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:

• Padron Churchill (Churchill) 46 x 6 7/8 inches
• Padron Delicias (Corona Extra) 46 x 4 7/8 inches
• Padron Executive(Churchill) 50 x 7 inches
• Padron Londres(Corona) 42 x 5 inches
• Padron Palmas(Corona) 42 x 6 inches
• Padron Panatela(Panatela) 36 x 6 7/8 inches
• Padron Ambassador(Lonsdale) 42 x 6 7/8 inches
• Padron Magnum(Giant) 9 x 50 inches
• Padron 2000(Robusto) 50 x 5 inches
• Padron 3000(Robusto) 52 x 5 inches
• Padron 4000(Double Corona) 54 x 6 inches
• Padron 5000(Robusto) 56 x 5 inches
• Padron 6000(Torpedo) 52 x 5 inches
• Padron 7000(Toro) 60 x 6 inches
• Padron Corticos 35 x 4 inches

The Review

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.