If you enjoy Nicaraguan puros (cigars containing 100% Nicaraguan binders, fillers, and wrappers) then Perdomo Grand Cru is sure to please.

The Perdomo family has been greatly involved in the tobacco industry for at least three generations. With that in mind, they concentrate their quality control practices not only on the efforts of rolling each individual stick, but more so on growing quality tobacco. Each Perdomo cigar must maintain a consistent flavor from box to box, in addition to passing some of the highest quality control standards in the industry. Silvio Perdomo originally implemented these standards and believed a great cigar could only be created using exceptional tobacco. Today, Nick Perdomo not only still believes in this idea, but follows in his forefathers footsteps by continually releasing unique blends where the focus is not based on how many cigars are produced, but on the quality of each individual stick released for all to enjoy.

Grand Cru comes in three different varieties so there is blend in this line for all enthusiasts. The Connecticut version remains silky smooth but flavorful with an abundance of earthy characteristics throughout. It also releases a fantastic aroma with notes of cedar and floral nuances. If searching for a bit more body, the blend also comes wrapped with a tasty Corojo leaf, a great choice as its toothy wrapper provides an exorbinant amount of spice without becoming overwhelmingly strong. Satisfying even the most discerning aficionados, Perdomo also made this great blend available in a maduro, which shows dark oils and provides a fantastic rich flavor with light sweet nuances and a hint of espresso. All three feature 100% Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos hand-picked from a 2004 crop, allowing for a perfectly balanced, medium to full-bodied experience.

Q: What is so appealing about small cigars?

A: Many enthusiasts actually prefer small cigars. They provide ample flavor while still remaining a relatively quick enjoyment, especially in those situations where you cannot afford the time to enjoy a “standard” robust-sized cigar which could remain lit for up to 45 minutes. Most small cigars also come in tins, which presents an immediate advantage as the tins provide fantastic protection when traveling. Other enthusiasts prefer tins of small cigars to traditional boxes because the blends are usually less offensive to those who may not enjoy cigar smoke and the sticks only burn for about 20 minutes or less. Since small cigars usually maintain a ring gauge of 40 or less and are usually no longer than 4 inches in length, they produce little in terms of thick smoke and therefore are a great indulgence during the winter months or when you're not in the company of favorable cigar enthusiasts. These small sticks also come in many different flavors; traditional and non-traditional so there is a blend for everyone from those who enjoy sweet, fruity nuances to those who prefer a traditional full body. With the winter months closing in, now is the perfect time to pick up a tin or two of some small cigars to experience just how enjoyable these short beauties can be.

A phenomenal addition to the Gurkha line, Micro-Batch features the most rare and limited tobaccos Kaizad Hansotia has ever used in any of his blends, making it one of the most exclusive cigars available in the Gurkha lineup.

Gurkha cigars are famous for Kaizad’s use of fine, aged, limited tobaccos – so much so that even the most elite individuals in the world thoroughly enjoy the Gurkha brand. However, Micro-Batch raises the bar even further in regard to limited availability, as each cigar in this line contains ultra-rare tobaccos grown on small lots yielding no more than 50,000 cigars per size. In addition, Kaizad Hansotia not only decided to utilize these extraordinary tobaccos to create Micro-Batch, but also carefully blended each lot to fit a specific size in order to produce some of the hardest to find cigars on the market. Since each size contains a blend of tobaccos chosen specifically to fill each shape, the flavors and aromas produced create an unbelievably unique and enjoyable medium to full-bodied experience with a balance unmatched by no other.

Gurkha Micro-Batch is available in four options, with each utilizing a different blend of tobaccos tailored specifically for each particular size:

TPB-1 contains a mix of Nicaraguan ligero and viso leaves bound with a sliver of Ecuadorian tobacco, which is then concealed by a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper cultivated in 2004. Encased in a 6.5"x44 lancero frame, the box-pressed format creates a rich character with abundant spicy nuances that are complemented by light notes of sugarcane. The finish is slightly robust, but smooth with flavors of cedar and earth.

VH-7 contains a more complex blend of Nicaraguan ligero, Honduran ligero, and Dominican seco tobaccos bound by a Nicaraguan Habano leaf, which is then concealed by a Jamastran Habano wrapper cultivated in 2003. Encased in a 6"x50 frame, this size is also box-pressed to allow the tobacco’s complex mix of espresso and leather flavors to combine on the palate, creating a smooth yet peppery character.

C-10 maintains an unbelievably smooth character. It features a blend of Nicaraguan ligero, seco, and viso tobaccos wrapped with a Nicaraguan Habano binder, which is concealed with a beautiful Connecticut Ecuadorian wrapper cultivated in 2002. Its 7"x48 frame allows for a robust start that smoothly transitions into a plethora of cedar-like flavors masked by hints of nuts and a very light sweetness.

S-2 features a spicy blend of Nicaraguan Corojo, Honduran Corojo, and Cubana Piloto tobaccos bound by a smooth, creamy Connecticut Ecuadorian leaf that is then concealed with a Sumatra Ecuadorian wrapper. The 6"x52 figurado allows these tobaccos to produce a creamy quality with light hints of red pepper. Coffee and cedar is present, allowing for a rich aftertaste and a medium, semi-sweet but earthy finish.

C-10 Churchill (7"x48) Super smooth and creamy with many notes of earth and cedar, this is a phenomenal blend. The cigar burned perfectly from start to finish and although it did build in strength, it still remained a mild to medium-bodied blend with many clean, crisp flavors that remain true until the last puff. 89/100 [Buy Now]

TPB-1 Box-Pressed Lancero (6.5"x44) A great blend of spice and pepper. The box-press shape allows for a slow, even burn with a deliberate draw. Although it did burn slightly hot, the complexities this lancero produces are intense with a long, full finish and sweet aroma. 89/100 [Buy Now]

S-2 Torpedo (6"x52) Beware, this blend will take your taste buds for a ride. Its Corojo fillers and Sumatra wrapper provide ample spice with many competing peppery flavors mixed with cedar-like nuances. Great after dinner. Burned unevenly down the left side. 88/100 [Buy Now]

VH-7 BP Toro (6"x50) Due to its age, this blend tastes a bit more full but the strength is only noticable in the gut, not your head as it remains smooth and well-balanced. Spice and pepper are noticably masked by espresso and coffee characters for a deep, rich experience. Great everyday. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Cain by Oliva - Considered one of the best new releases in 2009, Cain provides ample flavor and body as it contains 100% Nicaraguan ligero long leaves from Condega, Jalapa and Esteli while maintaining a smooth character due to its triple-fermented tobacco.

Diesel - One A.J. Fernandez's most recent gems, Diesel exudes a ton of full-flavors in a medium to full-bodied format allowing for a stout, complex experience with perfect balance.

Perdomo Reserve Ltd. Oscuro - Cultivated in Esteli, Nicaragua, Perdomo Reserve Ltd. Oscuro features a beautiful, oily and super rich wrapper providing deep, bold layers of flavor in a medium-bodied format.

Reposado '96 - Hailing from Nicaragua and available in either a Connecticut or Habano wrapper, this is a medium-bodied, yet flavorful blend perfect any time of day.

10/20/2009: Join Alex 'El Grande' Svenson and Tim 'El Meno Mas' Blythe as they partake in another round of blind tasting! See if Alex can guess what cigar he is offered. Heck, see if he can even make sure to get the unlit end in his mouth... [Listen Now]

Cigar.com (CC): Sam, first, congratulations on the success of the Nub cigar. How and when did Nub originate?

Sam Leccia (SL): I experimented at home with different tobaccos and sizes, trying to find something that wasn’t already being done. As I dissected cigars and rolled some others I began to look for the core or the sweet spot of a cigar. I studied all the shapes that have been made and noticed that many cigars really developed after an inch or two. As I started to shorten the cigars, they lost character, so I started to expand the ring gauge. I was amazed at the result. Nub is a careful balance between length and ring gauge. The end product is a completely new cigar experience. I first presented the idea to José Oliva in the middle of 2007.

CC: What was his reaction?

SL: At first, he was not very excited. He felt this was a novelty, and the Olivas take cigars very seriously. I assured him that it was a real innovation and we smoked a couple homemade samples. He was intrigued and agreed to have the factory roll some working samples to evaluate the merits of the theory. The Oliva family really started believing in the project once they received the samples back. The cigars were smoking great. Finally, the family agreed to back the project and here we are now.

CC: What can you tell me of your latest creation, the Cain cigar?

SL: Cain is a Straight Ligero triple fermented cigar. It is full body, full flavor, but surprisingly very smooth and complex.

CC: For our readers who may not know, what is Ligero?

SL: Ligero comes from the leaves at the top of the tobacco plant. They soak up the most sun, and receive the most nutrients. It’s what gives cigars a full body. Ligero is kind of like tobacco concentrate. It is packed with flavor. In making Cain, I wanted to create a cigar solely of ligero. The problem is that Ligero usually is very harsh, and burns very poorly. We solved the problem by triple fermenting the tobacco.

CC: What does triple fermenting do?

SL: Fermentation is where the real magic occurs. After curing, the tobacco leaves have all their potential locked inside. It is through patient and vigilant handling that the leaves are brought to the desired result. The tobacco leaves are placed into groups of 20-25 leaves called Manos. The Manos are then stacked in large piles called Pilones. Inside these Pilones the tobacco can reach temperatures as high as 120 degrees. The inner most tobacco generates the most heat. The Pilón is rotated often to allow for even heat exposure. No automation is used in this critical process. It is the work of a tobacco man and his instincts.

Triple Fermentation is a process by which we bring the tobacco up to temperature three separate times. This was imperative in making Cain because of the mission to make a Straight Ligero cigar.

The Ligero tobacco can take sustained temperature as a result of its thicker character. Through this careful process we brought out all of the deepest, richest flavors of the Ligeros. This also allowed us to smooth the jagged delivery of flavor into a very full body yet smooth curve.

CC: So Sam, how do you go about making a cigar from only Ligero?

SL: Cigar Architecture is crucial in any cigar. It is especially critical in making a Straight Ligero cigar. Not all tobacco burns at the same rate. Ligeros are the fullest body, slowest burning of the tobaccos. Viso is medium flavored with better burn qualities. Seco is lighter flavored and quickest to burn. It is the careful arrangement of these tobaccos that allows a cigar to burn true.

Flavor Range refers to the low, medium, and high range of flavors in a cigar blend. Typically these ranges are achieved by the three aforementioned tobaccos. In making a Straight Ligero cigar we are delivering low, medium and high range all from Ligero tobaccos. Still we must carefully arrange these Ligeros with other tobaccos for a true burn. The other tobaccos make no significant contribution to flavor.

Wrapper leaf is typically credited with delivering up to 60% of the flavor of a cigar, depending on the ring gauge. This is mostly true. In a Straight Ligero cigar it plays an important but reduced role as a result of the three powerful Ligeros.

CC: I have seen in your recent advertisements that there is a Cain chopper. Can you give us some info on that bike?

SL: The bike is a Big Bear “Paradox” Chopper. It is one mean machine. The bike is over 10 feet long, with more than 100 horsepower and over 100 lbs. of torque. We will be doing the drawing next August.

CC: Well Sam, I appreciate you spending the time for our quick interview, I wish you and your latest brand Cain, the most success.

SL: It has been my pleasure. I appreciate all of the support that Cigar.com has given to both the Nub and Cain brands.