The Legacy of Perdomo Cigars: Crafting Excellence from Seed to Smoke
Perdomo Cigars, a family-owned and operated company headquartered in Miami, Florida, has solidified its reputation as a premier cigar manufacturer. With agricultural and manufacturing facilities in Estelí, Nicaragua, Perdomo Cigars exemplifies the epitome of quality and tradition in the cigar industry. This article delves into the rich history, meticulous production processes, and diverse cigar portfolio that make Perdomo a beloved brand among cigar aficionados worldwide.
A Rich History Rooted in Tradition
The story of Perdomo Cigars is one of passion, resilience, and a deep commitment to quality. Founded by Nick Perdomo, the company traces its roots back to his grandfather, Silvio Perdomo, who emigrated from Italy to Cuba in the early 1930s. Silvio apprenticed at the Cuesta y Cia cigar factory and later worked at the H. Upmann and Partagas factories, honing his craft until the Cuban Revolution disrupted the cigar industry.
Silvio's son, Nick Perdomo Sr., continued the family tradition but faced severe challenges, including imprisonment during the revolution and a harrowing escape to the United States. Settling in Florida, Nick Perdomo Jr. was inspired by his family's legacy and founded Nick’s Cigar Company in 1992. With tireless dedication, Nick expanded his modest operation into the internationally recognized brand it is today.
The Perdomo Way: From Seed to Cigar
Perdomo Cigars prides itself on being a vertically integrated manufacturer, controlling every aspect of production to ensure the highest quality. The journey of a Perdomo cigar from seed to finished product involves over 3,000 meticulous steps, a process known as the Perdomo Way.
Agricultural Excellence
Finca Natalie Farm
Finca Natalie, named after Nick and Janine Perdomo's daughter, is the crown jewel of Perdomo's agricultural operations. Located in Estelí, Nicaragua, the farm features four curing barns that each hold up to 9,720,000 tobacco leaves per growing season. Every leaf is harvested by hand, ensuring only the finest quality.
Greenhouse and Seedling Care
Young tobacco plants are nurtured in a state-of-the-art greenhouse designed to regulate climate and protect against pests and diseases. Each seedling is inspected for health and quality before being transplanted to the fields.
Water Filtration & Drip Irrigation System
Using advanced water filtration and drip irrigation systems, Perdomo controls the exact amount of water and nutrients each plant receives, promoting healthy growth while conserving natural resources.
Traditional and Modern Techniques
Row Plowing with Oxen
Perdomo employs traditional row plowing with oxen to aerate the soil, fostering stronger roots and larger leaves.
Curing and Fermentation
Once harvested, tobacco leaves are strung by hand and hung in curing barns. The curing process takes 45 to 65 days, depending on leaf size. Following curing, the leaves undergo fermentation in pilóns for a minimum of three years, a process carefully monitored to ensure perfect color, texture, aroma, and flavor.
Bourbon Barrel Aging
A distinctive feature of Perdomo’s process is bourbon barrel aging. This technique enhances the tobacco's flavor profile, adding layers of caramelized sweetness and complexity.
Craftsmanship and Quality Control
Wrapper Preparation
Delicate wrapper tobaccos are prepared using a custom-made system that ensures they absorb the right amount of humidity without damage.
Making the Bunch and Draw Testing
Each cigar is handcrafted using a blend of long filler tobaccos. Bunchers meticulously place the seco, viso, and ligero leaves to ensure consistent flavor, draw, and burn. Every cigar is draw tested to guarantee a perfect draw.
Rolling and Aging
After testing, the wrapper is carefully rolled onto the bunch. Finished cigars are then aged in controlled environments for six to eight months, allowing the flavors to marry perfectly.
Final Inspection and Packaging
Every Perdomo cigar is inspected 17 times before shipping. This rigorous quality control ensures consistency in wrapper, cap, blend, and weight. Once inspected, the cigars are banded, wrapped in cellophane, and boxed by hand.
Perdomo's Commitment to Quality and Innovation
Perdomo Cigars, under the leadership of Nick Perdomo, has developed an extensive portfolio of blends, each well-crafted and well-priced. The company’s dedication to high-quality control standards and rich flavors has made it a staple among cigar enthusiasts.
Notable Blends and Series
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne The Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne features a Connecticut-seed wrapper, offering a nutty and rich profile. This smooth and creamy cigar is perfect for any occasion, delivering a satisfying smoking experience.
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro The Perdomo 10th Anniversary Maduro is wrapped in a luscious Maduro leaf, providing a rich and sweet flavor. This medium to full-bodied cigar boasts notes of dark chocolate and coffee, making it a delightful treat for Maduro lovers.
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Sun Grown The Perdomo 10th Anniversary Sun Grown showcases a caramel-hued Sun Grown wrapper, offering a robust and spicy profile. This full-flavored cigar is perfect for those who enjoy a bolder smoking experience.
Perdomo 20th Anniversary Connecticut The Perdomo 20th Anniversary Connecticut features a silky Connecticut wrapper aged in bourbon barrels, providing a creamy and nutty flavor with hints of caramel. This medium-bodied cigar is smooth and well-balanced, perfect for any time of day.
Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro The Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro is crafted with a dark and oily Maduro wrapper aged in bourbon barrels. This full-bodied cigar delivers rich flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and sweet spices, making it a decadent choice for cigar enthusiasts.
Perdomo 20th Anniversary Sun Grown The Perdomo 20th Anniversary Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper aged in bourbon barrels, offering a robust and spicy profile. This medium to full-bodied cigar is perfect for those who enjoy complex flavors and a bold smoking experience.
Perdomo 30th Anniversary Connecticut The Perdomo 30th Anniversary Connecticut features an aged Connecticut wrapper, delivering a smooth and creamy profile with notes of cedar, nuts, and a hint of sweetness. This cigar celebrates three decades of Perdomo excellence with refined flavors and aroma.
Perdomo 30th Anniversary Maduro The Perdomo 30th Anniversary Maduro is wrapped in a well-aged Maduro leaf, providing rich flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and sweet spices. This full-bodied cigar offers a luxurious smoking experience to mark Perdomo's milestone anniversary.
Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown The Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown features a Sun Grown wrapper aged to perfection, delivering robust and spicy flavors. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers a complex and satisfying smoke, celebrating Perdomo's legacy.
Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Connecticut The Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Connecticut is crafted from twelve-year-old tobaccos aged in bourbon barrels, offering a creamy and nutty profile with subtle sweetness. This mild to medium-bodied cigar provides a refined and smooth smoking experience.
Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Maduro The Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Maduro features a dark and rich Maduro wrapper, delivering bold flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and spices. This full-bodied cigar offers a deep and satisfying smoke with a hint of sweetness from bourbon barrel aging.
Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Sun Grown The Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper, providing a robust and spicy profile. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers complex flavors with a touch of sweetness from the bourbon barrel aging process.
Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Connecticut The Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Connecticut features a silky Connecticut wrapper, delivering creamy and nutty flavors with hints of cedar. This medium-bodied cigar offers a smooth and refined smoking experience with well-balanced flavors.
Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Maduro The Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Maduro is wrapped in a dark and oily Maduro leaf, offering rich flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and sweet spices. This full-bodied cigar provides a deep and satisfying smoke with a luxurious finish.
Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Sun Grown The Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper, delivering robust and spicy flavors. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers a complex and satisfying smoking experience with a touch of sweetness.
Perdomo Habano Connecticut The Perdomo Habano Connecticut features a golden Connecticut wrapper aged for additional eight months, providing creamy and nutty flavors with hints of cedar. This medium-bodied cigar offers a smooth and balanced smoke.
Perdomo Habano Maduro The Perdomo Habano Maduro is crafted with a dark and rich Maduro wrapper aged for fourteen months, delivering bold flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and spices. This full-bodied cigar offers a deep and satisfying smoke.
Perdomo Habano Sun Grown The Perdomo Habano Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper aged for ten months, providing robust and spicy flavors. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers complex and satisfying flavors with a smooth finish.
Perdomo Inmenso Seventy Maduro The Perdomo Inmenso Seventy Maduro features a dark and oily Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper, delivering rich and bold flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and spices. This full-bodied cigar offers a satisfying smoke in a hefty 70-ring-gauge format.
Perdomo Inmenso Seventy Sun Grown The Perdomo Inmenso Seventy Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper, providing robust and spicy flavors. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers complex and satisfying flavors in a chunky 70-ring-gauge size.
Perdomo Limited Cameroon Edition The Perdomo Limited Cameroon Edition features a rare Cameroon wrapper, delivering a medium-bodied profile with flavors of cedar, nuts, and a hint of sweetness. This limited edition cigar offers a unique and refined smoking experience.
Perdomo Lot 23 The Perdomo Lot 23 is crafted from tobaccos grown on a single Perdomo family estate, offering medium-bodied flavors of cedar, nuts, and cocoa. This budget-friendly cigar provides a perfect introduction to Perdomo's quality and craftsmanship.
Perdomo Lot 23 Connecticut The Perdomo Lot 23 Connecticut features an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, delivering creamy and nutty flavors with hints of cedar. This medium-bodied cigar offers a smooth and well-balanced smoke at an affordable price.
Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro The Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro is wrapped in a dark Nicaraguan Maduro leaf, providing rich flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and spices. This medium-bodied cigar offers a deep and satisfying smoke with great value.
Perdomo Small Batch Connecticut The Perdomo Small Batch Connecticut features a silky Connecticut wrapper, delivering creamy and nutty flavors with hints of cedar. This medium-bodied cigar offers a smooth and refined smoking experience with small batch quality.
Perdomo Small Batch Maduro The Perdomo Small Batch Maduro is crafted with a dark and oily Maduro wrapper, offering rich flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, and spices. This full-bodied cigar provides a deep and satisfying smoke with small batch attention to detail.
Perdomo Small Batch Sun Grown The Perdomo Small Batch Sun Grown showcases a Sun Grown wrapper, delivering robust and spicy flavors. This medium to full-bodied cigar offers complex and satisfying flavors with the precision of small batch production.
Perdomo Cigars is a shining example of dedication, tradition, and innovation in the cigar industry. From their meticulous agricultural practices to their advanced fermentation and aging techniques, every step of the Perdomo Way ensures the highest quality cigars. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Perdomo, their extensive range of blends offers something for every palate. Visit their facilities in Miami or Nicaragua to experience firsthand the passion and craftsmanship that go into every Perdomo cigar.
