Beneath the Band: Rafael Gonzalez Perla

[El Presidente]

This series seeks to explore whether a particular cigar is humidor worthy.

Cost these days is an issue for many so let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts.  This should particularly assist those new to the cigar world.  

To be fair, most of the cigars we have featured to date have scored exceptionally well. Surprisingly well! 

Scoring is: 1-3 (Poor)   4-6 (Average to good)   7-10  (very good to excellent)  Use the Poll. 

You are more than free to comment away 

Today: Rafael Gonzalez Perla 

This cigar simply flies below the radar when the discussion turns to Perla/Minuto. I know it is damn strong field but it is among the cheapest and I can't recall every having a dud. Now I am sure that I must have, but given I can't recall leads me to think that this is a cigar the bats way above its perceived station. I love the milk chocolate / coffee ground spine and it generally delivers from the first light. 

Your thoughts on the Rafael Gonzalez Perla? 

Outside of the poll, which do you prefer and why? Let us know in this thread 

 

[BG318]

I love this cigar. Go to in the morning. Go to after dinner on a walk. Never had any construction issues. It's a real workhorse cigar.

[Mike Mecklenburg]

7-10 across the board for me.

[Fugu]

Superb small-format cigar, one of the best. Can easily compete with the other Perlas (Monte, Cohiba), at only half or 1/5 of the price, resp. In particular when aged. And ages very well.

[Ford2112]

HUGE fan. Maybe my favorite minuto. When you get a good aged example these punch so much above their weight. I much prefer these to the PC. Punchy but balanced when young. Great morning cigar with a cup. Great value. An under the radar marque that still delivers fair value per stick. 

Edit: perla are slightly smaller than a minuto so that's my way of generically labeling things.

[Duder]

21 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

HUGE fan. Maybe my favorite minuto. When you get a good aged example these punch so much above their weight. I much prefer these to the PC. Punchy but balanced when young. Great morning cigar with a cup. Great value. An under the radar marque that still delivers fair value per stick. 

Edit: perla are slightly smaller than a minuto so that's my way of generically labeling things.

Can’t really say it better than this. RG is so underrated and I have loved every vitola I could get my hands on. 

[Gubbins]

Got a couple of boxes of these on the go at the moment, albeit both with only around 2 years of age. In Europe these are probably the best bang for back cigar you can get, due to how ridiculously cheap they are. IYKYK. 

For that reason I have gone through these boxes like a wood chipper. Great smokes after a couple of years. However, I can’t say that I agree with all these high ratings on construction. I might just have poor luck, but I could be the sole contractor to Glastonbury with the amount of tent pegs I’ve had. Alas, that doesn’t stop me buying them.

Great flavours, and definitely humidor worthy, but I’ll always end up spending 10 minutes massaging the cigars before I find one I am confident with.

[Allroz]

21 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

HUGE fan. Maybe my favorite minuto. When you get a good aged example these punch so much above their weight. I much prefer these to the PC. Punchy but balanced when young. Great morning cigar with a cup. Great value. An under the radar marque that still delivers fair value per stick. 

Edit: perla are slightly smaller than a minuto so that's my way of generically labeling things.

This is spot on, a much better smoke than the PC. The only thing I’d say is for me I don’t like them older than 4-5 years as they develop more floral notes I don’t care for. 
 

 

[JDoughty]

Never tried the Perlas that I recall, but have enjoyed the Panatelas Extras with or without age. The PE's don't have quite as long legs as long fillers but are quite nice from 1 to 5 years in.

[Habanoschris]

Love them. Savory goodness. Consistent. I have several in my humidor and once bought a vintage box from 2015. Never disappointing.  

[Habanoschris]

21 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

these punch so much above their weight. An under the radar marque that still delivers fair value per stick. 

Yes 👆

[dicko]

Just have to agree with everyone here - brilliant smoke and great value. Little coffee/dark choc bombs. Monte'ish type profile minus the monte "funk/twang" and much cheaper.

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[smashed]

RG is completely dismissed everywhere other than places like FOH and with other 'connoisseurs'. It's a shame as at times they punch better than other Marcas priced 1.5-2x more. Or maybe it's not a shame and it's awesome, since it keeps prices down for us who know what's up. RG CdL/PC/Perla is a great trifecta for any humidor imo.

[mikejh]

I’ve only had the RG PE and loved it, do the perlas have a similar flavor profile?

[Ford2112]

13 hours ago, mikejh said:

I’ve only had the RG PE and loved it, do the perlas have a similar flavor profile?

No the Perlas are a premium long filler smoke. Much more complex.

[Dluke08]

These are incredibly underrated. I haven’t met a RG I haven’t liked but they don’t get much love. Chocolate, a little twang and cream, and at that price point? Hard not to love!


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[SonGoku]

At 3.6€ a pop it's probably the best deal of the whole Habanos portfolio in regards to the official Spanish price list.

[JohnS]

If anyone has any doubt whether to have these in their humidor or not...don't be. These absolutely must be in there.

[JDoughty]

Sounds like I must try to get hold of some! Here's to hoping conditions get better soon for us poor starving Cuban cigar lovers in the US. 😆

[StoagieSnape]

If they are anything like--I imagine better than--their RG PE short filler siblings, then the Perlas should be a cost-effective no-brainer! I adore the PE's and thus will absolutely be adding a box or two of the Perlas to the treasure trove once I come off of the sidelines. 

[Montezüma]

Such a great cigar. Lacking complexity but just enough flavor to make it worth your time. Somehow performing better than the PC. I think this format range is quite competitive, options to suit just about every opinionated enthusiast, exciting stuff.

The Lonsdales though, a much more serious cigar for another occasion. RG is an understated marca.

[FOHgetaboutit]

100% underrated marca and punches certainly above its weight!