According to their website the Perdomo Estate Selección Vintage Limited Edition Box-Pressed is hand-crafted using the top five percent of the Perdomo family’s estate grown tobaccos from their prestigious Finca Natalie Farm in Estelí, Nicaragua. The ESV made its return to the Perdomo portfolio at the 2019 IPCPR in Las Vegas and was made available to just over 100 accounts in its initial re-release.
Cigar Review: Perdomo Estate Selección Vintage (ESV)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Fillers: Nicaragua
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Size: Imperio (Toro)
The Look: The ESV Sungrown Imperio reviewed today comes from the 6 count box with each cigar packaged in a coffin. When you lift the lid of the coffin it raises the cigar making it easy to grab. The Estate Selección Vintage Sungrown box has a reddish brown hue, where the Connecticut has a blonde hue and the Maduro is black while the bands that follow the same coloring. The Sungrown wrapper has a few veins to it and a reddish brown hue to it matching the box.
The Look: The aroma off the foot of the cigar offers up a barnyard bouquet of cedar and hay along with a hint of cinnamon graham cracker. The cold draw is a different story as it sees an abundance of grassy notes.
Once the cigar is lit there are notes of raisins and caramel with an oak finish that becomes the dominant flavor profile before reaching the first inch mark of the Estate Selección Vintage. As the first third comes to a close an abundance of spice begins to develop that is different from any cigar I have smoked in recent memory. The spice is reminiscent of a dry rub with hints of cajun spice, chili powder and cumin while oak remains on the finish.
The second third sees the flavor profile continue along the lines of a rubbed pork shoulder ready to go in the smoker. The cajun spice remains the focal point as hints of cumin and celery salt linger on the finish and lurk in the background of this cigar that has completely caught me off guard. The retrohale adds a touch of oak to the finish but it’s fade compared to the first third.
As we enter the final third of the cigar I find myself at a crossroads of wanting to smoke more to get the incredible flavor profile but also needing to slow down as the strength of the cigar is noticeable to me. There are still notes of cajun spice and the charred “skin” of the smoked pork shoulder. It’s something I latched on to that that I couldn’t let go of for the duration of this incredible cigar. The long finish of the cigar offers up some continued oak components.
The Finish: I went into this cigar expecting the flavor profile similar to that of the Habano BBA and to be honest I couldn’t tell you why. As soon as I lit it up, I was surprised in a very good way. The Perdomo Estate Selección Vintage (ESV) is stronger with a more refined profile. I figured this would be a one and done for me, but I can’t wait to give the other wrappers a try and offer a review here on The Cigar Authority.
Score: 95
Price: $12.99 / $69.99 (Box of 6)
Perdomo ESV Sungrown Imperio Packaging
Perdomo ESV Sungrown Imperio
Perdomo ESV Sungrown Imperio Foot
