Perdomo Tierra Del Sol Toro Maduro

Nick Perdomo produces a variety of blends in his Esteli, Nicaragua-based factory. One of the latest to come out is Tierra Del Sol, released in December 2004. The entire line is quite attractive, but the maduros, in our humble opinion, are stunning. We just had to try them out, and upon pleasing our panel, they earned the right to be featured in our club. The toro maduros were especially well-received; the heads are perfectly formed and tightly wound. It may not fit in the “classically beautiful” category, but no matter, we dig its rustic look. Note the dark, thick and somewhat bumpy wrapper which ensconces a well-packed blend of flavorsome tobacco. These cigars start off with a very toasty opening, with notes of chocolate that fall somewhere between bitter dark cocoa and sweeter milk chocolate. You’ll notice that the tobacco blend has a natural subtle sweetness, something we found very appealing. The finish is nothing but gentle, with absolutely no bite to speak of. What makes this cigar great is the superbly smooth, pleasant flavor that is as consistent as can be—between panel members, we’ve smoked over two dozen of these over the past couple of weeks, and they’re all solid. Extremely mild in body, it might not be what you expect upon visual inspection, but rest assured, this stogie is nothing but pleasant. The draw is great, the billows rotund, the aroma delightful and the balance wonderful. As an added bonus, this cigar feels great in the hand and is easy to handle while doing other things, so it’s perfect to light up a smoke while planning your summer vacation. Try it out with a dark Munich lager or coffee. Enjoy!

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.