Perdomo Reserve Champagne Sun Grown Robusto

The packaging may have changed but this stick has been a top-selling mild-bodied masterpiece for over a decade. The Champagne has a unique place in Nick Perdomo’s repertoire of handmades. He’s known for generating rich, hearty flavors backed by a truckload of strength. The Champagne is definitely different—it delivers the rich layers of complex flavors for which Perdomo is known but with a mellow, mild-bodied profile. His Reserve Champagne Sun Grown Robusto is a supremely flavorful handmade that can satisfy “newbies” and aficionados alike. Comprised of a fine, Cuban-seed Nicaraguan blend of extensively aged tobaccos, the Champagne is hugged by a stunning, triple-fermented Connecticut shade wrapper that’s been aged six years. The construction is flawless, making for a nice even burn. Expect volumes of beautiful, aromatic, silky white smoke with nuances of rich tobacco flavors, hints of coffee, creamy undertones, and a subtle sweetness. Creaminess is the key word for this smoking experience. This could be your everyday go-to cigar but it’s so good you may want to save it for special occasions. If go-to is your choice, your favorite brewski is a good complement. On special occasions try it with a Grand Marnier or bourbon.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.