Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Toro
Size : 152 x 19 mm [6 x 48]
Ring : 48
Wrapper : Connecticut
Filler : Dominican Republic
Binder : Dominican Republic
Year : 1982
Hand-Made
Price : ~$40 for a box

Cerdan is a line of cigars unlike any other on the market today. Rolled in 1982, these cigars have been tucked away for nearly 27 years, yet are available for sale at an affordable price. When I had originally heard of Cerdan, I had my reservations. First of all, how do I know that they were kept under good conditions all this time? I’m sure this cigar wasn’t blended to be stored so long... will there be anything left after 27 years of aging? I was, however, very intrigued. I’ve never smoked a cigar that was almost as old as I am.

To satisfy my curiosity, Craig at Cerdan sent a sampler to me. Each of the cigars looked very nice, showing signs of age, but not neglect. None of the sticks were too dry or stiff, or soft and wet. After smoking a few, I decided that the best of the bunch was the Chamberlain, a 6 by 48 beauty.

Appearance :
On the pre-light inspection, the first thing I noticed was the intense scent of cedar and sweet tobacco. Possibly one of the best pre-light smells I’ve ever experienced for a cigar with a natural wrapper. The cigar was firm, not stiff or mushy... just right. The stick had sort of a rustic appearance, with dry-looking small white veins and a pastel blue & white band. You can definitely tell this wasn’t a modern day smoke.

 
Construction :
These Cerdan cigars are the best constructed I have ever smoked. I had not a single issue with any of them, in terms of burn, ash, draw, or otherwise. Each time, I was blown away. I found the draw to be consistently just a tiny but tighter than I like, but not at all an issue. The burn was amazing, requiring not even the slightest of touchups. The ash held to about 1.5 inches before falling off neatly into the ashtray. The pictures don’t do this cigar justice, and all of my doubts surrounding the storage conditions of these cigars over time have vanished.

Flavor :
I found these cigars to be squarely in the category of mild. I detected mostly creamy flavors, accented with cedar and nuts throughout, with slight hints of cinnamon. There was some bitterness at times, and my palette kept wanting to identify it as a walnut or apple peel. The finish was very short. I got the feeling that these were very likely a good cigar when they were younger.

Value :
At $40 a box, these bad boys are a steal. These make for fantastic giveaways for your friends who may not smoke very often. These would be great in the morning, although strong coffee might overpower the cigar. If you like milder sticks, you can’t go wrong with Cerdan.

Overall Rating :
Personally, Cerdan cigars are not for me, but I can absolutely see many cigar smokers enjoying them quite a bit. I really think that the price to try a box is so low that they’re worth a try. If most of your smoking centers around Cubans, Pepin, or Litto, you may be disappointed, but I think everyone would appreciate the flawless construction and if nothing else, the novelty of smoking perhaps one of the most aged cigars they’ll ever try.