Tasting Notes
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.
