Ramon Allones Short Perfectos ER Italia, OPG SEP 14 FFR

[Guest Nekhyludov]

The immediately striking thing about the Short Perfectos is the wrapper. It's attractive - silky smooth, veinless, bright tawny colorado claro in color. But it's simply very much lighter than anything I've seen on a good Ramon Allones, whether regional or regular production. It looks like the wrapper from a very good Cohiba.

The aroma at cold is very, very faint. Off the foot, I can detect a bit more - some generic, light wet hay. It lights perfectly, giving an easy, consistent draw and good smoke output. The ash is, as expected, flaky and gray.

The smoke starts fairly mild. It's very pleasant, very easy, and not a hint of harshness or inbalance. It just takes about an inch for the profile to open up. Early on, it's simply toasted bread and nutty, with a bit of white pepper on the retrohale.

By the midpoint, those flavors have deepened, taking on a malt and roasted chestnut character. The white pepper remains in the retrohale, and the aroma off the foot has a nice sour and salty twang.

The performance of has been uniformly excellent.

The final third opens with a sudden hit of sharp, sweet cherry that reminds me, weirdly, of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia. That's definitely the first time I've ever written that sentence in a cigar review.

By the time the burn gets to the secondary band, the cherry has become much creamier, and a distinct sugar note is hitting the nose.

The wood base flavor picks up some char and reasserts itself in the last inch and a half, which is where I set it down.

At the end, the Short Perfectos is a very unusual smoke. It shows some flavors that I've never noticed in any cigar before, and none of the typical Ramon Allones character. Nonetheless, it was a joy to smoke and more than kept my attention. Now I only wish I had a few more. 

[99call]

great review, cheers dude

[MooseAMuffin]

Great review!

You aren't joking about that wrapper. It looks like it was bathed in oil. Color of it is amazing as well.

First cigar review to make me want ice cream too ?

[TheMonk]

Good job!

[aphexafx]

Excellent review.  Hints of Cherry Garcia!?  Lucky you!  Rarely a LE or regional release catches my eye and this was definitely one of them.  They are really striking cigars and I love love love those bands.  And they were co-released in a beautiful limited edition 40 count humidor.  I could never afford a special release humidor, and if I could I would never justify it, BUT I'm really fond of the tradition.