Cigar:            Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic Perla

Size:             40 x 4.25"

Country:          Nic

Wrapper:          Nic, Corojo 99

Binder:          

Filler:           Nic, Corojo, Criollo

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStrength: Medium

Date Received:    2007-06-26

Suspected Age:    NA

Vendor/Price:     Gift of GarryN, ASC, PNWH, CCF -  Thanks, Garry!

Hype:      

Beverage(s):      Water, Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Smoke time:       2:20

Date:             2007-07-29

Posted to ASC:    2007-07-29

Posted to CCF:    2007-07-29

Overall score:    1.5 / 5.0

Overall score:   

Sock color:       None

Hat:              Idaho Sportsman

Overall:    Not a good experience.  Initally eye-watering sour pepper.  The pepper waned and was replaced by wood, yielding eye-wateringly bitter wood.  It wasn't until the halfway point some of the expected cedar notes emerged from beneath the major bitter note.  Became variable at that point with one puff pleasant and the next horrid, so it was abandoned after about 2/3.  Extermely disappointing after the very good robusto.  Perhaps I got a dud perla. 

Ambiance:   Low overcast, mid-60s.  Watching Mariners versus Oakland, while packing a Kroggy's birthday cigars.  Little woman still with her dad at the Mayo.  Feeling good coming off last night's poker winnings. 

Appearance: Cute as a button.  Black and gold double band, both easily removed.  Bit of wrapper damage at the head.  Wrapper is darker than milk chocolate and smooth.  Wrapper cracked about 1/2 way down - thin, fragile wrapper.  Firm.  Cap is a little rough. 

Cut & Prelight:   Sweet, barnyard just like its larger brother yesterday, though this seems more floral in the sweetness.  Cut poorly with some cap and wrapper damage yielding an open draw and a sweet grassy draw flavor.  Some lip and palate tingle.

First third:      Initial blast of sour pepper.  Wow!  Eye-watering.  Large smoke volume.  Very white ash.  Not mellowing much.  Very dry after.  Less sour, now burnt wood.  Ash held to an inch. 

Second third:     Not sure I am going to finish this.  Bitter, burnt wood with a very dry, bitter after.  Already on my second beer.  I am waiting for the flavor to turn toward its larger brother, the robusto.  Not yet.  Some cedar emerging from the bitter fog.  More cedar, less bitter.  Starting to attain a flavor profile similar to the robusto. 

Third third:      Didn't make it this far.  Dry, sweet, pleasant long finish.