Padron 1926 Figurado

[El Presidente]

Just doing a little work on a new project and firing up a Padron 1926 Figurado. Never had one of these before.

Toothy wrapper. Good draw (not too open..kept the cut to a minimum).

Starting medium full. vanilla mixed with toasted tobacco.

Lets see how we go. Will comment progressively. How much do these go for in the US?

[aes8]

Just doing a little work on a new project and firing up a Padron 1926 Figurado. Never had one of these before.

Toothy wrapper. Good draw (not too open..kept the cut to a minimum).

Starting medium full. vanilla mixed with toasted tobacco.

Lets see how we go. Will comment progressively. How much do these go for in the US?

These are in the 25+ USD range, if I remember correctly. The 44/45/80 year are all about 30-35 USD, although I have seen the 44 and 45 come down a little of late.

One of the best NC, imo, but the retail price is so out of line with regular production CC it just doesn't make any sense, also limited aging potential.

If you can ever get the 1964 before the serial numbers were on the bands they were the best. There were produced before all the "premium lines" started to hit the streets back in the late 90's.

Enjoy.

[El Presidente]

These are in the 25+ USD range, if I remember correctly. The 44/45/80 year are all about 30-35 USD, although I have seen the 44 and 45 come down a little of late.

One of the best NC, imo, but the retail price is so out of line with regular production CC it just doesn't make any sense, also limited aging potential.

If you can ever get the 1964 before the serial numbers were on the bands they were the best. There were produced before all the "premium lines" started to hit the streets back in the late 90's.

Enjoy.

Cheers for that.

So far some nice lingering white pepper through the nose. Cream, vanilla and tobacco on the palate. Some nuttiness. Very good. Nt sure 30-35 USD good

[PigFish]

... and I though Padron was a tequila!

Why would one pay $30 for a cigar that does not perform to the level of a $4 Cuban PC? -

[adic88]

Padrons are generally excellent smokes, especially the 1926s. Where did you get that from, Rob?

[ZAZ]

Padrons are generally excellent smokes, especially the 1926s. Where did you get that from, Rob?

Agreed. And yes, they are pretty expensive NCs.

[Ellery]

Cheers for that.

So far some nice lingering white pepper through the nose. Cream, vanilla and tobacco on the palate. Some nuttiness. Very good. Nt sure 30-35 USD good

Agreed, good...but not for the price

[mykeuva]

These are in the 25+ USD range, if I remember correctly. ....

I think that's a bit more than I remember. I think the 1926 #2's are around $16/$17 bucks a stick, on average.....Still very pricey, but not quite 20/30 bucks....

Edit: I was thinking about the #2, if it's the 80 year, then you're right, the price is up there....

[aes8]

... and I though Padron was a tequila!

Why would one pay $30 for a cigar that does not perform to the level of a $4 Cuban PC? -

One of my best moves this year was selling a box of 44 Family Reserves (or Hammers as they are called) and adding about 40 USD and buying two boxes of Monte No. 2.

I turned a NC box of 10 into 2 boxes of 25 ct classic CC

[El Presidente]

Halfway through. Good. Enjoying the pepper hit though the nose. Still vanilla, toasted tobacco, roasted cashews on the palate. Medium/Full bodied but it hasn't really change and iota from the get go.

[aes8]

Halfway through. Good. Enjoying the pepper hit though the nose. Still vanilla, toasted tobacco, roasted cashews on the palate. Medium/Full bodied but it hasn't really change and iota from the get go.

And welcome to the boring and uninspired world of NC cigars. I'd rather chase the dragon then catch the goat.

[PigFish]

One of my best moves this year was selling a box of 44 Family Reserves (or Hammers as they are called) and adding about 40 USD and buying two boxes of Monte No. 2.

I turned a NC box of 10 into 2 boxes of 25 ct classic CC

Good choice Amigo. Who would not sell overpriced, second rate products for better performing lesser cost cigars?

While Rob especially enjoys my ranting I won't go into a diatribe regarding NC cigars. If any of you here enjoy the NC smoking experience, the more power to you. Objectively if forced to smoke them I would become a non-smoker. They just don't satisfy me. Perhaps I would smoke some not knowing Cuban tobacco, but having had the best tobacco in the world I can't go backwards now. Now if a NC company could come up with a really good cigar, I would be happy to embrace them but paying this kinda' coin for a cigar that is not absolutely exceptional in every way is just a waste of smoking resources and time. While I will coax a cigar with potential, if a cigar is not contributing to our relationship, I will seek a new partner from my waiting humidor.

I have yet to find a contemporary NC cigar that won't bore me to tears inside of about 10 minutes. I no longer look. I am convinced that the tobacco is simply inferior. Why spend thousands trying to find a NC cigar that smokes as well as a Bolivar Coronas when I can go grab a Bolivar Coronas?

-Piggy

[aes8]

Good choice Amigo. Who would not sell overpriced, second rate products for better performing lesser cost cigars?

While Rob especially enjoys my ranting I won't go into a diatribe regarding NC cigars. If any of you here enjoy the NC smoking experience, the more power to you. Objectively if forced to smoke them I would become a non-smoker. They just don't satisfy me. Perhaps I would smoke some not knowing Cuban tobacco, but having had the best tobacco in the world I can't go backwards now. Now if a NC company could come up with a really good cigar, I would be happy to embrace them but paying this kinda' coin for a cigar that is not absolutely exceptional in every way is just a waste of smoking resources and time. While I will coax a cigar with potential, if a cigar is not contributing to our relationship, I will seek a new partner from my waiting humidor.

I have yet to find a contemporary NC cigar that won't bore me to tears inside of about 10 minutes. I no longer look. I am convinced that the tobacco is simply inferior. Why spend thousands trying to find a NC cigar that smokes as well as a Bolivar Coronas when I can go grab a Bolivar Coronas?

-Piggy

Yeah bought into the hype when these came out (rare and only given out at special events) and I broke my rule of buying a box without trying one first. When they become so easily available and I was able to smoke a single I off'd them straight away.

With that being said I would love nothing more to fall in love with some inexpensive NC that could stretch my smoking stash while my aging stash is soaking the years away. Having smoked NC primarily from '95 to 2008 I also can't go backward. I have tried dipping my toe back in the water but it never works out well. My last bastion of hope will be a Opux Maduro Lancero which I hear is the closet thing. Besides I'm a lancero ***** anyway but those are pretty rare.

I'm a big proponent of aging your own and there is no better reward then pulling out a well aged CC stick that you nurtured over the years. NC only go downhill imo.

[adic88]

I'm a big proponent of aging your own and there is no better reward then pulling out a well aged CC stick that you nurtured over the years. NC only go downhill imo.

This is my SINGLE biggest problem with NCs. I've got a few boxes of Fuente Anejos, the 77s and the 49s maduros. I bought them in 2004, paid in access of US$800 for them, when i visited USA. You can't find boxes of them at MSRP, so i had to pay a premium to get full boxes. Also paid another bundle for a box each of Padron 1964s and 1926s (maduros).

6 years on now, and they are still great cigars, i smoke a couple per year, so i've been watching their progression. Or rather lack of progression. They taste the same today (or the difference is so small my palate can't really tell the difference). They are excellent cigars but... you would have thought that 6 years would make a difference. It hasn't.

Almost makes it pointless to age. Which for me, is half the fun of the hobby of cigars.

[ChanceSchmerr]

'cause I don't have a Boli Coronas, and I can't find them anymore, Piggy! That, and I've never had a good one to make me WANT to hit up more Boli Coronas......

Now, a Party Coronas - that's a hell of a Smoke!

I'm firmly on the side of not bothering with NC's much anymore. aside from the rare exception (the early LGC Artesanos de Miami Elegantes were works of Art), they just end up as overpriced, monochromatic cigars to my palate. The Padrons I've had, be they 26/64/regular production, none was a bad smoke, and the 26/64s were tasty..but never really evolved the way a Cuban can, and certainly did not justify the ridiculous price point. Just my 2 Centavos...

[CanuckSARTech]

... and I though Padron was a tequila!

Patron is a premium tequila, Padron is a premium cigar line.

The Serie 1926 belicoso maduro (No. 9?) is really the only non-Cuban that I smoke. Amazing profile, great clouds of dense, billowy smoke, and such an easy smoke and draw for how hard and box-pressed they are. Very expensive though.

[sblevit]

The Padron 26s and 64s are not that much in the US. There are plenty of places selling them for between $9 and $20 depending on size. The 44s, 45s and 46s, on the other hand, are between $25 and $30.

If you want to try a couple of really great NCs, try the Avo 2010 LEs (but not any of the earlier edition Avo LEs) or the 601 "Macho" 2010 LEs if you can find them. They only made 364 boxes of the 601 LEs and I got five of those because it was literally the best NC I have ever had. Sabor Havana Cigars in Doral Florida may still have some.

[PigFish]

Patron is a premium tequila, Padron is a premium cigar line.

Padron is a premium cigar line! You don't say? And you posted a thread about bullshit in the cigar business. Well, mate, I would buy plume looking like shitake mushrooms before I would buy the line, "Padron is a premium cigar line." Padron is an expensive cigar line... but premium; that's salesmanship and mold makes your cigars taste better! -Piggy

[PigFish]

'cause I don't have a Boli Coronas, and I can't find them anymore, Piggy! That, and I've never had a good one to make me WANT to hit up more Boli Coronas......

Now, a Party Coronas - that's a hell of a Smoke!

I'm firmly on the side of not bothering with NC's much anymore. aside from the rare exception (the early LGC Artesanos de Miami Elegantes were works of Art), they just end up as overpriced, monochromatic cigars to my palate. The Padrons I've had, be they 26/64/regular production, none was a bad smoke, and the 26/64s were tasty..but never really evolved the way a Cuban can, and certainly did not justify the ridiculous price point. Just my 2 Centavos...

Sorry to hear that my friend. Those POS '06 I just opened are "sweeet! But who am I to argue? Party coronas, D-3's, Boli coronas... even Punch coronas, du Rois... you name it, hands down kick ass over any Padron cigar I ever smoked!

[El Presidente]

Last third.

Has developed into a full bodied cigar with plenty of Ligero kick. It is out of whack in terms of nuance/balance. Intriguing but has missed the boat with overuse of Ligero in the back end.

[CanuckSARTech]

Padron is a premium cigar line! You don't say? And you posted a thread about bullshit in the cigar business. Well, mate, I would buy plume looking like shitake mushrooms before I would buy the line, "Padron is a premium cigar line." Padron is an expensive cigar line... but premium; that's salesmanship and mold makes your cigars taste better! -Piggy

LOL. Completely granted, El Piggy! Pota-toes, po-tatoes. Expensive, yes, but I'll agree that premium is in the eye of the beholder.

I will say that they're the only non-Cuban that I've tried, and continue to smoke. I've tried a number of other filth (Rocky Patel, 601, Macanudo, etc., etc.). And just something about the complexity of the Padron Serie 1926 speaks to me. Would I have it over a good Trinidad Ingenios EL, or a great Monte 4 even??!!! Nope.

I guess a better use from my thoughts on them is that I use premium here in that they are the only non-Cubans that are worth smoking again and again, IMO.

[Colt45]

Almost makes it pointless to age. Which for me, is half the fun of the hobby of cigars.

While I suppose it could be the characteristics of the different tobaccos, I'm more inclined to believe that aging potential and necessity is more due

to the fact that very generally speaking, many NC producers age their tobacco longer than the Cubans - sometimes aging rolled cigars prior to

release as well. Unless you like the taste of young cigars, at least a little aging is pretty much a requirement for Cuban cigars.

I actually kind of like the idea of being able to go to my local shop and acquire cigars that are ready to smoke now. But then again, I don't really

consider smoking cigars a hobby.

[android]

Agree with Rob, an interesting cigar, good quality but to $$ for what it delivers, some good flavor but I just get bored after about 10 minutes or so. So many great priced CC that bring way more flavor and an overall better experience for me.

[thechenman]

Padrons are a stable in my NC humidor and rank amongst my favorite NCs. They are not CCs, they bring osmething different to the table. Is it for everyone, probably not, but to me they are premium smokes. the Serie 26 is my favorite line with the #6 being my favorite, followed by the #2 (which I believe Rob smoked) and then the #9. These tend to be stronger, more peppery cigars. The 64 Anniversary line is great too. Not as strong as the 26, more chocolate than spice. Even the X000 series is fantastic with the 2000 and Londres among my favorite. IMHO you'd be hard pressed to find a better NC economy cigar than the Padron X000 line.

[Danashan]

In my limited experience, Padrons don't age well. If I'm not mistaken, Jose Padron makes it a point that his cigars are intended to be smoked "right from the truck". The Anniversary series was disappointing, especially for the price.

But then, so did almost all CCs I've smoked to date. I decided not to bother with the trouble of getting CCs. I'm going to see if my box of Punch del Punch or HDM Epi #1 will finally yield a satisfying stick in a few years, but other than that - not worth the trouble.

One can find an NC for any palette, IMHO, if only bothered to experiment. In cigars, expensive RARELY means great. I do understand that NCs are expensive and difficult to get in the rest of the world.