Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel-Aged Sun Grown Epicure (6×54)

Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel-Aged Sun Grown Epicure (6×54) I gave it a good careful toast, keeping the flame always vertical and the cigar horizontal so I didn’t inject any unnecessary heat into the tobacco. After letting the ember calm down, the first puff gave me notes of freshly toasted bread, though I hadn’t retrohaled yet. First Third The profile opened with creamy cedar and lightly charred woods. Smoke output was okay, and not the “chimney at rest” style I usually do not prefer, so that’s a plus. I found myself wishing the smoke was a little chillier though. A cinnamon note kept trying to peek through on the retrohail, but never fully arrived. A touch of dried red pepper zest showed up on the retrohale pleasant, not harsh. Sweetness sadly was very faint, almost hidden. I had hoped to pick up some of the bourbon-barrel caramelization, but it hadn’t revealed itself yet. Second Third As the cigar moved into the middle, that elusive cinnamon note still teased without fully forming. The flavors stayed fairly one-note, though I did start to pick up some hints of chocolate and sweet, lightly charred oak. Toward the end of this section, the retrohale carried a nice sweet zestiness that added a little more interest. Kind of like the smell of freshly dried Chile de árbol. Final Third The cigar settled into mostly charred oak, with some bitterness developing at the end despite my slow pace. Smoking time was about an hour and 35 minutes. Unlike my favorites, I didn’t feel compelled to smoke this one to the nub. Overall Impression This was a clean smoke with enjoyable cedar, oak, and subtle spiciness, but it lacked the complexity and transitions I usually look for. The sweetness was faint and the advertised vanilla and coffee notes never really appeared for me. It’s a solid cigar, but not one I’d reach for regularly. Rating: 3.8 stars