Perdomo Small Batch 2005 Connecticut Rothschild

When Perdomo Cigars announced a slight price increase earlier this year, the larger new was arguably a new line, Small Batch 2005. It’s actually three different lines, all using a blend of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos and each with a different wrapper. The cigars have a staggered release with the Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped version shipping in March, the Nicaraguan sun grown version later this month and a Nicaraguan maduro next month.

As the name implies, Perdomo claims the tobacco is aged for 10-years with the wrapper being finished in bourbon barrels. Each of the three blends will be sold in the same four sizes, all priced the same: Half Corona (4 x 46, $4.99), Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50, $5.99), Belicoso (5 x 54, $6.50) and Toro Especial (5 1/4 x 54).

• Cigar Reviewed: Perdomo Small Batch 2005 Connecticut Rothschild
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Perdomo S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: 4 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Rothschild
• MSRP: $5.99 (Boxes of 30, $179.70)
• Date Released: March 16, 2015
• Number of Cigars Released: 3,000 Boxes of 30 Cigars (90,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 3

It’s neither the cleanest, nor brightest example of Ecuadorian Connecticut I’ve ever seen, but I have no complaints with how the cigar looks overall. It’s yet another case of a cigar covered in paper bands, something that plagues all but the Toro Especial size in my opinion. Aroma-wise, it’s somewhat typical for an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper: lots of hay, leather and barnyard. From the foot, I pick up some sweeter oatmeal cookie, earth and an acidity. The cold draw has barnyard and earth, but it’s much different from the wrapper aroma, there’s also a muted grape note and some cocoa. Together, there’s a bit of a red wine sensation going on, albeit, solely because of the components, not an actual complete red wine taste.

The Perdomo Small Batch 2005 starts salty with cedar, some earthy nuts and a mild harshness on the tongue. Nuts dominate the finish, although I pick up some grape skin and berry flavors as well. As the cigar gets going it becomes a bit more predictable in flavor: sweet hay, a bit of pepper, some creaminess and a big pepper through the nose. There are some unique aspects of the Perdomo though, a fruitiness underneath and a sugar cookie note on the tongue. It’s an aggressive Connecticut: medium-full in flavor and body with a medium strength. Construction is great.

Unfortunately, the furriness dissipates as the second third gets going. There’s still some hay, creaminess and an acidity, but barnyard and leather are picking up quite a bit. The mild harshness remains, not seeming to be affected by me speeding up or slowing down. I would say that the flavor reduces to medium, while the body and strength remain where they were in the first third.

While the harshness increases a tad in the final third, it brings with it quite a few other flavors. Leather takes charge, in front of grossness, oak and a bit of pinto beans—which causes a bit of a Mexican food crave. The great construction and mild harshness are the two constants from start to finish, a trade-off I find acceptable. Strength picks up to medium-full by the final inch with the flavor once again returning to that level.

Final Notes

• I’m sick of non-Cuban cigar manufacturers creating knock-off Edición Regional bands. Perdomo is by no means the only one—or the first one—but I find it rather hypocritical that people will knock off Habanos S.A., while chastising the Cuban government for stealing property during the revolution. It’s particularly offensive because this is a relatively new branding by Habanos S.A., not something that was stolen from someone a half century ago.
• Each of the four sizes is “limited” to 3,000 boxes of 30 per wrapper meaning the total size of the Perdomo Small Batch 2005 is 1.08 million cigars—not particularly limited. For size comparison, E.P. Carrillo claimed it made 1.5 million cigars in 2012.
• As of now, it doesn’t appear the Sun Grown version has shipped yet.
• Perdomo also indicated that its Exhibition, 20th Anniversary and Double Aged 12 Year Vintage also had tobacco that was barrel aged.
• Pricing is fantastic, a breath of fresh air in today’s market.
• Construction was also great across all three samples, a breath of fresh air given how my April reviews have gone.
• Strength is medium for the most part, hitting medium-full by the end.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 30 minutes.
• Cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Site sponsor Serious Cigar has the Perdomo Small Batch 2005 Connecticut listed in stock.