Let's talk about the Perdomo Lot 23 Connecticut Gordito - a 4.5"x60 chubby parejo bursting with character. This box-pressed beast comes 24 to a box at $167.40, packing aged Nicaraguan tobaccos under an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper that's seen bourbon barrel treatment. Perfect for those who want a thicker ring gauge without overwhelming strength.
The cold draw serves up almond skins and vanilla extract. Initial puffs deliver toasted cashews with a honey-glazed Graham cracker sweetness. White pepper tingles the retrohale without aggression.
Cedar planks and baking spices emerge as the burn line crosses the band. Noticeable creaminess develops - think latte foam rather than heavy cream. The Nicaraguan filler whispers its presence through faint mineral undertones.
Dark chocolate nibs join the party as the smoke gains texture. Retrohales pick up salted caramel nuances. Despite the 60 ring gauge, the last inch avoids harshness though nicotine sensitivity warning lights start blinking.
Dry-box this stick for 2 hours before lighting. The wrapper's bourbon-barrel aging responds well to slight dehydration, intensifying the baking spice notes without sacrificing combustion.
Rolled in Perdomo's Esteli factory using tobacco from single-vintage 2000 harvests. The Connecticut wrapper undergoes 5-year fermentation in American white oak barrels previously holding Kentucky bourbon - a signature Perdomo treatment that explains the vanilla undercurrents.
