A Very Perdomo Weekend or: I finally got some mashed potatoes and all was right with the world.

We've long been fans of Perdomo cigars. Remember this? (There's other stuff you would be able to remember if I'd actually written about things rather than keeping them in the drafts folder, unfinished. Maybe someday I'll get to them. Or not.)

During our CigarFest bonanza weekend, we were continuously Perdomoed.* That's a good thing. No, that's a great thing!

On the first full day of our** trip, we went to the Cigars International Bethleham (PA) store for a Perdomo event.

Nick and Valentino whooping it up at the CI event.

 

Nick and his sales gurus promoted the new Small Batch, which Valentino loved and made off with a box of the Connecticut blend. (The cigar also comes in Maduro and Sun-Grown.)

[source]

 

Just so you know...All three come in four sizes: Half-corona (4 x 46), Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50), Belicoso (5 x 54), and toro Especiala (5 1/2 x 54).

The Perdomo folks say the Connecticut offers “a rich smoke with a creamy complexity, slight hints of caramel and cedar, with a smooth, elegant finish.” I'm nodding enthusiastically.

From the Perdomo press release:

The Perdomo Small Batch Series takes “small batch” to the next level. Hand‐crafted from a rare collection of 10 year aged tobaccos, the Perdomo Small Batch Series is carefully blended with smaller leaves that have the perfect balance of flavor, strength, and aroma. Perdomo has created this stunning line of small premium hand‐crafted cigars by combining the finest bourbon barrel aged wrappers with these rare and exquisite 10 year aged filler tobaccos.

Limited to 3,000 boxes, the Small Batch cigars were magically created at Tabacalera Perdomo in Estelí, Nicaragua. You know how I get antsy about limited editions and how I worry Valentino won't be able to smoke what he wants because they're gone.

I, however, was more enchanted by the new salomon. Here's a picture, but more about that cigar is coming...



Before dinner treat--keep reading!

Then we went to Cigars International's CigarFest in Split Rock, PA.

Shenanigans ensued, including this:

Valentino would like me to Photoshop his eyes open.
Of course I won't, because I don't know how.
So pretend his eyes are open.
See? Way easier than Photoshop!

On the last full day of our adventure, exhausted from days and days of cigar craziness, we decided to eat a real meal while sitting down and being served. (This was my idea. I was feeling needy--for mashed potatoes.) I grabbed one of those salomons for each of the three men and we headed to  Louis Prime Steakhouse--chosen because they had an outdoor smoking area and we had some cigars for smoking. (And mashed potatoes.)

And who happens to be sitting at the next table? These folks:

The very awesome, very gracious Perdomo family.
(Yes, I stole this from Nick's Facebook page.)

Nick graciously offered us 20th Anniversary Maduros (which of course we accepted, because...der). Those were for later.

Our meal would start with the Perdomo Double Aged 12 Year Vintage Salomones (6 1/8 x 50/60) we'd purchased at CI.*** (Valentino said I couldn't have mashed potatoes for an app.)

"Nick has outdone himself this time around, shelling out three separate blends that each lay claim to 12-year-old, exquisitely fermented tobacco leaves" reported CI. "Dressed in Connecticut, Sun Grown, and Maduro wrappers, Double Aged 12-Year Vintage has a selection for every cigar lover out there. All of the tobaccos in each blend – wrapper, binder, and filler – go through an extensive 'double aging' process. They are bale-aged for ten long years before moving on to barrel-aging in charred, white oak bourbon barrels for the next two years, resulting in a refined product that’s brimming with flavor. This process ensures that the crop from 2001 has impeccable color, texture, aroma, and flavor."

Note the missing three.
Or the spot where the three used to be.

When I had originally pulled the cigars for each of them, Valentino gave me the "What are you doing?" look that I get frequently--because most of the time I really have no idea what I'm doing. But this time, I was looking to give away his very precious cigars. We both knew what I was doing.

But sitting there at dinner in the company of greatness--both the man and the cigars--Valentino said, "This was a really good idea."  I'd have bowed in agreement but 1. I was sitting, so I would have banged my head on the table (embarrassing!) and 2. I don't really like to draw attention to myself.

Of course in the process of not drawing attention to myself, I announced on Facebook where I was and what I was doing, tagging all the usual suspects, as well as Nick and Janine Perdomo. A short time later, Nick approached our table and said, "Are you Penny?"****

Busted. So much for my incognito-ness. ::shakes fist at internet and Facebook::

As I finish writing this, Valentino is coming to the end of this cigar:

Obvs, I didn't take this picture.

.... and I'm reminded that I started writing this while clad in my new Perdomo shirt, also my new favorite shirt, a gift with purchase for buying those delicious, well-timed salomones.

Cigars and Swag! But the shirt is my favorite.

 

*That's a fabulous word that I just invented. It means "being washed over with kindness, generosity, and class." You're welcome to use it. 

**"Our" throughout the story is Valentino, Caballero #2, and Honorary Caballero Mike. He should probably get a badge or sash or something.

***If you must know, three boxes may have been purchased, since only eight nestle into the box.

****I'm sure I responded, but it was probably some kind of gurgling idiot-speak, as I have a difficult time communicating like an adult. Or a human for that matter.

The owl made them do it Or: La la la...Flor Dominicana

Once upon a time, there lived a La Flor Dominicana beer stein at Ale House Cigar Lounge in Providence, RI.

A certain humidor manager at said establishment contacted via the mighty text messenger in the sky that aforementioned stein lived amongst the delicious cigars. Negotiations were made and it was decided the stein would reside in Casa Awesome.

Casa Awesome: Back when the snow was pretty and delightful.
Now it's a party guest that won't leave

Then the heroes of this story decided they should be fiscally responsible and negated the deal.

Then, two things happened:

1. They found out Caballero #2 had one. (Add your own comment about best friends and men and competition.)
2. They remembered who they were and they would have the sad if a limited edition piece of awesome passed them by.

They'd visited the Ale House humidor to partake--or really just take (after paying)-- this:

I know! Right? <--hate that saying, by the way

As they enjoyed the happy, thinking the story ended there--right after the American Express journeyed through the credit card machine.

They glanced around the humidor a final time, ready to evacuate, and then saw this:

Will stakes his claim.

Apparently, our heroes would be purchasing the beer stein after all. YOu must laugh here because the heroes--they really did believe they could leave it behind. If they've learned anything over the past six months as Idiot Handlers, it's this: You don't say "no" to Will.*

And as a result, they now own this:



note bene: I took this picture, obviously, since the clarity is nonexistant.
In my defense, I stood on tippy-toes and held the camera up in a shaky-arm photo op.

...which was filled with these:

Our heroes first picked up the LFD 1994 at Premium 70/70 in Westport, MA. It was love at first puff. The stein 1994 is the most special (6 x 54 with a maduro wrapper) of the new family of five (sizes**) celebrating Litto and Ines Gomez’s 20 years in the cigar business. The stein and its super awesome cigars are limited to 5,000 units carrying 20 cigars each.

You're surely most curious about this: the cigar's magical blend. Well, that comes from a Mexican San Andrés natural wrapper binder and filler from the La Canela farms in the Dominican Republic.

If you want non-stein 1994s, you can choose one of four regular production sizes:

Aldaba (6 x 58) ~ Conga (5 x 52)
Mambo (7 x 54)  ~ Rumba (6 1/2 x 52)

Actually, you shouldn't choose between them. You should get them all--and in boxes of 20 at that.

Anyway, according to the folks at Anthony's Cigars, the cigar begins with an earthy note and then adds citrus and chocolate notes. "Compared to the Ligero and Double Ligero lines, the 1994 is a medium bodied smoke with enough complexity to confound even the most complicated palates."

The La Flor Dominicana website states, "We have set aside tobacco for years in anticipation of this very special blend to commemorate our 20th anniversary. The complex and powerful flavors of the 1994 originate from the best fillers and binder grown on our farm in the Dominican Republic and are complemented with a sweet and savory Mexican San Andrés wrapper. This blend is as special as the occasion it serves to commemorate and is symbolic of the quality and pride with which La Flor Dominicana has built its name."

As you've been told you time and again, our heroes are super BFFs*** with anything and everything LFD. Luckily, they found room in our hearts for the new 1994. And even if there weren't room there, they could always use the stein for storage.



*Nobody puts Will in a corner.

**Vitola, if you will.

***Of course LFD doesn't know they're BFFs, but that's a minor sticking point.

Black Label Trading--We came; we smoked; we loved; we bought the t-shirt*

When I am Editor of the World--and this WILL happen someday--cigars I love will be readily available. I guess we're kind of working on that, with the continuing Saga of the Overfilled Humidor.  In this tale, a certain couple purchases a 2,000-count humidor from 1st Class Humidors in late August.  It looks like this:

 

By mid-December, this mofo was so filled that when our hero opened the door, certain cigars abandoned ship. I knew this happened when I heard, "Dammit!" from the living room, and then about five seconds later, heard "Dammit" again as the second wave of loose cigars dove into the great abyss.**

After Christmas, a second phone call was made, prices negotiated, and we currently and anxiously await this sight:

Yay! Two!

Here's why this humidor wound up so full so fast: Elves.

Your friendly, neighborhood
cigar elf. [source]

Hahaha. No. Because when Valentino had a cigar he really liked, we determined whether or not it was Boxworthy. Many were. So I guess I'm kind of Editor of the World. Penny World.

The other day, we received this fantastic package from the lovely and talented Stephanie Harris, she of Black Label Trading cigars:

The bands are so cool. And scary a little bit. (I'm a delicate flower.)

First up for smoking?  This sweetie pie:

The Royalty--a perfect start since I am a beautiful princess.***

Because I know this made Valentino giddy with delight, I'll share it with you: The filler is Nicaraguan.**** The binder is Honduran and the wrapper Ecuadorian corojo.

Keep in mind I am easily distracted. As I chatted with the lovely bartender at Habanos (because we were the only two females in the cigar bar), he lit it up. I may have been mid-sentence as the smoke wafted in my direction before being sucked up by the place's new smoke eaters.

I know the joke is majorly overused, but...
"Hey! Nice Ash!"

Dagnabbit, the pepperiness woke me up. I shake my fist at you corojo! But that's okay because that first blast was a tap on the shoulder telling me I should pay attention; this promises fantabulousness and I shouldn't miss a moment. You must always listen to the corojo, for the corojo is wise.

Of the Royalty, the Cigar Federation said, "Rich. Elegant. Unique. Royalty by Black Label Trading Company shows the world the quality of tobacco and blend masters BLTC work exclusively with. BLTC’s blender, who has over 30 years’ experience, brings a medium strength cigar and flavors you don’t see every day. Floral notes dominate, with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg and a mild spice finish make it truly a unique smoke."

By the way, Cigar Federation is your only online option for the Black Label Trading brand, although maybe your local B&M has them? Ours don't (hint, hint, hint), so it's Cigar Federation for us.

In case you didn't know, Black Label Trading punched its way into the cigar world in 2013 with not one or two, but six unique offerings, according to founder James Brown.*****

When asked what makes his company different from the other cigar companies, Brown said, "First and foremost, our blends. We have focused on defining very unique flavor profiles that you don’t see in cigars everyday. Also, our philosophy is simple – make a great cigar. If a cigar is perfect in a [r]obusto then why make it in five other sizes. We keep it simple with usually 1 or 2 sizes per blend. This also goes along with our small batch mind-set. We keep production very limited to ensure quality every time." [source]

We have many more Black Label Trading cigars to try, but this one, as our first foray into the brand means as soon as that new humidor gets itself in the door, we're getting ourselves a box. Yes, it's boxworthy.

Dammit. If the rest of them are as good as this, we're going to need to order a third humidor.

Hello, new friend.

 

*We really did buy the t-shirt. They're available here.

 

**I'm not sure what they thought was out there in the big, unhumidified world for them, but they were easily captured and returned to their rightful place.

 

***

****Valentino lurvvveeeees Nicaraguan tobacco. If you're tobacco and you say you're from Nicaragua, he has already fallen in love with you.

 

*****Not who you're thinking.  Another one.