Today, we review the Fermín Pérez Classic Habano in the Toro size. Fermín Pérez Cigars is a brand founded by Fermín Pérez, who is originally from Cuba. He owns a factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, that produces the cigars bearing his name. The factory was established in 2021 and is classified as a boutique factory. However, the company states that it is scalable and can produce up to one million cigars annually.
As for the brand itself, Fermín Pérez Cigars is working to establish both a national and international presence. However, the brand’s strongest market appears to be South Florida.
The company has built a large product portfolio. The website lists the following products below. The company heavily promotes its trifecta of the Bold Maduro, Classic Habano, and Classic Connecticut.
- Bold Maduro
- Classic Habano
- Classic Connecticut
- Esmeralda
- Royal Box Press Habano
- Serie de Oro Habano
- Puro Estelí (all Nicaraguan)
- Miami Special Edition (Sweet Tip)
Today we will turn our attention specifically to the Classic Habano Toro and see what this cigar brings to the table.
SPECIFICATIONS
Blend and Origin
The Classic Habano features a Habano wrapper over an Indonesian binder. The filler tobaccos come from the Jalapa, Estelí, and Pueblo Nuevo regions of Nicaragua.
- Wrapper: Habano
- Binder: Indonesian
- Filler: Nicaraguan: Jalapa, Esteli and Pueblo Nuevo
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: Fermín Pérez
Vitolas Available
The Classic Habano is available in two sizes. Each comes in ten-count boxes.
- Toro: 6 x 54
- Toro Gordo: 6 x 60
There is also a Toro Tubo offering for the 6 x 54 that comes in a five-count box.
Appearance (*)
The Habano wrapper on the Classic Habano Toro was a dark cinnamon color. The wrapper surface had a light sheen of oil. On closer inspection, it had slight toothiness and very slight mottling. Any visible veins were on the thin side. The wrapper seams were also minimally visible.
PERFORMANCE
Pre-Light Draw (*)
Before lighting the Classic Habano Toro, a straight cut was used to remove the cap. Once the cap detached, it was time to begin the pre-light draw. The cold draw delivered a mix of honey-lemon sweetness along with earth and natural tobacco. Overall, this was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to remove the footer band, toast up the Classic Habano Toro, and move into the smoking phase.
Tasting Notes
The Classic Habano Toro opened up with a mix of wood, honey-lemon, earth, and natural tobacco notes. There wasn’t a dominant note throughout most of the first third. Toward the end of the first third, the natural tobacco and honey-lemon notes took a slight edge. There was some additional sweetness contributed by the natural tobacco. Wood and earth notes became secondary, joined by black pepper. On the retrohale, additional layers of black pepper, wood, and honey-lemon emerged.
In the second third of the Classic Habano Toro, the natural tobacco and honey-lemon remained primary. The natural tobacco started out sweet, but during this phase some bitters emerged. Meanwhile, the earth, wood, and pepper remained secondary, with a slight increase in the pepper.
The final third saw the natural tobacco bitters take over. There wasn’t harshness, but the balance was still thrown off by the bitters. Honey-lemon and pepper were close secondary notes, while earth and wood rounded out the flavor profile. This is the way the Classic Habano came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.
Burn
While the Classic Habano Toro kept a relatively straight burn path, it needed several touchups to do so. The touchups did the trick, but I still preferred fewer of them. There was some jaggedness on the burn line. The resulting ash had a near-metallic gray look. This wasn’t overly firm, but it wasn’t loose or flaky either. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature maintained ideal levels.
Draw
The draw of the Classic Habano Toro was on the open side. If you have read my assessments, you will know I prefer a little resistance on the draw. This wasn’t a bad draw, and I didn’t pick up any adverse effects. This simply was more of a personal preference when it came to the draw.
Strength and Body
Overall, the Classic Habano Toro delivered a medium strength, medium-bodied smoking experience. As the cigar progressed, the body slowly increased in intensity. As for the strength, there wasn’t much of an increase in intensity. While the body increased, it didn’t move into the medium-to-full range of the spectrum. In the end, the body maintained a slight edge over the strength.
BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)
When it comes to band packaging, Fermín Pérez Cigars have a contemporary look. With the Classic Habano, the bands and boxes are white with gold font. While I normally lean toward classic packaging on boxes and bands, I liked the way these bands were for the Classic Habano as well as the Classic Connecticut. Overall, this is an excellent packaging job by Fermín Pérez.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
Much like my experience with the Bold Maduro, the Classic Habano was a tale of two cigars. I really enjoyed this cigar up until the midway point, but once past the midway point, the balance of the flavors became skewed toward the bitters, and ultimately it was disappointing in the second half. At the same time, based on the first half, I’m still inclined to give this cigar another try down the road. In the end, I would recommend you try a sample and see what you think.
Summary
- Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Honey-Lemon, Earth, Wood, Pepper
- Burn: Very Good
- Draw: Very Good
- Complexity: Medium
- Strength: Medium
- Body: Medium
- Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Try a Sample
Score: 87
REFERENCES
- News: n/a
- Price: $11.00
- Source: Fermín Pérez
- Brand Reference: Fermin Perez
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
(*) Indicates this is not factored into the score or value rating
