For quite a while now I wanted to try a cigar from Padilla.
These were Don Pepin Garcia creations but some time now E.Padilla moved the production of his cigars from Nicaragua to Honduras.
Unfortunately I've never had the chance to try one so the samples from Honduras are the only available.
Looks
This robusto looks like a well made cigar. With a perfect round cap, no apparent vains, good oils wearing a gorgeous milk chocolate brown wrapper.
I have to say at this point that it feels a little light in the hand. We shall see....
Cut and cold draw
Upon cutting the cigar what stroke me the most was the contrast between the wrapper and the unusually dark filler.
The cigar smells earthy with a light hint of cocoa.
Cold draw is sweet but somehow loose witch is a bit warring for me.
First third
First puffs into the cigar and a harsh taste hits me from the burning tobacco.
It feels like smoking a dried out cigar, although it has been kept in 69% RH for three weeks now. We will see how it progresses.
An inch and a half into it and the initial harsh taste evolved into a pure tobacco flavor with a hint of spice when blowing smoke through the nose.
Good burn rate but the draw is still loose.
Towards the second third and the Padilla has picked up in body and now spice is more intense but non overwhelming.
To be honest I was a little disappointed with this cigar at the beginning.
Second third
Second third started big on spice.
The cigar at the half point bloomed and its worthy of its good name.
Burn rate is very good , although I would prefer the draw a bit tighter.
Despite its draw issues it never got harsh(not again) or hot but a real flavor bomb!!
Third part
Clear spice is the dominant flavor with a hint of coffee bean and cinnamon.
Good complexity and great construction. Some black cherry is also present in the background.
Although this is not a DPG creation, moving the production to Honduras, in my opinion, did not really affected the signature flavor of Padilla cigars; not for the '68 line.
It wasn't hard to nub this robusto and although the draw was loose, witch in my opinion was the only flaw on this cigar, it never got hot, harsh or bitter.
Over all great!!
Final thoughts
Great construction for a cigar with a great price point, $100 per box and I think that if you can keep them in your humi they have some potentials.
This can be a great every day cigar for smokers who like this kind of spicy medium to full bodied smokes.
