Perdomo Special Craft Series Amber Epicure (6 1/2 x 54)

Video review HERE.

Perdomo Cigars has introduced a new line of cigars that have been specifically createded to pair with various beers.  The Perdomo Craft Series is available in three traditional wrapper options – Connecticut Shade, Sun Grown Habano, and Maduro.  Each of the three blends are meant to complement a specific type of beer.

The Perdomo Special Craft Series Amber features a Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Sun Grown wrapper from the Jalapa Valley. It is meant to be paired with ambers, IPAs, lagers, pale ales, and Oktoberfests.

Wrapper: Jalapa (Nicaragua) Sun Grown

Binder: Condega (Nicaragua)

Filler: Esteli (Nicaragua)

Each of the four sizes are packaged in 25 count boxes

Robusto: 5 1/2 x 54

Epicure: 6 1/2 x 54 (REVIEWED TODAY)

Gordo: 6 x 60

Churchill: 7  x 54

The band is among the largest you will see. The cigar has a nice feel in the hand and appears to be fairly dense.

After removing the large band and cutting the cap the test draw was very good. The initial flavors were sweet pink grapefruit, boysenberry, leather, cream, and light black pepper rated at a 7 1/2.

About one inch in. Add about 2 to 3 minutes to the times shown. I forgot to start the timer at light up! Now, if you were to take all the flavors, mix them in a bowl in equal amounts, and spoon them out and taste them that's the flavor you have. The flavors are very sweet. The leather notes are a fresh, new leather. The ash is almost solid white!  

2 inches in the boysenberry notes have gone away but the pink grapefruit notes are very sweet and there is some cream to give a thick sweetness. There is still the leather. There are now some nutmeg notes also. The cigar is medium bodied. The is a nice sweet cream with some lingering pepper.

About 2 1/2 inches remaining and the pink grapefruit notes have changed to a cedar with sweet cherry notes. The leather notes have really moved forward and become prominent. There are still cream notes to mellow out the front end flavors. The nutmeg, which is still on the front end has really influenced the finish. It combines with the sweet cream. The cigar is medium to full bodied now.

At the end you have a sweet cherry with lots of fresh leather notes. The cream was subdued. I didn't get much of the cedar anymore. The nutmeg is faint, at best, on the front end but it's really noticed on the finish. The pepper seems to be more pronounced. The cigar is the upper end of medium to full bodied. I simply don't know if this cigar pairs well with the beers shown but I'm sure beer drinkers will tell me. I am judging the cigar on it's merits alone. This cigar had several major changes, which I like. A very enjoyable cigar with drastic changes.

Score: 92