Sunday, December 12, 2010

Padron Family Reserve No.45 Maduro Toro (6X52)

It has been awhile since I have posted a review and I figured that while I was sitting at the incredible new Maduro's lounge I would get back on the horse for another no holds barred smoke critique.

This cigar has been biding it's time in my humi for a bit as I looked for just the right time to sit back and consider it. I am always struck by the ruddy, cheroot like appearance of any Padron super premium. This is no exception, it appears to be the working man's cigar, perfect for roping calves or plowing the field. However, it is priced at $25 per smoke and that is no everyday yard banger. Visuals aside, I am impressed with rest of the smoke, slightly box pressed and dark and rich. The wrapper is oily and has some tooth. I can detect no issues in the construction of the smoke and after a quick inspection decide that it will be just fine. The pre light aroma is all earth and clove. The pre light draw is showing some light pepper and some interesting coffee and fruit notes.

The cigar opens with a profile that is less that what I expect from this smoke, it is nice, but lacks complexity and depth in the early moments. There is a nice peppery opening, but the usual Padron earthiness is lacking here. At the back of the palate there are some nice notes of dark wood and some light tobacco essences, but I am not blown away at this point. The burn is razor sharp and a ponderous white ash forms quickly. The draw is exceptional, imparting just the right amount of smoke with very little effort on my part.

The first half of the cigar starts to warm the insides, like a fine scotch this cigar showed some straightforward plainness early but really kicks into high gear as it opens up. The profile has transitioned into a very pleasant array of pepper, earth and coffee and it is ramping up as the cigar continues. At the back of the palate there continues to be a nice woody foundation, but there is a note of raisin here as well. The draw and burn continue to be very impressive.

The final half of the cigar loses some steam, and I have transitioned from a cigar that I thought might be legendary, to one that is just above average. The profile thins considerably and shows just some notes of pepper with some occasional coffee blasts. At the back of the palate there are still some hints of dark wood, but the earthy notes that I have been looking for start to sneak in here, unfortunately they are too late. I also note a significant increase in the strength in the last third. The burn and draw are splendid throughout the smoke.

The finish is long and shows some lingering earth and pepper tones.

For my money the 1926 is still a much better smoke, but this one was very good.

Appearance- 88 a bit rough, but still nice to look at
Taste- 91 some late profile issues detract from the experience
Construction- 94 a very excellent presentation in this area
Strength- 92 some surprising power late
Overall- 91.75 a very nice experience

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