Cigar Buying Guides

CA Report: The Essential Cigar Advisor Guide to Padron Cigars

Cigar Advisor’s Essential Padron Cigars Tasting & Buying Guide

By the Cigar Advisor Editors

The Padron Cigars story started simple: just a man and his hammer. In 1962 Jose Orlando Padrón left Cuba for the U.S., and never looked back. He was living in Miami on a $60 monthly stipend from the government until a good friend at the Cuban Refugee Office, Raul Fernandez, asked Jose if he had any carpentry experience – to which he said “Yes.” Raul handed him a hammer and told him to put it to good use. Soon, Jose found work as a gardener by day and did carpentry at night. In 1964, with some money in the bank, the Padrón family moved to Nicaragua and returned to doing what they do best – growing tobacco and rolling cigars with the utmost precision and an abundance of flavor. To this day, Padron cigars are highly sought-after, almost as much as some Cuban cigars – and that very hammer is proudly displayed in their Nicaragua headquarters, as well as on the packaging of their finest cigars, a symbol of “The American Dream.”

With Jose’s dream realized, Padron Cigars now offers eleven distinct blends in their lineup for purchase – and to help you take note of the different nuances and flavors within each, the Advisors have reviewed a popular vitola from all eleven of the Padron Cigars series for this guide, covering both the Natural and Maduro-wrapped version of each cigar (except Padron Damaso, which is offered only in a Connecticut wrapper). Creating this guide, to be sure, required all hands on deck – and to help us complete the task, we’ve enlisted the outside help of fair-and-honest guest reviewer Michael Klingerman. Michael has the better part of two decades’ worth of cigar experience to his credit, both in purchasing and in lending a hand to blending some of the most popular cigars in the Famous Smoke Shop stable.

As always, the experiences are our own and sensing flavors is a subjective thing; check out our notes, try them for yourself, and add your own experiences with these Padron cigars in the comments below!

Padron Cigars Thousand Series Cigar Review (Natural)

By Fred Lunt

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 6000 (5 ½ x 52 Torpedo)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 26

Construction and Overall Appearance: Chocolate brown wrapper, slightly toothy. The overall weight and construction has a nice feel, but with a little squishiness right in the middle.

Draw: Very easy.

Pre-light flavor: Earth and chocolate with rich tobacco, plus leather and a fragrant wood note on the foot. Pre-light draw is bready, woody and peppery with a slight hay and earth note.

Toasting & Light: Toasty, nutty, and very woody.

Base flavors: Creamy-sweet with cedar wood, black coffee, leather, earth, and white pepper.

Retrohale: First retrohale was very sweet with nut and cedar. The second was almost salty with the same cedar and leather, while the final was surprisingly savory with white pepper, leather and cedar.

Aroma: Cedar wood and white pepper

Burn / Ash Quality: Ash was very tight, only one issue in re-lighting around the second third.

Balance of flavors: Nicely balanced mix of sweet and dark flavors.

Consistency: A complex smoke whose core flavors were present throughout.

General Observations:

Right off the bat a toasty sweetness with a nutty and woody component; after the first few puffs, there’s a general sweetness followed by some tanginess, earth, black coffee, and cedar. Retrohale is very sweet, woody with a nice rush of white pepper.

At 2/3 it’s more creamy, sweet and woody notes with coffee and leather in the background. Sweetness dissipates and the notes of cedar, black coffee, earth and white pepper become more apparent. Ash is solid.

The last third, the sweetness is now a mere pleasant aftertaste while cedar, leather, coffee and cocoa dominate.

Summary:

This torpedo from Padron Cigars “Thousand” series was almost a model for flawless construction – but for a little squishiness in the middle that threw me for a relight. Proof that this Nicaraguan can stand up to it, however. Right off the bat I’m hit by a full wave of toasty sweetness with a nutty and wood component. After a few puffs I’m Zen…Padron makes one heck of a relaxing smoke. The retrohale is extremely sweet, with cedar and a small rush of white pepper.

The second third rolls in with a very rich and creamy smoke; a sweet nuttiness, cedar, and subtle notes of coffee and leather complement each other in a full-bodied profile. The retrohale was slightly salty and takes on more white pepper. The last third was calling my name, with savory flavors of cedar, cocoa, black coffee, earth, and white pepper taking over as the sweetness dissipated. While still very rich and smooth, the final retrohale was surprisingly savory and loaded with cedar and leather.

This Padron 6000 had me feeling like a million bucks. A smooth relaxing cigar, perfect for an after-dinner smoke.

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“Hands down one of my favorite maduros on the market.” ~ Fred, reviewing the Padron 6000 Maduro.

Padron Cigars Thousand Series Cigar Review (Maduro)

By Fred Lunt

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 6000 (5 ½ x 52 Torpedo)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 26

Construction and Overall Appearance: Flawless construction and appearance. The wrapper is a dark, chocolate brown and fairly rustic looking with two large veins.

Draw: Perfect

Pre-light flavor: Wrapper and foot have the same smell of rich earth and cocoa as the Natural version, but it’s more intense here in the maduro. Pre-light draw is nutty, peppery, and has a fruit-like sweetness with leather and cedar as well.

Toasting & Light: Initially very cedar-woody, leathery and a slight nut- like a walnut, with a peppery finish.

Base flavors: Caramel, cedar, coffee, cocoa, leather, and white pepper.

Retrohale: White pepper followed by a very sweet toastiness plus a hint of roasted nut.

Aroma: Woody and earthy.

Burn / Ash Quality: Slight flagging present, but quickly fixed. The ash is snow-white and holds steady.

Balance of flavors: Very well balanced, every flavor note is complementary.

General Observations:

After the first few puffs there’s a definite fruit-like sweetness that reminds me of dark cherries, plus complementing notes of leather, black coffee, and black pepper.

The smoke is extremely rich, a combo of dark cocoa, sweet coffee, leather, nuts, and wood. The full body is definitely prominent.

The retrohale meshes white pepper and caramel-like sweetness together perfectly, with cedar and leather in the background.

Quick relight at the last third; otherwise, construction holds well.

Caramel is the main flavor with cedar, coffee, and leather riding right behind and white peppery aftertaste.

The final third, while intensely flavorful, focused on a woody/sweet combo that had me salivating with the dark coffee and leather still in tow. Very creamy and satisfying.

Summary:

Hands down one of my favorite maduros on the market. The Padron 6000 maduro takes traditional dark and sweet maduro flavors and adds a richness and complexity. The wrapper reminded me of rich earth and cocoa while the pre-light featured a fruit-like sweetness, nut, pepper, leather, and cedar. Things started off full-bodied with that dark cocoa-like sweetness with mocha, leather, roasted nuts, and wood to complement. The retrohale was extremely pleasant; a mesh of white pepper and caramel underscored by notes of cedar, leather, and coffee in the background.

I got a pretty heavy buzz off the nicotine early on, making this smoke a better fit as an after-dinner cigar. By the second third the caramel has the floor with cedar, coffee and leather close behind, and a refined white pepper on the aftertaste. The cigar by now had been fantastic but the end had me salivating: an ultra-creamy and satisfying smoke with a wooody/sweet combo that was out of this world with notes of cedar, leather, and coffee in the background. The Thousand series may be their introduction cigar, but even these Padron cigars are a ‘treat yourself’ kind of smoke, if the budget allows.

Padrón 1964 Anniversary Cigar Review (Natural)

By Gary Korb

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Exclusivo (5½ x 50 Box Pressed Robusto)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 25

Construction and Overall Appearance: Excellent. Box pressing is good with slightly rounded corners. Wrapper is an even milk-chocolate hue from head to toe with a triple seam cap. Seams are tight, with no protruding veins, soft spots, or bumps; slightly toothy with a velvety-like feel in the hand.

Draw: Excellent.

Pre-light flavor (cold draw): Very slightly grassy and leathery.

First few puffs: Creamy smooth and sweet with a peppery note.

Retrohale: Smooth with some pepper and a floral note.

Base flavors: Earth, charred wood, pepper, sweet tobacco, espresso.

Aroma: Sharp.

Burn / Ash Quality: Excellent. Burn line was micro-thin and even all the way. Ash was firm, mostly grey in color, and tapped-off in even 1/2-inch nuggets.

Balance of flavors: Perfect.

Observations:

I tend to smoke more Padron cigars in maduro than natural, so this one was a wake-up call in the sense that I found it to be more peppery than expected. However, there were other flavors floating around that balanced this cigar out. This cigar opened-up at just about the midpoint where notes of sweet tobacco, charred wood and earth got to mingle, while the finish left a smattering of pepper on the palate. The smoke also became chewier and more voluminous at this stage. The biggest surprise was that I didn’t encounter this Padrón’s patent cocoa and coffee bean character, which you also often taste in the cold draw, but I did catch some espresso notes and more sweetness coming through in the latter stages.

Summary:

This is a real “aficionado’s” cigar. Full-bodied, full-flavored, and impressively complex. Novices may find it a bit on the heady side and hard to get past the more peppery aspects, but I would not discourage them from giving this cigar a try.

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“Creamy smooth and sweet with a peppery note.” ~ Gary, smoking the Padron ’64 Natural.

Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Cigar Review

By Gary Korb

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Exclusivo (5½ x 50 Box Pressed Robusto)
Strength: Medium, Medium-Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 25

Construction and Overall Appearance: Excellent. Box pressed with slightly rounded corners. Wrapper is an even dark-chocolate hue with a triple seam cap. Seams are virtually invisible; no protruding veins or soft spots. Wrapper texture is smooth and velvety.

Draw: Very good.

Pre-light flavor (cold draw): Aaah! There’s that coffee & cocoa bean note.

First few puffs: Very peppery (scooted right up into the olfactories), plus notes of earth and charred wood.

Retrohale: Surprisingly smooth.

Base flavors: Earth, wood, caramel, cocoa, roasted coffee, white pepper

Aroma: Sweet.

Burn / Ash Quality: Excellent. Burn is dead-even. Ash is dark grey and quite firm. First ash succumbed to gravity at just over an inch.

Balance of flavors: Again, excellent.

Observations:

After a very peppery first half-inch, the cigar settled down and turned to a mostly smooth and creamy smoke with notes of cocoa, coffee, some earth, and caramel. The pepper was barely noticeable after the first inch, but for a little splash of it on the finish. The cigar sweetened-up even more at the midpoint, but the smoke also intensified and thickened, bringing along with it more earthy-woody notes.

Summary:

I guess my 3/4-inch nub tells the story, plus, I’ve rarely had a Padron 1964 Anniversary cigar that didn’t hit all my comfort zones. The maduro Exclusivo was definitely sweeter in flavor and more complex than its natural counterpart, in that, it offered more flavor variety and change-ups during the course of the smoke. Again, this cigar is designed for cigar smokers with more experience, but the sweeter nature of its profile should make this Exclusivo much more appealing to newer cigar smokers. If you haven’t already had the pleasure, be sure to add this one to your “must smoke” list.

F75 by Padron Cigars Review – Famous 75th Anniversary Edition (Natural)

By Michael Klingerman

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Box Pressed Robusto (5 x 54)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Construction and Overall Appearance: No flaws, no veins – color is very close to the Maduro. Well-constructed, with a nice cap.

Draw: Perfect

Pre-light flavor: Nutty and woody flavors are very obvious before lighting.

Toasting & Light: the F75 was an easy light, giving off dense smoke.

Base flavors: Caramel, chocolate and nuts

Retrohale: Spicy but refined, and not too harsh.

Aroma: Medium-Sweet and spicy

Burn / Ash Quality: Sharp burn lines with dense, light grey ash.

Balance of flavors: Woody, nutty and bold, yet smooth overall.

Consistency: Starts smooth and almost mellow, picks up in intensity halfway and ramps up power through to the end; but maintains that smooth woody flavor on the palate throughout.

General Observations:

Smooth flavor, not a pepper bomb. I found consistent tastes throughout that were woody, nutty, plus some dark cocoa sweetness. Lots of flavor. Like other Padron cigars I’ve smoked, this does not make the head spin – but you can feel the power and nicotine kick toward the middle to end.

Summary:

I lit this cigar on a fairly empty stomach, two hardboiled eggs and two Wawa Cuban Blend coffees. The cigar produces a dense, rich smoke, lots of woody aroma, and gradually picks up in strength. The F75 – which is actually a Padron 1926, rolled in this exclusive fat robusto size – maintains a biting rich finish on the tongue without any overt pepper spice. My head eventually started to feel the nicotine buzz, but it did not upset the stomach at any time. All in all, full body and full flavor – and no bitterness at any point during the smoke time, which took about 45 minutes. I’ll smoke it again for sure, but next time I’ll definitely eat something first – because it’s a great post-meal cigar.

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padron cigars guide f75 maduro
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“A very clean, woody, chocolate, and espresso taste that lingered on the tongue all the way to the nub.” ~ Michael’s experience with the F75 Maduro.

F75 by Padron Cigars Review – Famous 75th Anniversary Edition (Maduro)

By Michael Klingerman

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Box Pressed Robusto (5 x 54)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Construction and Overall Appearance: As above, no noticeable flaws. Maduro wrapper is toothy, with a tight seam.

Draw: Perfect

Pre-light flavor: Chocolate and woody.

Toasting & Light: Moderate toasting needed to get it started; lots of smoke output.

Base flavors: Chocolate, espresso, sweet spice and leather.

Retrohale: Bold and spicy.

Aroma: Leather and chocolate hangs in the air.

Burn / Ash Quality: Good burn, required just a few touch ups; light grey ash.

Balance of flavors: Sweet/spicy/nutty, with some chocolate in there.

Consistency: Flavor was abundant, with mouthfuls of smoke and spice. Actually mellowed to a medium-to-full smoothness in the second half, and maintained a smooth, spicy smoke through the nub.

General Observations:

Well-constructed, full body, full flavored, spicy with chocolate sweetness. Lots of nicotine.

Summary:

Probably not the optimal time for a Padron cigar, but I lit this F75 Maduro at 8 AM with a dark roast coffee in hand, and the presumption that I probably should have eaten breakfast first.

This version of the F75 by Padron is expertly constructed, with shining maduro wrapper that’s toothy and uniform in color. Solid feel, with no inherent soft spots. This cigar starts strong, with lots of smoke and sweet, but bold, chocolate flavors. The nicotine starts strong, too – and maintains the full body profile throughout the first half of the cigar. This cigar did require a few relights, as it didn’t seem to hold the flame for more than a few minutes. Touch-ups were easy and didn’t alter the taste of the cigar. Interesting to note that this cigar – again, the 1926 Serie in a special size – smoothed out significantly in the second half, with most of the spice and nicotine subsiding. This left a very clean, woody, chocolate, and espresso taste that lingered on the tongue all the way to the nub. Smoking time was about 1 hour on this cigar, maybe due to the extra time for touchups.

Padron Serie 1926 Cigar Review (Natural)

By Tommy Zman Zarzecki

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: No. 6 (4 3/4 x 50 Box Pressed Robusto)
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Draw: Incredibly smooth and just perfect.

Pre-Light: There’s a really nice sweetness with each cold draw, like a mix of cedar and cocoa.

First Few Puffs: Right off the bat there’s a pronounced creaminess and toastiness, both on the palate and in the scent of the lush, white smoke.

Retrohale: A nice hit of woodiness in the nose.

Aroma: Very toasty and aromatic.

Burn/Ash Quality: Solid, white to light gray.

Balance of Flavors: A complex smoke with a number of wonderful flavors throughout.

Summary:

You know, I always go for the Maduro with the 1926 and I was actually glad I was given the Natural sun-grown wrapper version to review. First off, I can say that the difference I find between the natural and the Maduro is that the natural is medium bodied and the Maduro is full. But – and let me say but – while this one is medium in body, it is full in rich, complex flavors (and those 5-year aged tobaccos play a big part in that). This cigar displays a pleasant cedar sweetness and a toasty quality that lasts throughout. About an inch in, the woodiness is still there but notes of cherry and anise becomes prominent, much like the taste of an after dinner Sambuca – not strong, just a nice hit for the taste buds. And the aroma is one that will have many passers-by say, “Man, that cigar smells so good,” and that’s because it just does. I smoked this one mid-day, before dinner with a seltzer and I felt it was the perfect time and the right combination for me. Creamy, toasty and just a whole lot of flavor, I’m glad I got to experience the natural side of this iconic brand that was made to celebrate Jose Padrón’s 75th birthday. To my editor: Can I have another one… please?

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“I paired this with an after dinner iced coffee and the flavors complemented each other very well.” ~ Tommy Zman, reviewing the 1926 Serie.

Padron Serie 1926 Cigar Review (Maduro)

By Tommy Zman Zarzecki

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: No. 6 (4 3/4 x 50 Box Pressed Robusto)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Draw: A perfect draw that fires off a lot of smoke.

Pre-Light: Almost like a hint of red wine, which I haven’t gotten with many cigars before.

First Few Puffs: I got notes of sweet cocoa on the first few draws.

Retrohale: Very rich, woody flavor in the nose.

Aroma: It’s got a very woody scent.

Burn/Ash Quality: Solid and burns perfectly all the way through.

Balance of Flavors: So balanced with flavors that change throughout.

Summary:

Yes, I’ve smoked this cigar many times and it is the stick I’d chose if stranded on an island and had only one brand to smoke for the rest of my days. Some will argue that they like the 1964 better, but I think this Maduro is just a richer and a more slightly refined smoke. What’s interesting is that the Maduro starts off medium bodied, but about a third the way in it really picks up in both flavor and strength. Like the natural, it is made with 5-year aged Nicaraguan tobaccos which accounts for its true complexity. A nice blast of cocoa and sweet cedar are the first things that hit the palate but it quickly turned into deeper flavors like dark chocolate and dark fruit like plum and black cherry. There’s no doubt those dark and sweet fruit notes come from that flawless and silky Maduro outer leaf. I paired this with an after dinner iced coffee and the flavors complemented each other very well. Make no mistake about it, Padron cigars are world-class premiums – and this ’26 is meant to be savored as the perfect post-meal smoke. I’ve enjoyed this before with a myriad of drinks that pair well, like port wine, bourbon, scotch, dark rum, and even a nice cordial like Grand Marnier. Pricey?… yeah, but the better things in life almost always are. By the way… did I forget to mention how great this cigar is?

Padron Family Reserve 45 Years Cigar Review (Natural)

By John Pullo

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Box Pressed Toro (6 x 52)
Strength: Medium-Full (leans full)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Construction and Overall Appearance: Significantly less oily than its Maduro counterpart, with a slight ripple in the cap – not surprising in box pressed cigars. Seamless roll, no outstanding veins, and a nice milk chocolatey color. Well made.

Draw: Spot on.

Pre-light flavor: Dark flavor hits the senses, along with some dry spices and coffee.

Toasting & Light: Took some energy to get it started, but big pepper up front.

Base flavors: Charred wood notes, slight pepper, tea and earth.

Retrohale: pepperpepperpepper – that burn got up in there fast, and lasted, too.

Aroma: Charred wood.

Burn / Ash Quality: Razor thin carbon line – 8/10 for straightness. A mostly white, compact ash that flaked a little after it grew longer. When it fell off, a nice conical ash revealed itself inside.

Balance of flavors: They’re all pretty full.

Consistency: Good balance of flavors, but they’re somewhat diverse at different points.

General Observations:

Caught a nice aroma of charred wood while toasting this cigar, almost like an oak barrel.

At an inch in, and there’s a tangy note that wants to come out in the worst way – but it never does, only lurking in the background. Padron cigars, in general, have a reputation for offering a strong flavor that reminds you of coffee on your taste buds; this one does too, and gets to a Café Americano type of taste, like slightly sweetened black coffee. This 45 Years settles into that sweet spot for the rest of the smoke, tinged with that charred oak flavor and some leather.

Summary:

For those who like a box pressed cigar, this is a great example – the pressing is generous. This Padron pours out a ton of smoke; this gives it a big and heavy mouth feel, which really is just a fancy way of saying “the smoke is very thick.”

The Family Reserve is made with tobacco aged at least 10 years, which really takes the edge off the all-Nicaraguan mix of longfillers. I only had to give it one relight about halfway thru, and it seemed to stand up to it. The second time it went out (with about 2” left), I put it down for good. Which was probably wise – this probably would’ve bit me.

This Padron is a big boy smoke – but the pepper tames nicely, and the flavors really come together at halfway mark. Now, on to the Maduro…

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“Padron cigars, in general, have a reputation for offering a strong flavor that reminds you of coffee…this one does too.” ~ John, reviewing the Padron Family Reserve 45 Years.

Padron Family Reserve 45 Years Cigar Review (Maduro)

By John Pullo

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: Box Pressed Toro (6 x 52)
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 10

Construction and Overall Appearance: Toothy, and less oily than I expected. Otherwise, construction is solid; a well-packed smoke inside a velvety, dark brown wrapper.

Draw: Met with some resistance.

Pre-light flavor: Gobs of earth, plus nut and tea.

Toasting & Light: Took a little bit to get going; a surprisingly sweet spice right up front.

Base flavors: Char, pepper and dry spices give way to a sweet, buttery and “green” set of flavors – NOTHING like the Padron 45 Years natural.

Retrohale: Less peppery than the Natural, with a more oak-like sensation.

Aroma: Can’t put a name to it, but it’s very pleasant.

Burn / Ash Quality: Burn line is wavy, bordering on wonky; but for what it’s worth, the line is super tight. Ash is a mixed grey/white.

Balance of flavors: Full flavored, but the strength isn’t there like I expected.

Consistency: The finish is decidedly different than the start – but good balance.

General Observations:

Things changed quickly. A hearty blast of very smoky flavors up front, this Padron moves to nut, leather and wood in a hurry. The ash drops at about ¾” increments. That burn issue? It eventually fixes itself around the halfway mark.

Meaty, leathery and that signature Padron coffee flavor rule the day for the rest of the way out, as the spice pretty much drops off. Noted as full bodied, but I’d say full flavored while not as strong.

Summary:

This Padron Family Reserve Maduro was inspired by the 45th anniversary of the founding of Padron Cigars; featuring a blend once exclusive to the Padron family, it became a two-time cigar of the year, claiming the #1 spot in its debut year. Some things I noticed: this smoke isn’t as sweet as some of the other Maduro-wrapped Padron cigars; it’s actually kind of peaty, too. So let’s call it sweet n’ peaty – an interesting combo, but it works.

Overall, an extremely smooth smoke – but figuring that this one is made with 10+ year aged tobacco, this really comes as no surprise.

While vastly different than the Natural, one common trait these two versions of the Padron 45 Years share is a big flurry of flavor activity in the first half, before it gives way to a simple grouping of flavors; from there on out, it sets the cruise control to the finish. Very nub-able. This is a single malt cigar, without a doubt.

Padron Damaso Cigar Review

By Fred Lunt

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: No. 12 (5 x 50 Robusto)
Strength: Mild
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Box of 20

Construction and Overall Appearance: Excellent construction- zero faults and a nice weight.

Draw: Very good.

Pre-light flavor: Hay, kind of bready, with black pepper on the tip of the tongue and back of the throat.

Toasting & Light: Very sweet, with toast and some nuttiness in the background. Slightly buttery.

Base flavors: Toast, nuts, leather, cedar, and a sensation that tasted semi-sweet.

Retrohale: Full of white pepper, with a charred wood aftertaste.

Aroma: Mellow, and a little woody.

Burn / Ash Quality: Burn lines holds tight and straight as an arrow. Ash is a nice white color, and pretty solid, too.

Balance of flavors: While fairly balanced, the transition of flavors and strength was jarring at times.

General Observations:

Initial sweetness replaced by a perfume-like note with a nutty toastiness, a slight tang on the tongue and a buttery smoke. Flavors of buttered toast, nut, and white pepper remain the main flavors in the second third – which is noticeably creamier than the first third, and a bit heartier.

Almost through the 2/3 mark and the ash is still holding tight.

The cigar turned bitter for a few puffs near the end, but eventually returned with some of the aforementioned sweetness before putting it down.

Summary:

Part of the Padron cigars lineup that comes a bit out of left field…the Damaso is mellow, and features a Connecticut wrapper. The initial flavors were very sweet and toasty, with roasted nuts – a very buttery smoke. However, I noticed this sweetness dispersed rather quickly, taking on a subtle perfume note with a mostly toasty and nutty profile. Over time, a peppery tingle started at the back of my throat.

As I moved into the second third the creaminess was noticeably intensified and heartier. Toast and nuts remained the top dogs on my palate, yet a semi-sweetness and cedar note came along as an aftertaste. The final third transitioned to having cedar and leather in the forefront, before a slight bitterness came about…that quickly dissipated, going back to that semi-sweet taste. Overall, this cigar showed all the consistent flavors of a Connecticut wrapped cigar, albeit stronger than your typical Connecticut. If you want to get creative, pair this with a medium strength IPA or Speyside Scotch.

Got a favorite Padron, a recommendation or an experience with one of their cigars you’d like to share? Comment below…