First Third

My Perdomo Lot 23 Sun-grown opens with fresh zesty notes of cedar, roasted coffee beans, and a shy note of spice. The spice is very restrained. Basically, it is just on the tip of my tongue and the back of my throat but no heat. There are incredibly delicious notes of roasted nuts smack in the middle of my palate. After a long draw, and all the cedar and coffee notes come and go, the nuttiness lingers backed by subtle leather notes on the finish.

I do not like that the finish is short but the balance and consistency in this cigar is undeniable. Towards the mid third, the pepper spice disappears completely. This is unexpected especially for a Nicaraguan Puro. Usually, fuller-bodied Nicaraguan Puros come with a certain pepper kick that never seems to recede.

Mid Third

As I go into the mid third, it becomes increasingly evident that this cigar should be in my regular rotation for the rest of forever. There is a consistent complexity creeping in. I can't quite pick it apart since it is more of an overall deliciousness.

There's a new sweet tobacco flavor in the profile. That's not all. A rich creamy note makes its debut. Now we have lush notes of cedar, some espresso in the background, a few roasted nuts, and a dash of creamy chocolate. The espresso has an agenda of its own because it drags cinnamon with it.

Let's recap. Cedar and espresso with cinnamon form an alliance on one side while nuts, chocolate and sweet tobacco form another. These two groups take turns dominating the front of the palate. Meanwhile, the rich creamy savor rests in the middle of the palate. The finish is still short but carries a delicious espresso zing tagging a skosh of baking spice.

Final Third

Before we get into the flavor profile in the final third, I'm sure you're wondering about the burn and strength. Well, the burn line is not exactly razor-sharp. However, it isn't bad enough to require a touch up. The ash is a solid light grey that held up all though the first third.

The strength was mild-medium at first but it is slowly building to a regular medium. In truth, I have not really been paying attention to the strength. I have a feeling you won't either as you chase this implicit complexity.

The final third fronts rich creamy notes while nuts take a back seat. Light espresso notes are ever present but barely noticeable in the background. Even though the spice comes back a little bit and the flavor notes are basically the same, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable cigar to the nub. And a slow burner too! I've been at it for close to 2 hours!