Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne Robusto: Creamy Mornings

A silky, pale-gold Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper - Perdomo calls it the Champagne wrapper - box-pressed into neat square edges. This is the cigar that built the brand's barrel-aging reputation, the wrapper rested in bourbon barrels before rolling. Cold, the draw was springy and free, giving cream and a light butterscotch. Smooth to the touch, evenly packed, the box-press sitting comfortably in the hand. At eight to ten dollars it presents like a more expensive mild cigar, which is much of the appeal.

The opening was exactly what a good mild Connecticut should be - cream and butterscotch up front, a light white pepper giving it just enough spine, toasted almond underneath. Nothing heavy, nothing harsh. The box-press gave a comfortable, slightly flattened draw that pushed a silky smoke. This is a gentle, easygoing start and unapologetically so; the Champagne is a daytime, mild-medium smoke and does not pretend to be more. The burn set off even and clean.

Through the middle the almond and cedar grew, a light coffee note joining, the cream staying rich and constant. The barrel-aging shows here - there is a smoothness and a faint sweetness that lesser Connecticuts miss. My burn held even, the box-press helping it track straight, the pale ash holding reasonably. This is pleasant, well-mannered smoking. I will note that a rare stick can turn a touch bland in the back half or show a fussy wrapper, so storage matters, but mine behaved.

The final third kept the creamy, nutty register with a whisper more cedar, holding gently at mild-to-medium across about an hour. It never built to anything strong, which is the whole point of this cigar - it is a smooth, consistent, low-drama smoke from light to nub. My honest read: this will bore a full-bodied smoker to tears, and that is fine. Judged as what it is - a refined, creamy morning Connecticut - it does the job cleanly and pleasantly, and the barrel-aging gives it an edge over plainer mild sticks.