying almost dead-even, but I would caution that it has been pumping out stationary smoke like an emerging Icelandic volcano.  This slow smoking stick goes down to the wire cool to the touch and draw, firm, and with absolutely no harshness.

Final thoughts:

My take on the Perdomo Habano BBA Maduro as compared to the original, is that although some of the elements are alike, they are totally different smokes.  While my memory of the old Habano Maduro dredges up thoughts of a fairly strong and full bodied cigar, the new version is a much more refined and smoother experience.  As with the old Habano Maduro, construction is top of the line, and the burn, while a bit testy to start out, came around and behaved admirably.  Neither cigar is the most complex smoke around, but that is fine with me, as the flavors that came with this one were certainly enjoyable and the back and forth movement of the flavors kept me on my toes and held my interest.  This is a cigar I would want to smoke on a consistent basis.

Pairing:

When matching up maduro wrapped cigars with beer, stouts are, of course, a natural go-to, and the Caboose Oatmeal Stout from American Brewing Co. in Edmonds, WA is one that epitomizes the standard for American stouts.  With a smooth and almost creamy texture to go with coffee/chocolate, caramel, and a whole lot of semi-sweet maltiness offset by just enough hoppy bitterness to keep it from cloying, the Caboose does its part in providing a great compliment to the flavors of the Perdomo Maduro.  Of course, a nice strong coffee, whether sweetened or not would be another way to go, as would a rich, sweet rum or port.

We often post pairings here on Casas Fumando and have always been advocates on finding the right pairing for your cigar smoking experience. Our friends over at Famous Smoke Shop recently released a very easy to use tool which helps you choose the right pairing for your cigar or drink. Check it out here: https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing 

The post Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged Maduro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

-Tony

Until fairly recently, I knew nothing about Sublimes cigars, but a couple of months ago, Ana over at Cuenca Cigars sent me a sample of the cigar that came in at the No. 25 spot in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 list for 2015 (their robusto also made CA’s list of “Best Buys” of the year).  After smoking that one, I decided that I wanted to take a closer look at the line, and ordered up a few more.

The company began as a small producer of hand-rolled cigars in the Little Havana section of Miami in 2004, but going national in 2011 resulted in a need for a move to a facility that could handle the larger demand, and since 2013 the Sublimes have been manufactured at AJ Fernandez’ Tabacalera Fernandez.  What stands out to me about Sublimes is that there is only the single line being produced, which is unusual among cigar companies.  According to owner Thomas Jaromirski, “We don’t believe that making a lot extension is good for the brand. We have been improving Sublimes blend for 10 years. Since 2013 there haven’t been any more tweaks.”

The three country blend comes in five sizes:  Robusto 4 ¾ x 50, Robusto Extra 5 ¼ x 52, Double Robust 5 ¾ x 54, Grande 6 ¾ x 56 and Magnum 6 ¼ x 58, and I have been told that they will be introducing a new torpedo size (6 ½ x 55) to the line at this year’s IPCPR trade show.  They come in boxes of 30 with prices running between $5.90 and $8.90 for singles.

The basics:

Wrapper:  Ecuadorian Habano Rosado Oscuro
Binder:   Honduran Corojo
Filler:  Nicaraguan Criollo
Size:  Robusto Extra 5 ¼ x 52
Price:  $6.90
Smoking time:  One hour, twenty-five minutes
Pairing:  Iron Horse Quilter’s Irish Death (ABV 7.8%)

Pre-light:

The Sublimes comes draped in a handsome dark reddish brown wrapper with darker mottling, a couple of medium sized veins that don’t stand out, and a few spots where a fine tooth can be felt.  The cigar is firmly packed throughout and the double cap is neatly and securely applied.  The band is a fairly simple gold on white scheme with filigreed top and bottom borders.  All in all, it makes for a refined presentation.  The scent off of the wrapper is a light earthy tobacco, while the foot shows more earth, rich tobacco, and light herbal notes.  An easy clip of the cap delivers a good draw producing not much more than light natural tobacco with a bit of sweet spice.

First third:

Right off the bat, the Sublimes shows off that sweet spice along with rich, earthy tobacco, cedar, and light bread in a medium body.  Pepper notes play in the background, but don’t intrude on the other flavors and the retrohale is exceedingly smooth, showcasing sweet cedar and white pepper.  The burn line is rather thick, but mostly even, leaving behind a solid looking ash with just a bit of minor flaking.  About halfway into this section, the sweetness steps back and earth moves forward, while the bread notes become much more apparent on the retrohale.  The ash drops into my ashtray at a solid inch, ushering in some sweet citrus tones and bringing back more of the cedar.

Middle third:

By the time the Sublimes enters its central portion, the burn line has thinned considerably and is nearly dead even.  While maintaining its medium body, the flavors have deepened, adding some unsweetened coffee to the mixture and some bite has crept into the retrohale, but doesn’t hang around for very long.  While there are few new flavors to report on, those that are there move forward and back, providing a nice complexity.

Final third:

The final third of the Sublimes loses some of the sweetness and brings in a bit of musk and light charred notes as the body moves to medium-plus.  With nothing further to report and with the flavors falling a bit flat and telltale nuttiness signaling that the end is near, it’s time to put the cigar down with about an inch remaining.  The Sublimes has smoked cool and with just a bit of softness down to the last inch, showing a slight bit of strength.

Overview:

I’ve really enjoyed the Sublimes that I have smoke so far, and this one was up to par with the others I have had, albeit with a bit of a drop off in the final third that I didn’t experience in the ones I had previously.  It is a reasonably complex cigar with flavors that complement each other well, and the ebb and flow of those flavors kept me entertained and involved, while delivering high quality construction and burn properties.  If you’re looking for a medium bodied, flavorful cigar, I would definitely recommend taking a look at the Sublimes.

Pairing:

Quilter’s Irish Death from Ellensburg, WA seems to confound anyone who tries to classify it.  Described as a strong ale, stout, and various other styles depending on where you look, the brewery simply and appropriately calls it a “dark, smooth ale”.  With a medium bodied entry showing a ton of roasty sweet malt, toffee/caramel, light chocolate, stone fruits, and just enough hops to keep it balanced, it’s an easy-going quaff and a great one to pair with medium to medium-full bodied cigars.  A number of other ales would also match up well with the Sublimes, as long as they are low on the bitterness scale, such as a strong ale or porter.  A smooth Highland single malt Scotch or sweet bourbon would also be a fine pairing.

The post Jaromirski & Co. Sublimes appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Well, I’m back with a review of another Nomad cigar, this time the C-276. I had previously reviewed the Nomad Dominican core line in the Vagabond size. The C-276, the latest of Fred Rewey’s creations, was released at this year’s IPCPR trade show, and has been getting a good amount of positive press. It is the fifth line that Fred has produced, and the third Nicaraguan made blend, after the limited Estili Lot 1386 and the S-307. According to the Nomad website, the blend consists of a five leaf filler, including Ometepe leaf, a Nicaraguan binder, and is cloaked in an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. In explaining the naming of the cigar, Fred says:

“I really wanted to push myself on this blend. I kept trying to add layer upon layer of complexity all the while making sure the flavors married well with each other.

The name C-276 also has a back story. The “C” is for Concepción, one of two volcanoes on Ometepe Island. “276″ is the square kilometers of the island.

Matter of fact, Ometepe was such a key ingredient at one point in the blending – I named the cigar after the mysterious island.”

The C-276, like last year’s S-307, is manufactured at AJ Fernandez’ Tobacalera AJ Fernandez factory, but Fred tells me that although AJ recommended that he look into the Ometepe leaf for his project, he was otherwise not involved in the blending. It is available in five sizes, all box pressed: Toro (6×50); Robusto (5×50); Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52); Toro Grande (6 x 58); and Corona (5.5 x 46).

This is the only Nomad C-276 I have smoked, and was gifted to me by my great Louisville buddy, Chris Tivnan aka @TheChris213, who happens to be one of the world’s biggest Nomad tramps. Just kidding… sort of. Big thanks to Chris!

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, including Ometepe and two ligeros
Size: Torpedo 6 ½ x 50 box pressed
Price: $8.75
Smoking time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Pairing: Silver City Fat Woody Scotch Ale

Pre-light:

The Nomad C-276 sports a classy looking black, red, and silver band that is nearly identical to that of the S-307, save for the small designations for each line on the side. The cigar itself is handsomely rolled in a rectangular box press culminating in a sharply pointed cap, and is firm throughout when gently squeezed. The wrapper is an oily and rich dark chocolate brown, uniform in color with a couple of minor veins. Smelling the wrapper, it exudes a sourish barnyard and tobacco aroma, while the foot shows more of a tobacco, cedar, and light white pepper character. The cold draw brings sweet spice and grassiness.

First third:

The cap cuts rather easily and leads to a slightly snug draw, but it doesn’t seem like it will be a problem. After lighting, the first draws present an oaky wood, earth, and unsweetened cocoa with a touch of leather and a very light sweetness that lingers on the tongue. The smoke texture has a nice oily slickness to it. The retrohale adds a nice peppery sting, but soon calms down to a smoother experience. The body of the C-276 is at a pretty solid medium starting out. The burn is somewhat wavy, but is not a problem at this point, while the ash is a brownish hue rather than the more usual gray or white. As I smoke further into the first third, the wood has turned towards cedar and the cocoa has morphed into more of a coffee flavor, while displaying a little more sweetness in the aftertaste. An inch in, the ash begins to show some weakness, so I easily tap it off. Some light floral notes weave in and out, adding even more complexity.

Middle third:

Moving into the second third of the C-276, the smoke texture has become very smooth while continuing to present the same enjoyable flavors, and the intensity of the pepper has quieted down a little more, although it is still quite noticeable. The burn continues to be wavy, but every time I start to think that I need to pull out my lighter and do a correction, the cigar seems to pick up on my thoughts and begins to self-correct. By about the mid-point of the stick, the earth has dropped off, to be replaced by some slightly charred notes and fleeting glimpses of nutmeg and musk, while the cedar has come to the forefront and the coffee remains in the picture. The experience keeps getting smoother, sweeter, and richer while maintaining its medium profile. The C-276 seems to have lost its gift of telepathy at this point and I’m forced to give it its first correction – not a big deal.

Final third:

The last third of the cigar brings a ramp-up in body, getting into the full range and the pepper has stepped up, especially on the tip of the tongue, while the strength has tipped over to the plus side of medium and continues to rise. The flavors have become a little muddled by the power of the stick, or maybe my mind is being affected a bit by the escalating strength and the 9.2% ABV of the beer, and it’s finally time to put it down with just over an inch remaining.

Overview:

The Nomad C-276 is a great cigar, especially for those who are into the fuller bodied and stronger smokes. The flavors are distinct and complex, and the construction is solid. Although I did eventually have to correct the burn a few times, it was not an aggravation, and did not affect the flavors. Fred did an outstanding job in blending this stick, and the inclusion of the Ometepe leaf takes it a step beyond the S-307 that I had previously enjoyed, in terms of additional flavors and balanced complexity. The price is more than reasonable for a cigar of this quality and flavor, making this a terrific addition to the Nomad lineup. Now my problem is that my local Nomad retailer is in the process of moving to a new location, and has let his stock of cigars dwindle down to virtually nothing, with no Nomads to be had, so I will be forced to turn to other sources to procure more of these.

Pairing:

The Fat Woody Scotch Ale from Silver City Brewery in Bremerton, WA is a variant of the Fat Scotch Ale I had previously paired with the 601 Green Label. This is the same 9.2% ABV strong Scotch ale, but has been aged in American white oak, giving it a smoother character with chocolate, plum, vanilla, and a strong malty sweetness. It’s a perfect pairing for the Nomad C-276, matching up with the cigar’s flavors, and filling in the gaps with complementary flavors of its own. I think a barley wine would also be a great way to go with the C-276.

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