Padron 2000 Maduro cigars are exotic and perfectly hand-crafted with a high-quality blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. They are encased in home-grown Nicaraguan Maduro leaf wrappers that produce a satisfying aroma and special, flavorful aftertaste. A Nicaraguan binder holds these cigars together in a firm roll that makes for a delightfully easy treat. The leaf binder also evens out the flavor, giving you an enjoyable smooth experience.
These flawlessly hand-rolled cigars are offered in a rugged, sturdy wooden box which contains 26 pieces. They are prepared in lengths of 5 inches with a ring gauge of 50, making them ideal for a relaxing retreat at the end of a long day. The tobacco used in Padron cigars are cultivated in the rich soils of Nicaragua, a place that has established itself as one of the most bountiful sources of fine tobacco.
Padron Cigars one of the best cigars on the market.
Few, if any
cigar brands can hold a candle to Padron Cigars. Hailing from humble
beginnings, Padron Cigars have carved an iconic name in the stogie world.
Typically,
most cigar brands appeal to either beginners or aficionados. Seldom will you
find a brand that effortlessly walks the line between, but the Padron brand
does. These cigars are loved for their rugged, rustic look and robust flavor
which speaks to the hearts of aficionados and their amazing full-bodied flavor
and medium strength that is synonymous with beginners.
History of Padron Cigars
Jose Orlando
Padron founded the Padron brand of cigars in 1964 in Miami, Florida. Jose
Orlando Padron was a humble immigrant who could barely make ends meet when his
friend gifted him a small hammer. With this hammer, he worked to save $600
which was the capital used to begin Padron Cigars Inc. To date, the little
hammer that started the Padron Cigar conglomerate still features in their logo.
In 1970,
Jose Orlando Padron moved the Padron Cigar factory to Esteli, Nicaragua. Padron
Cigars are handmade in this factory, and the Padron Cigars company handles all
the production and distribution of their products. To ensure the quality of
Padron Cigars is consistent year after year, Padron Cigar Inc. produces a
maximum of 100,000 cigars annually.
The Padron Series
Now that we
are updated on Padron Cigars in general, let's discuss the oldest brand in the
book, the Padron Series, also referred to as the Numbered Series.
Padron
Series was the first batch made by the Padron Cigar Company in 1964. This
series features 15 vitolas all wrapped with either a Natural or Maduro wrapper.
They are Nicaraguan puro with long fillers aged for a minimum of two and a half
years.
The Padron
Series is also known as the Numbered Series because some of the cigars in the
series are known only by numbers. The series vitolas include:
I have never
come across a stogie lover who had negative things to say about the Padron
Series cigars. Sure, they do have their little quirks but if anything, I have
come to appreciate them as endearing.
Truthfully,
I had quite a dilemma deciding which of the Padron Series' cigars to review -
kinda like a kid in a candy store. Finally, I decided to review the Padron
Churchill Maduro.
Prelight
I get happy
chills whenever I am about to smoke a great cigar. Especially a full-size one
that will last 1-2 hours. This is one of my happy chills cigars.
My Churchill
Maduro is very veiny. The wrapper is rough and bumpy with a slight oily sheen
to it. One of the little Padron quirks is a sloppy cap. Most cigar brands put
two or three layers of wrapper around the cap, but the Padron Cigar Company
does not. The cap is a single layer. The cigar build is solid, rugged, and
toothy with an uneven rustic handmade look.
When
clipping the cigar, be careful with the cap. Personally, I prefer a punch cut.
Since Padron cigars are generally airy, you do not want to cut too much cap
because it will inevitably fall apart or get too hot towards the nub.
The cold
draw is excellent with just enough resistance. There are dark chocolate and
espresso notes coupled with dry hay on a bed of wonderful Maduro aroma.
First Third
My first
draw exudes clouds of smoke. Right off the bat, there are prominent black
pepper notes in the front of the palate. The smoke is smooth with rich earthy,
leathery, and woody undertones.
A few draws
in, and the creamy, semi-sweet chocolate flavors settle in. I can also taste
fleeting cedar on a base of sweet spice. The finish is long with lots of pepper
on the retrohale. Flavors build consistently as my stogie progresses. The burn
is a tad reckless - another quirk - but it never needs correction. The ash
comes in light-gray and stable for up to half an inch.
Mid Third
Without any
dramatic transitions, the flavors of my stogie get darker. The chocolate
flavors go toastier, almost like toffee. The peppery notes go from black pepper
to white pepper while the creaminess takes a breather.
Earthy notes
coupled with sweet tobacco and woody, nutty spice remain on the finish. One of
the most appealing qualities of this stogie is the sweet tobacco aroma. The
burn is still solid, and smoke output is ample.
Final Third
The final
third of my Churchill Maduro goes stronger. The flavors build to a full-body,
and the strength is a strong medium. Peppery notes develop from white pepper to
red pepper with strong tobacco, toasted espresso, and nutty flavors in the
background.
The nub is
all dark tobacco zest with a long peppery finish. My stogie is a tad warm at
this point, but I am glad I preserved the cap because it means I can smoke it
down to an inch or so. I have thoroughly enjoyed the smoke for 1 hour and 40
minutes. The flavors were excellently balanced and consistent throughout the
smoke.
Why Padron Cigars are so Revered
Padron Cigar
Inc. goes to enormous heights to ensure that each cigar they produce lives up
to their legendary quality. From limiting their production to doing all the
production and distribution themselves, each Padron cigar is an embodiment of
their motto 'When Padron is on the label, quality is a matter of family honor.'
The Padron
Series is legendary in its own right. Constructed using the same Cuban recipe
for decades, these cigars deliver flavor as well as strength that is loved by
aficionados and casual cigar smokers alike. Personally, I like that Padron
Series cigars are not moody. This means you can truly enjoy your smoke, setting
your stogie down once or twice without having to relight or retouch.
Additionally,
for such quality, Padron Series cigars are reasonably priced for between $4 to
$9 a piece. Most of the vitolas come in a pack of 26 while a couple of them
sell in 4 packs.
Padron Series Cigar Ratings
It is a
well-known fact that Padron Series cigars have some of the highest ratings of
all cigar brands on the market. Cigar Aficionado gives all the cigars in this
series high 80s to low 90s ratings, the highest being Padron 6000 Maduro and
the Padron 7000 with a 93 rating.
If you have
never tried Padron Series cigars, do not hesitate to pick up a couple on your
next cigar run. This is one brand you always want to have in your humidor.
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