Vitola: Perla L (Box-Pressed Corona Gorda)- 5.5” x 46 ring gauge
- ~$5.99
- Samples provided by J.C. Newman
Background
Perla del Mar was released by J.C. Newman Cigars in 2012. It is a Connecticut Shade wrapped cigar made in the same Nicaraguan factory that produces El Baton and Brick House. In 2016, they followed up with the Perla del Mar Maduro, which I’ve just recently had the opportunity to try. As noted, the Perla del Mar lines are part of the J.C. Newman catalog, but they don’t seem to be really considered a full part of the J.C. Newman company as they don’t appear on the company’s website; instead the blend has its own website with barely any mention of Newman.
According to that website, the fillers of Perla del Mar Maduro are Nicaraguan Pueblo Nuevo, La Reina, Condega and Jalapa; the binder is also Nicaraguan and the wrapper is a Connecticut Broadleaf.
I smoked one of these before this review sample. Both were provided by our local Fuente/J.C. Newman rep.
Prelight
For an inexpensive cigar, the Perla del Mar Maduro has some very attractive packaging. the boxes are white with lavish gold and blue labels on them, matching the labeling of the cigars themselves. The cigar labels are ornate and have a unique and interesting die-cut shape with lots of foiling and embossing surrounding a black and white picture of an ocean-going vessel (perhaps called “Perla del Mar”?). The blue color is a fitting oceanic shade and there is a pink/peach color in some background elements that provides just enough contrast to be visually interesting. The secondary band is of a similar design and just adds the word “Maduro” to the cigar.
The wrapper leaf was a dark chocolate brown color with very little variation or mottling. It had an oily feel to it and shone a bit under the light. Giving it a sniff, I picked up strong notes of coffee bean and leather, followed up by lesser cocoa powder and anise notes. The foot of the cigar was rich with earthiness and more coffee bean. The cigar is box-pressed and very boxy, for that matter. While many box-pressed cigars end up being slightly wider than tall, this one is almost perfectly square.
I clipped the head with my regular Xikar Xi cutter and got a very good draw that tasted of cedar and semi-sweet chocolate.
Flavor
I got the Perla Del Mar Maduro burning quickly and easily. Soon it was producing dark earth flavors, with highlighting notes of espresso bean, cocoa powder and anise. There was a bit of pepper spice on the palate, but a much higher dose on the nose, where I also got a good amount of cedar. The first third continued on with ample sweet and coffee notes, along with touches of bread and floral flavors.
As I got deep into the second third, there was more breadiness in the mix. In mix with the semi-sweet chocolate notes, the resulting profile was a very nice almost-brownie flavor. Coffee and cedar notes had receded quite a bit and pepper was virtually non-existent at this point.
Bread and chocolate continued in the final third, while pepper notes started to come back. There was a little coffee bean on the finish, as well.
Construction
I had a great build on both of these that I smoked: excellent draw, very even burn line and solid ash.
Value
This cigar is priced in the “bargain” range. For the flavor I got out of it, I would say it easily exceeded its price tag.
Conclusions
Most Maduro cigars are blended to be stronger and more full-bodied; while this Maduro version of Perla Del Mar is stronger than the Shade version, it only reached a medium-bodied range, while focusing much more on the sweeter notes that can come through with a Maduro leaf. I found this to be a very nice “bargain” Maduro that I can see smoking again and again.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
