Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown Staff Review

I’m firing up a chunky 6-by-54 Epicure in the Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown blend, one of three wrappers Nick Perdomo customarily offers in most of his cigar lines. We’ve already reviewed Perdomo’s 30th Anniversary Connecticut and 30th Anniversary Maduro cigars, which were confident ranking with the best Perdomo cigars we’ve smoked before. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to smoke the Sun Grown varietal to tell you how it performs as well.

Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown shows off a Cuban-seed wrapper, grown in Nicaragua and aged for fifteen years, spending its final months resting in a bourbon barrel. Under the wrapper is a decadent core of Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos Nick harvests on his burgeoning network of farms. Perdomo 30th Anniversary cigars were blended to commemorate the brand’s thirtieth anniversary, so it’s no surprise Nick sourced his oldest reserves of premium tobacco to create the blends.

All Perdomo 30th Anniversary cigars come in 30-count boxes, and each line is available in five pudgy, soft box-pressed sizes. You’ll need a magnifying glass to find a single blemish on a Perdomo cigar when you open a fresh box. Their tidy, uniform appearance is a direct reflection of Nick’s meticulousness as a cigar-maker. The Epicure I’ve selected shimmers with an oily, reddish-brown complexion the second I shed the cellophane and enjoy the natural aroma of leather and wood that emanates from head to foot when I hold the cigar under my nose.

Copious waves of oak and baking spices mingle with tangy impressions in the cold draw after I clip the cap and savor a few introductory puffs. The airflow is perfect, and a pleasant profile of cocoa and spice unfolds as I toast this thick Epicure. Hearty notes of pepper journey through my nasal cavity, but the 30th Anniversary Sun Grown settles into a soft, nutty profile in the first five minutes.

You can tell Nick has aged the tobacco considerably for this blend. Its smooth and refined taste offers delicate notes of cinnamon and coffee bean over a leathery foundation. As the cigar progresses, its initially spicy taste settles substantially. The profile is unusually malty and mellow for a Sun Grown wrapper from Perdomo, but the taste remains savory.

Notes of nougat and walnut emerge in the second half, and the burn has been spectacular, leaving an ash with impressive structure in its wake. The texture is a touch dry as I prepare to peel off the cigar’s oversized red-and-gold band. A nutty profile of smoked caramel and nutmeg comes into focus in the final stretch.

Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown is an easy cigar to enjoy throughout the nub. Its soft, oaky taste maintains a creamy finish in every puff without a trace of bitterness. Pairing a vintage bourbon, like Eagle Rare, with this cigar is guaranteed to offer a wealth of complementary flavors. The Epicure comes to a close after fifty-five minutes, layering the palate with a smoky, nutty aftertaste.   

Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were both cigar men, Nick Perdomo started his company on a shoestring budget while employed as an air traffic controller. The basic, budget-friendly cigars he produced at first are a far cry from the bestselling premiums he makes today. And being in control of the whole process from seed to smoke is something Nick relishes as a cigar-maker who’s obsessed with quality. By owning the fields and factory, Nick keeps his prices reasonable, too.

Add the Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown to your next order and savor the culmination of three decades of success from one of today’s most determined cigar-makers. You can also explore the full range of flavor Nick has created with Sun Grown wrappers in the Perdomo Sun Grown Connoisseur Collection, which includes the 30th Anniversary alongside five other bestselling blends.