Perdomo Patriarch was created to honor Nicholas Perdomo Sr., and boy is it a great tasting treat. Nick Perdomo Jr. spares no expense when creating his cigars and he took on a pretty big project when producing Patriarch, since he decided to utilize only the best long leaf tobaccos from the top three growing regions in Nicaragua to create the blend.

This cigar was released at the 2008 IPCPR (formerly the RTDA) and enthusiasts across the nation have raved about it. The blend consists of tobaccos stemming from Condega, Jalapa and Esteli, Nicaragua to create a medium to full body. To produce a perfect balance between body, strength and flavor, Nick Perdomo chose only grade ‘A’ wrappers, as Perdomo Patriarch is available in a robust, yet creamy Corojo or a semi-sweet and rich maduro. The final product releases clouds of thick, creamy smoke with earthy characters that intermingle with pleasant nuances of cedar and a small hint of cocoa in the finish. Make no mistake, Patriarch is one of Nick Perdomo’s crowning achievements and should be experienced by anyone who considers him or herself a true enthusiast.

Q: I'm going on a road trip and want to bring along my cigars. How should I store them?

A: What's a good road trip without some fine sticks to enjoy while on the move? The easiest solution is to pack your cigars into a one gallon zip-lock bag. Be sure your cigars are properly humidified first, since they will act as small sponges while in the bag, keeping the humidity levels at 70% for a longer period of time. In addition, you need to place some sort of humidification device into the bag as well. A quick fix is to fill a secondary zip-lock sandwich bag with damp paper towels, place it in the bigger bag with the cigars and keep it only slightly sealed. Be sure there is no excess water since it may spill out and damage your cigars. For proper humidification, we recommend Humi-Care Water Pillows. These are inexpensive pouches filled with propolyne glycol solution that will automatically keep your humidity at 70% once dipped in distilled water - perfect for travel. The best method for traveling with your cigars would be to purchase a Herf-a-Dor travel case. These are crush proof, water proof containers made specifically for travel and come with a built in humidifier.

Man O’ War Ruination was released earlier this year and enthusiasts are still talking about how great this cigar really is. Created as an extension to the best selling Man O’ War line, Ruination pushes blending a step further with its mixture of premium ligero leaves that make up the body of the cigar. Masterfully blended by A.J. Fernandez, the man behind Rocky Patel’s Fusion, Man O’ War and Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet among others, Ruination is not for the weak and was blended to satisfy the most experienced aficionados in the industry.

A hearty concoction of Cuban-seed Honduran and Nicaraguan long leaf tobaccos, mostly ligero, are concealed by A.J.’s oily Habano Ecuadorian leaf. This leaf is becoming ever so popular due to A.J.’s use of a special, secret fermentation process he learned from tobacco legend Don Alejandro Robaina, a process that gives A.J.’s cigars a particularly tasty, unique character. Of course, the blend is full-tilt and full-bodied, filling the palate with tons of earthy sensations and complexities ranging from leather and black pepper to spice and some softer sweet notes as well. The finish is incredibly smooth for such a strong cigar as it is perfectly balanced to allow the strength to be felt in the gut more so than the head. With an oak-like aroma and a rich aftertaste, Man O’ War Ruination is a winner, just ask your fellow enthusiasts who have had the privilege of enjoying one. We doubt they will disagree.

Robusto No. 1 (5.5" x 54) There is no contest, this size fully portrays all Ruination has to offer. Intense spice overwhelms the palate from the first puff as oaky flavors and earthy mask its hearty, spicy undertones. The thick gauge allows for a smooth, even burn as the blend produces copious amounts of thick smoke. The aroma has notes of pepper with a touch of cedar. Phenomenal. 91/100 [Buy Now]

Belicoso (5.7" x 56) Perfectly constructed and sporting a shiny, oily sheen, this belicoso is slightly less robust with a smoother character than the other sizes. This size is perfect for the medium to full enthusiast looking to try this full-bodied blend but afraid of being overwhelmed with tons of spicy flavors. With great balance, we easily recommend this size to the most discerning aficionados. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Robusto No. 2 (6" x 60) In one word, powerful. Strength overwhelms the complexities found in the thicker sizes as the cigar continues to gain in strength from foot to head, creating an incredibly robust finish. The aftertaste will remain on the palate for a while after the cigar is extinguished. If you prefer a full-bodied firecracker with some complexity but consistently blasts the palate with black pepper, this is your cigar. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Carlos Torano Dominico - Carlos Torano Dominico is a quality bundled cigar produced by the world-renowned Torano Family, so expect the same in quality and consistency as you would with any other Torano cigar, but at half the price!

Bucanero Red - A Nicaraguan handmade featuring a light spicy flavor, Bucanero Red is a great choice for the price, as it is well-constructed and non-offensive.

5 Vegas Limitada 2009 - Limitada 2009 is easily the strongest Limitada blend ever created, sporting a Dominican Corojo wrapper with hearty Dominican fillers for a palate tantalizing experience.

Rocky Patel Royal Vintage - Royal Vintage is the most recent concoction Rocky has released. It features many long aged tobaccos including a dark, oily seven-year-old wrapper that conceals a tasty blend of long fillers from Central America and the Caribbean.

Cigar.com (CC): How did you get into the cigar industry and how did your brand evolve?

Pete Johnson (PJ): I got into the cigar business while I was still playing music. In the early 1990s, when I was enjoying cigars on stage, I got offered a part time job at my local tobacco store. In six months, I went from being a part time counter clerk and pipe tobacco mixer to a full-time buyer for the store’s cigars. I tried making a brand in 1995 without any luck so I waited until the one day I met a great talented man and newcomer to the United States: José "Don Pepin" García.

CC: How did you and Pepín meet?

PJ: I met Pepín in the spring of 2003 at the Grand Havana Room in Los Angeles. A dear friend and sales representative, Ben Gehrman, told me about a roller and blender that was consulting with the company he was working with. Without Ben insisting I meet this guy, I would have never realized my dream of making my own cigars. I always wanted to make a cigar that was for me first, something I enjoyed and was proud to put my name on. Pepín and his family helped me realize that dream.

CC: Tatuaje has been a huge success, just as much as your other lines. What does the future look like for your company and its many brands?

PJ: I want to continue working on a few new brands that I have in my back pocket and retire in this business many years from now while leaving a portfolio of great cigars behind - continuing to have fun and enjoying every cigar with my name on it.

CC: Are there any new releases for this year’s tradeshow you can share with us?

PJ: I am working on a few new things including my new, true vintage cigar. It is a salute to the García family and all the work they have done for me. I am also working on a couple new tubo cigars, but more details to come later.

CC: Walk us through a typical day in the life of Pete Johnson?

PJ: I wake up after little sleep and go to work. Then I take lots of plane and road trips while promoting my brands. Depending on the day, I’ll enjoy between 3 and 10 cigars, go to bed late, then wake up in the middle of the night for a few hours stressing about something. Shortly after, the next day will start. Many days, when I'm in my office, I will spend a ton of time working on new designs while also talking to many people and friends on the cigar forums.

CC: What are your daily smokes? Is there anything you don’t produce that you are particularly fond of?

PJ: I do enjoy mostly my own brands, but usually it just depends on my mood or what we got in that day. I do enjoy Pepín and Jaime’s (Pepín’s son) cigars and still a few Cuban cigars (just to see what they are doing). Truthfully, I am an enthusiast and I enjoy what is put in front of me. I’ll try anything. It’s good research.

CC: Who, in this industry, would you say has had the biggest impact on you? Who do you look up to?

PJ: I look up to many people in the industry including people like Manuel Quesada, Litto Gomez, Ernesto Carillo, José Blanco, Robbie Levin, and the Fuente family, but I think the people that have had the most impact on me is the García family. Pepín and Jaime are like family and they are still teaching me things. I also believe that without their help, I would not be where I am today.

CC: You seem to be on the road an awful lot promoting your brand. When do you find time to unwind and come up with new projects?

PJ: I do my best work when I am with Pepín and Jaime in Miami or Nicaragua. As far as unwinding goes, I try to unwind on the few short vacations I take a year, enjoying life and the friends I have around me. I also like to unwind frequently with a good bottle of wine. Sometimes that is when I come up with some great ideas. At least I think they are good.

CC: What are your interests outside of cigars? Tell us something about yourself that would surprise our readers.

PJ: I have always been into designing things and I still like to play music. I love wine and even took an extension class from U.C. Davis on how to make wine. Yeah, I’m a wine geek... but I am a cigar geek first.

CC: Pete, it was great getting to spend some time with you. Is there anything you want to add before we wrap it up?

PJ: I just want to thank everyone for enjoying my cigars and thank all my friends out there on the cigar forums for the continued words of support. I always say that my cigars are made for me first and the fact that so many people enjoy them is a bonus. Thank you again to all and a big thanks to my retailers for believing in me.