Vitola: Corona Gorda- 5.5” x 46 ring gauge
- ~$6.50
- Samples provided by J.C. Newman
Background
J.C. Newman introduced the Perla del Mar brand about a decade ago as a budget-friendly—but still premium, long-filler—milder cigar. It had Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. A Maduro version followed some years later, featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf. More recently the company decided to revamp the brand a bit and reintroduce it, alongside a new blend. The existing Perla del Mar Shade and Maduro blends got strengthened a bit with “aged Nicaraguan filler tobaccos,” the packaging was changed dramatically, and the cigars are not shaped in a “classic Tampa-style press” which is a little more rectangular rather than box-shaped.
The new blend, though, is the Perla del Mar (or PDM) Corojo. It still features Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves, but this blend uses a “robust Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper.” It comes in four sizes which retail between $6 and $7 each. They are handmade in J.C. Newman’s Nicaraguan factory, PENSA.
J.C. Newman provided the samples I have smoked for this review. I smoked about 5 of this blend before I wrote this review.
Prelight
Like most brands that expand out to several wrapper types or variations on the theme, the Perla del Mar lines have gone “color coded.” The Corojo uses a shade of brown that has more than a little red in it…and actually when I take the cigar outside to natural light, the color appears more of a flat purple than a reddish-brown. The inside of the box has retained some sea-oriented artwork (the name of the cigar translates to “Pearl of the Sea,” after all), but the band has been toned down to a more simple and traditional look with plenty of gold foil and embossing, but just a circle at the face, with “PDM” displayed prominently and “Perla del Mar” in the circle around it. The blend name “Corojo” is under the circle. This motif is carried across the Shade and Maduro versions as well, with different colors for the accents.
The old PDM was indeed very boxy with its box-press, which this one is slightly flatter with maybe slightly more rounded corners. The wrapper leaf was a milk chocolate shade of brown with a good amount of oils under my fingertips and an aroma of wood and earth. The foot of the cigar had notes of earth and anise and espresso beans.
Once clipped, the PDM Corojo had a good prelight draw that had plenty of wood and hay notes, with lesser notes off earth.
Flavor
The cigar was easy to fire up quick and evenly; it burst out with earth and red pepper, backed up with cedar and a mild sweetness. The retrohale had about as much pepper spice as the palate, but there was more of a roasted nuttiness present there, as well. Overall, it started off medium-plus in body.
As I continued burning along and got into the second third, more sweetness came out with a touch of nuttiness on the palate. The pepper spice toned down on the palate a bit, but still burned brightly on the nose.
The last third had a very robust mix of cedar, sweet nuttiness, and pepper spice, with earthiness backing it up, all while maintaining that same medium-plus body.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line, and solid ash.
Value
I found this to be a very enjoyable blend with a price tag that is still one of the best around.
Conclusions
The Perla Del Mar blends were never a mainstay in my rotation, but this Corojo variation could change all that. I found it to be flavorful and enjoyable from end to end with a pleasant amount of complexity while never getting overwhelming with body or strength. Not only is it a worthy addition to the line, but it’s best of them.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
