Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
First off, I feel bad not having reviewed a bad cigar (or what I would consider a bad cigar) on this blog yet. Frankly, since I started it all the cigars I have been smoking have been really fantastic. The only real poor rating has been the Romeo y Julieta Vintage III cigar, and even that cigar didn’t drop into the 7 point category.
This cigar is not going to change the trend though. Not by a long shot. This cigar was once rated Best Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado, and after smoking several of these both before and after that rating, I would say it was a no brainer. The Padrón’s are unlike any other cigar makers out there right now. As far as I am concerned, they are the bar at its highest. They are the only company who make consistently great cigars, and not just in taste, but also in construction. Their box pressed 1926 and 1964 Series are always of impeccable quality. I have yet to have a single draw or burn problem with a Padrón cigar, and I’ve smoked at least sixty of them by now. That is astonishing!
This particular size is my favorite. Not too short, not too long, but just right. And unlike the more infamous 80th perfecto, the price is just right too. At $18 MSRP (and God knows what in your local B&M, I paid $23 a stick for my recent acquisitions) it’s certainly not cheap. But for what you get, it’s right on the money. You simply can’t get a better smoke for less. Hell, you’d be hard pressed to get a better smoke than this AT ANY price.
The cut, light, and draw of this baby was perfect; so lets just move on to what you really want to know about, the taste. To me, Padróns have a very distinct flavor profile and no other cigars come close. Pre-light tastes of good-ol-fashioned aged tobacco, maybe tea leaves as well. It’s cedary and a tad spicy out of the gate, but then mellows down within the first inch to open up to some beautiful black cherry, roasted nut notes. Halfway brings on espresso, coffee bean, and dark chocolate flavors, all notably sweet, but in that subtle Padrón way. The finish is a mile long and holds strong with a dryer, cocoa-like note. Spices are dusted throughout the smoke, framing and balancing it perfectly.
This cigar doesn’t disappoint. And if it does, email me and I will happily take any extras you might have off your hand. To José and Jorge: Well done guys. Well done.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
If there is such a thing as ‘hype’ in the cigar world, this was the cigar that may have started it. I have had the unique privilege and pleasure to have already smoked four of these bad boys. Every single time the cigar’s construction was perfect, the draw was literally perfect, the burn was perfect. And at over $30 a piece, they damn well better be. This is far and away the strongest cigar I will probably ever review on here. Pre-light draw is heavy on the tobacco and licorice. Once lit, this cigar exudes a sharp and potent, almost unmistakable, Padron smell. It can literally sting the nostrils. Not that its a bad smell at all, just potent.
The tastes are strong and a tad spicy right out of the gate. An older aficionado with an acute sense of taste could, I believe, pull many different flavors out of this cigar. It’s that complex. I am not blessed with such a sense of taste, so I will just stick to what I could put my finger on. Leather and nuts, and lots of both, danced around on a stage of spicy nutmeg the entire smoke. I could have sworn I tasted berries for a bit as well. For most of the cigar the strong leather notes fight with the nutty notes, almost as if they are pushing each other back and forth for my attention. This is no short smoke, took me over an hour, and if you try to rush it down I can guarantee you will walk away reeling from cigar buzz. Overall, this smoke is superb. Simply one of the best around.
However, I fear the Padron’s reach may have exceeded their grasp when you consider the price. At $32 MSRP, this is one of the most expensive smokes on the market, and with such limited quantities made this stick is now almost impossible to find anywhere close to the original price. A quick search on the Internet today revealed a online retailer charging over $40 a stick. I don’t even want to think of what they are charging at tourist stops in Vegas or Key West. The fact of the matter is, the price of this cigar is beyond unreasonable. Look at my last review, a five dollar cigar that gives me just as much pleasure as this one. Sure this cigar is far more complex and has that certain “snob” appeal, but I can smoke six Hoyo Epicure’s for the price of one 80th Anniversario. The math speaks for itself.