Reyes Family Premier Perfecto
Monday December 21, 2009
Reyes Family Premier Perfecto
Wrapper leaf: Maduro Ecuador Sumatra
Binder leaf: Nicaragua
Filler leaves: Nicaragua, from Condega & Jalapa
Dimensions: 5 inches by 56-ring gauge
It’s funny what one discovers when clearing papers from the desk. Never mind that the Holiday Season is upon us. I’ve just stumbled across the scribbled notes of a potential review dating back to mid September.
Ah yes. Now I remember. A late Saturday afternoon in the country. The sun shone, and the breeze blew fairly briskly. I sat outside on the lawn, poured myself a healthy dram of Glenlivet’s excellent 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve and fired up the impeccably fabricated Perfecto, taking note of the mahogany-walnut hued outer leaf, the restrained sweetness of the fragrance and the fact that the ash didn’t want to fall.
This was obviously no ordinary cigar. The well delineated tobacco thrust seemed rich and dense, yet not in the least overbearing. And a subtle yet persistent tingle on the palate spoke of the work of experienced blenders. Behind the core tobacco taste lurked notions of blueberry, cassis, Spye apple, dark chocolate and Yemen coffee. A discreet hint of eucalyptus brought a refreshingly cool sensation to the overall warmth of the flavour spectrum.
Bottom line… Balanced and complex in the manner of a fine Bordeaux wine, and an hour and a quarter very well spent.
If searching for a distinctive cigar falling midline within the medium to intense strength range, you may just want to give this one a go.
Postscript: Back in 2008, the Cigar Weekly Review Panel assessed this very same cigar 'blind', and came away with a somewhat mixed reaction. Positive comments primarily centered around the admirable construction, sufficient richness, enjoyable flavour and balance. Negative comments seemed to focus on the lack of complexity as well as a metallic taste element and, at times during the smoke, outright harshness. Yet, despite this variability, the Perfecto still managed to garner an 'excellent' overall rating of 35.0 out of 50.0, or 4 stars. My suspicion, based on the results tabulated by the panel and my personal experience, is that humidor time serves this particular cigar very well.
Note: The original review as well as the responses of fellow Cigar Weekly members can be viewed in the Cigar Reviews room of the Cigar Weekly forums, HERE.