Tasting Notes: Prelight

Let's go into the tasting notes. I'm going with an Epicure for this review. You may be taken aback by how soft this cigar seems compared to the density of the original Champagne. It's a soft box press with a dark cocoa hue and darker mottling on various spots. If you're not careful you'll miss the seams. There is a bit of tooth and small tight veins here and there.

What I thought was a double cap was actually a triple cap. I'm getting lots of very inviting notes off the shaft including dark chocolate, baking spice, wood, barnyard, espresso, and malt. Cold draw is a mixture of raisins, caramel, coffee grounds, dark floral notes, nutmeg, cinnamon, wheat bread, wood, black pepper, licorice, and earth. The draw is a little open but not anything to fret about.

First Third

My Epicure opens with black pepper heat, a tangy citrus on tip of the tongue and chocolate cream in the background. The pepper is quite pronounced in the first few draws but the cigar soon settles as the pepper learns to play nice with the others.

As soon as the pepper eased mineral notes emerged out of nowhere. Citrus joins chocolate at the back with black pepper complimenting the ensemble. Retrohale picks up a little white pepper heat but no harshness. There's not much complexity in this third so I'm holding my breath for the mid third. Strength is a solid medium. The burn and ash are above reproach.

Mid Third

You'll know you're in the mid third when flavors begin to pop all over the place. A nice warm creamy disposition takes center stage. Cinnamon, chocolate, and caramel commingle with the cream. Earth, wood, and licorice hold down the fort.

There are no stark transitions but various different notes zoom in and out including nuts, marshmallow, coffee grounds, mustiness, and toast. Leather and a little black pepper remain on the finish. There's a delicious out of place marshmallow note; I can't tell whether it's on the finish or Retrohale. Strength inches up towards full. The burn is consistent so I can't complain.

Final Third

The final third comes to redeem all the snail tendencies of the first third. Perky notes of wood, espresso, dark chocolate, and nuts take over the palate. Baking spice, leather, musty earth, licorice, and wheat bread are all there. Walnuts, minerals, and sweet tobacco are all over the finish and Retrohale.

I kinda wish the cigar would have been this way the entire smoke. But overall it's been a great smoking experience. My Epicure went for almost 1 and 1/2 hours.

Final Words

Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro is a great anytime cigar for the ones who love strength. It will not boggle you with transitions and extraterrestrial flavor notes so we'll call it what it is; a great siesta cigar. At that price point I think it is worth having a few in your humidor.