Let me tell you about the Perdomo 30th Anniversary Maduro Epicure - this Nicaraguan puro comes in a hefty 6"x54 parejo format that feels like a chocolate bar in your hand. Priced at $337.50 for a box of 30, it's what I'd call a "special occasion cigar with weekday swagger". The Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper aged in bourbon barrels shines like a polished leather jacket, hiding its 15-year-old Nicaraguan guts underneath.
Pre-light aroma punches you with molasses-soaked oak and dried banana leaves. The cold draw tastes like someone dipped a caramel square in espresso grounds.
The initial puff delivers black pepper crusted steak smoke - that's the Estelí tobacco talking. By the inch mark, transitions to charred marshmallow sweetness with nutmeg undertones. Ash holds strong like concrete, needing no touch-ups.
Midpoint brings dark chocolate ganache thickness. Retrohale reveals black cherry cola fizz sensation. Burn line stays razor-straight even in 70% humidity. Watch for cumin-like spice that creeps up around the band.
Last act turns into burnt orange peel and Brazilian coffee territory. The nicotine hit sneaks up like a velvet hammer - newbies might want to stop at ¾. Final inch develops mineral graphite notes that beg for bourbon pairing.
