Padilla Signature 1932 2009 Limited Edition Salomon Oscuro (7.25x57)

I have had 9 cigars from a 10 pack purchased in 2009 sitting in my humidor aging for over a year now. My initial impression was put in a review last year and I wanted to see what over a year of age had done for this smoke. I think I am in for a treat.

The cigar presents with nice oils and a wrapper that has an excellent sheen and few veins. I recall that this cigar was nearly dripping oils when I put it in the humidor some months ago and I was relieved to see that it still had nice sheen without appearing to have dried out. The construction appears to be excellent as I can detect no areas of softness or undue tension in the roll. The pre light aroma has some light coffee notes and some rich earthy fragrances. The pre light draw shows a nutty sweetness and leaves a nice peppery taste on the palate.

The cigar opens with a very subdued profile for a cigar that looks like it will be in your face. There are some very nuanced notes of sweet nuts and light wood in the foreground and I find myself settling in for what could be an excellent experience. At the back of the palate there is a satisfying zip of pepper and earth that balances the front of the profile beautifully. The draw is excellent and I am relieved as I have smoked samples of this vitola before and found issues with it. The burn is also sharp, and again I am surprised because I have smoked many of these that burn poorly.

The first third of the cigar transitions and the core profile shows nutty qualities with some sweet grassy notes in the mix. At the back of the palate there are some solid flavors of dark wood and black pepper that are showing through with gusto. The draw remains above average, imparting ample smoke with each draw. The burn stays solid into the main body of the cigar and I am certain I will not encounter any issues, very rare in a Salomon.

The middle third of the cigar flattens out a bit for me. The core profile is still showing some nutty tones, but they are sparse. The profile transitions into a more metallic presentation and some of the depth and character go away. At the back of the palate there are still some nice showings of pepper and wood, but there is a strange sweetness coming out that is like sugar cane. The draw stays consistent and the burn continues to be strong to this point.

The final third of the smoke shows some excellence. The profile takes on a more coffee infused flavor, but there are some hints of dark fruit, spice and wood on the palate as well. At the back of the palate there are sharp blasts of pepper and anise that ratchet up the strength quotient nicely. The draw remains steady, but the burn goes askew a few times and requires a slight tap of some excess wrapper that did not burn correctly.

The finish is long and powerful showing notes of nuts, dark wood and some sugar cane sweetness.

Appearance- 89 a very bold looking cigar, but it is a but ruddy
Taste- 87 I would like to go higher, but the middle third hurt the experience
Construction- 90 aside from some minor burn issues this performed well
Strength- 91 very nice medium that transitioned to full late in the smoke
Overall- 89 a nice experience and I think with more age it will improve

Hoyo de Monterrey La Escepcion 2009 Limited Edition Toro

This is a cigar that was new to the scene last year, and is an effort from General to punch up sales (pardon the pun). The cigar presents well with a dark brown wrapper that is oily, leathery and has very few veins. A survey of the cigar reveals that it is a bit soft and feels as though it may be over humidified. The pre light aroma is somewhat sour, but has some notes of earth. The pre light draw shows some pepper and rich tobacco flavors.

The cigar opens with a profile that shows some nice pepper, tobacco and earth. At the back of the palate there are some bitter notes that further lead me to believe that the cigar may be over humidified. The burn is slow and produces lots of thick smoke. The draw is a bit tight, but the labor is not untoward.

The first half of the cigar settles down to show notes of wood, tobacco and earth. At the back of the palate there are still some issues with bitterness and a metallic undertone hurts the impression. The burn has deteriorated and a run has developed that I can't avoid relighting. The draw opens slightly, but is still too tight for my liking.

The final half of the cigar shows charred notes of wood and tobacco. The back of the palate impression has not improved and I am disappointed by this cigar. The burn continues to perform poorly and another runner forms. The draw is still too tight.

The finish is acrid, short and leaves a nasty impression.

Appearance- No score due to condition
Taste- No score due to condition
Construction- No score due to condition
Strength- No score due to condition
Overall- I will review this again at another date

Padilla Signature 1932 2009 Limited Edition Salomon Oscuro

This is a huge cigar in a very rare vitola with an oscuro wrapper. The cigar is chunky and draped in an oily oscuro wrapper. The wrapper has no apparent flaws and is expertly applied. The construction appears to be solid and I do not detect any areas that would cause an issue. The pre light aroma is of tobacco, earth and some light spice. The pre light draw has an earthy sweetness and a hint of ginger.

The cigar begins with a profile of rich tobacco and some notes of spice. There is an earthy sweetness at the back of the palate. The draw is excellent, which is surprising to me for a cigar of this size. The burn is lopsided, but not causing some issues.

The first third of the cigar shows a profile of rich tobacco, spice and some meaty overtones that are interesting. There is some salt and mint at the back of the palate that is strange, but not off putting. The draw has stayed near perfect, but the burn has continued to deteriorate and may require a touch up (we all know how I feel about touch ups).

The middle third continues to show a profile of tobacco and spice, but is showing some minty notes as well. There is still some salt at the back of the palate. The burn has to be retouched twice in this segment of the cigar, and I am disappointed. The draw continues to stay strong to this point.

The final third shows a profile of pepper, pepper and more pepper. There is still some earthy sweetness and mint showing through at the back of the palate. The burn has continued to need retouching throughout the final two thirds, but the draw has been excellent.

The finish is lingering and shows notes of pepper, earth and spice.

Appearance- 94 it is impossible not to be impressed with this cigar
Taste- 88 not bad, but the profile lacked some depth and some of the flavors were not complimentary to one another
Construction- 85 the burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full that could use more pop
Overall- 88.75 a nice smoke, with nice aging potential