Padilla La Terraza Capa Habano Serie 2010 (5x54)

Having just reviewed this cigar's maduro brethren, to the tune of a much deserved 90+ rating,  I was excited to see what this smoke was all about.

It presents with a heavy looking Habano wrapper that has some spots that seem dry to me.  There are some large veins running the course of this smoke, but I don't think they will be causing any issues.  The construction seems a touch firm near the head and I am speculating that there may be some draw issues as this smoke progresses.  The pre light aroma is decidedly leathery, but there is odd sour note that touches the nose every so slightly here.  The pre light draw is tight so I lightly do some work to loosen the smoke by rolling it through my fingers.  As an aside, this is not something I would recommend to anyone unless you absolutely know what you are doing, if you apply too much pressure you will crack and unravel the wrapper.  There are no real significant flavors in the pre light draw, but there are some fleeting touches of wood and leather.

The cigar opens with a profile that is decidedly sour in the early moments.  I am not sure what this is about, but the taste is somewhat akin to the smell of a musty basement, not really where I want to be during the smoking experience.  At the back of the palate there are some mushroom like flavors and some hints of dark wood, but nothing here is making me think that this will be a masterpiece of any kind.  The draw is acceptable, but just barely so.  The burn is solid and slow, there is a nice white ash forming that seems heavy.

The first half of the cigar show little improvement, with the exception of the exit of the basement tastes.  The core profile is muddled and shallow, showing flavors of wood, earth and some leather, but there is nothing here that shows any character or depth.  At the back of the palate there is an odd spice note that has a nutmeg tinge to it, but it is hard to isolate exactly what I am experiencing here.  The draw is loosening more as the cigar heats up, but it is delivering the depth less flavors so it is no blessing.  The burn is acceptable to this point and I will not have to retouch this cigar.

The final half of the cigar picks up some steam, but it would prove to be too little too late for this smoke.  The core profile begins to sweeten, showing some sugarcane ideas, there is a satisfying leather tone to the smoke here as well.  While these flavors are better, they are still neither complex or deep, which leads to a cigar that becomes less than palate compelling.  At the back of the palate there are some nice shots of dark wood, but some horrible blasts of wet vegetation.  The draw is fine now and the burn was consistent throughout.

All in all this was a disappointment.  I would fully recommend the Maduro version of this cigar, but this one misses the mark by a wide margin.

Appearance- 87 not as nice to look at as the Maduro
Taste- 83 very subpar, a couple of points more due to the closing flavors, but still poor
Construction- 86 early draw tightness precludes a higher score
Strength- 85 a very mundane medium that did nothing to complement the experience
Overall- 85 an average score for a slightly below average smoke

Padilla La Terraza Capa Maduro Serie 2010 (5x54)

On a recent swing through a B&M in West Palm I came across these interesting little numbers hiding out on a shelf and trying hard not to be noticed.  I coaxed some out of the box and was surprised to see a price point that made this a must try (Padilla has been a bit high on recent offerings and the quality has not been there).  Despite recent disappointments in some Padilla smokes I decided to buy some of these in two different wrapper incarnations.

This cigar is really something to behold.  The wrapper nearly drips with oily splendor and there are few veins and not a single blemish across the stunning exterior of this cigar.  A quick roll through the mitts reveals a well constructed smoke that has some tightness near the head (my remedy for this is almost always a straight cut and some gentle chewing on the cigar to loosen the roll near the shoulder).  After concluding my parenthetical ritual I continue on in my pre smoke evaluation process.  The pre light aroma is an enticing mix of dark tea, clove and earth.  The pre light draw shows some excellent dark wood essence and some tea notes.

The cigar opens with a profile that is complex, bold, balanced and nuanced.  There are some instant dark tea flavors that are intoxicating.  Some intense strings of black pepper boom forth here as well and are accompanied by deep and textured earthy flavors.  At the back of the palate dark wood notes abound and create an almost herbal note when combined with the tea flavors.  I am stunned by this unique profile and I am settling in for what is sure to be a fabulous experience.  The draw is a touch tight, but it is not causing any distress in the experience.  The burn is sharp and the ash is crisp and white.

The first half of the cigar continues to impress me.  The profile is still showing some notes of tea, but there is a more forward presentation of spice and pepper after the opening inch.  At the back of the palate dark wood continues to be the star, but there are some shifts to earthy presentations here as well and I like what it is showing me at this stage as it foreshadows earthy goodness to come.  The draw has opened up nicely and the palate is coated with fabulous smoke on each draw.  The burn remains exceptional to this point.

The final half of the smoke slows down some, but it is still impressive.  The main profile becomes a touch one dimensional, showing mainly pepper notes, but the depth of the one flavor is solid.  The back of the palate is showing some transition into a more earthy presentation, but it never quite gets all the way there, leaving me a bit sad about what could have been.  The draw and burn stay excellent through to the very nubbed end.

The finish was long and smooth and showed notes of tea, wood, pepper and spice.

Appearance- 93 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 92 some lack of complexity late hurt the chances, but the cigar is still excellent
Construction- 91 some early reductions for tightness in the draw
Strength- 92 a very solid full
Overall- 91.75 a very good smoke that makes me think Padilla might get back on the map