Are anniversaries overplayed in the industry? Do they usually meet the hype and expectation or more often fall flat and disappear. One thing is for sure is that Perdomo almost always shows up strong with their anniversary releases and they always make it a regular production cigar instead of a limited edition like many other companies. Perdomo technically celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2022 but the cigar offically released in 2023 at the PCA tradeshow and convention and was one of the cigars that had a lot of buzz going in and coming out of that tradeshow. The cigar like many of the Perdomo releases is offered in a connecticut, sun grown, and maduro which are all 15 year bourbon barrel aged wrappers, with what are assumed to be the same binder and fillers that are cuban seed grown in Nicaragua.

Under the Lid

One thing for sure is that Perdomo has strong brand marketing and has core colors and themes that are linked between all the lines. The box is mainly black with a red trim, and in the center has the blue used to indicate maduros, and there is a circle of medallions surrounding the Perdomo P and tobacco leaves and the 30th anniversary on the bottom. The band is very similar to the box with a blue background, gold medallions, and the P surrounded by tobacco leaves alongside the 30th anniversary at the bottom. The band has foiled accents that bring me back to my days of collecting and playing pokemon cards. The wrapper is a dark maduro nearly black with very small veins and tight wrapper seams. The cap is well placed on the head of the cigar. The cigar itself is lightly box pressed and very comfortable.

• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro (15 year old bourbon barrel aged)
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Vitola: 6 x 54 Epicure
• Factory: Tabacalera Perdomo
• Release Date: November 2023
• Number of boxes released: Regular Production
• MSRP: Epicure $12.50 ($375 for a box of 30)

As always I cut the cap with a straight cut, and the cold draw offers notes of raisin, mild pepper, and a bit of a yeasty breadlike note. The wrapper gives off aromas of musty barndyard and the foot zesty lemon with barndyard and a hint of raisin.

Performance Notes

First Third: On light up the Perdomo 30th anniversary maduro opens up with a strong black pepper spice, rich coca, coffee, oak, and earthiness. The black pepper, oak, and cocoa are up front in the profile with the coffee and earthiness sitting a bit farther back in the profile. As the first third develops, the black pepper spice settles down a bit and the profile starts to settle in. The main upfront flavors are oak, black pepper spice, and the coca note brings on a creaminess as well that reminds me of milk chocolate. In the background there are flavors of coffee, and the earthiness takes on more of a mushroom like note, and there is a generic mild sweetness on the lips and tip of the tongue. As the final third comes to a close the profile continues to be consistent with providing a balance between oak, black pepper spice, and creamy cocoa, as the main intertwining flavors and nuances in the background of coffee, mushroom, and mild fig like sweetness. The finish is medium in length with lingers notes of oak and coffee. The retrohale offers notes of black pepper, oak, and coca that was not overwhelming at all.

Second Third: The second third continues with the oak, black pepper, and creamy cocoa upfront with each puff offering a slightly different note being the main flavor on the palate. The profile starts to bring in a bit of salivation and allows to perceive more of the nuance within the profile. The mushroom earthiness becomes a bit stronger in the profile and up front in the profile and the fig sweetness comes in and out of the profile. At about halfway into the cigar the oak takes on a mild toasted note. The profile continues this consistent toasted oak, creamy cocoa, black pepper, and mushroom earthiness up front with the fig like sweetness and coffee note playing back and forth on each other coming in and put of the profile during different draws. The finish is still medium with oak and coffee, and the retrohale is also consistently black pepper, and cocoa. There is palate stimulation along the tip, middle, and back of the tongue with mild stimulation on the roof of the mouth.

Final Third: The final third continues with the consistent upfront profile of toasted oak, black pepper, cocoa, and mushroom earthiness. The nuance of coffee seems to fade and is replaced by a bit more of a bread like note. The mild fig sweetness occasionally appears in the profile in the background during some draws. As the final third continues the earthiness takes on a bit of a wetness like the aromas of the forest floor after it rains. During the final few draws of the cigar the profile still stays quite consistent with toasted oak, creamy cocoa, black pepper, and earth but the nuances have fallen off. The finish is medium with toasted oak and pepper, and the retrohale offers pepper and cocoa.

Core Flavors: Oak, Black Pepper, creamy cocoa, earth, coffee, mild fig sweetness

Strength: Medium to Full

Body: Medium to Full

Complexity: Medium +

Smokin Experience: The Perdomo 30th Anniversary Maduro Epicure starts out with a blast of flavor with core notes of black pepper spice, oak, cocoa, coffee, earth, and mild sweetness and the core flavor profile stays consistent throughout the entire smoking experience with constant flux in nuance allowing for an engaging yet consistent smoking experience. I would recommend this cigar to any smoker who wants to experience a well balanced maduro and can handle a bit of extra strength. Construction wise all the samples had a great draw, and only 1 sample required a minor touch up. The cigar performed very well overall and only lost minor points here and there.

Purchase Redommendation: Box purchase

Smokin Facts:

• Perdomo draw tests all of their cigars and are well known for almost always having a great draw.
• Perdomo is one of the few companies that is vertically integrated meaning they grow, ferment, and roll all their own cigars, alongside make their own boxes.
• Nick Perdomo Jr. was surprised with the box and band of the cigar for the first time ever at the 2023 PCA prior to the showcase of the cigar to retailers and the project design was spearheaded by his sone Nicholas Perdomo the III and vice president Arthur Kemper.

Smokin Wrap:

Cigars smoked: 3

Average smoking time: 1 hour and 54 minutes

SCORE: 93

Mitchell Santaga – Product Reviews

Mitchell Santaga started his journey into tobacco in 2011 by trying different flavored and machine-made cigars while enjoying a handle of Jack Daniels whisky. Shortly after that he yearned for a more premium experience and dove headfirst into pipe tobacco that his local tobacconist blended, and soon after started indulging in premium cigars.