Great new NC cigar

[Winchester21]

I stopped off at my favorite cigar shop, City Cigar Ballentyne location Charlotte NC USA. They were unpacking a new version of the Padron 1964 series the Sonerano which is a robusto size and the Presidente which is a Toro size. Natural and Maduro wrappers. Sold in boxes of 15 packed in individual coffins. Sort of a boxed pressed appearance Typical smooth Padron taste with notes of wood leather changing to a floral tobacco tast toward the finish. Typical perfect Padron draw and construction. Very enjoyable for those times when a NC change up is desired. Prices are 14.50 and 15.50 USD. I really enjoyed it and I plan to buy a box in the near future. I highly recommend it

[Isaac]

Is it just the packaging that is different?  It appears to still be boxed pressed.  

[QuaiDorkay]

I have a meeting I go to every year.  As the top producer in my company ( not bragging, small private company that anyone would crush if they new how little I have to do) I enjoy some latitude.  As soon as the breakfast and niceties  are done and the presentations begin I sneak off to the local cigar store and ask for their recommendation.  The NC of the moment is recommended and I enjoy with excitement.  Love it.  Afrterwards I sneak back before lunch is served and then give my all for the second half.  

I then have had my fill of NC's for the month and go back to my aged and beautiful Cuban goodies.  Works for me.  Love the pardons and tatuajes that set my palate straight.  Works for me and I love it!!

[Islandboy]

Interesting to hear there’s a floral note, as I would look forward to that change in my next Padron. Anything to lighten up the flavor profile. In general, I find Padrons have a very heavy, bold, almost monotonous wood/leather/dark chocolate taste to them - but construction and burn are always second to none.

[rhcolbert]

Love it. My go to brand and line for years prior to Cubans 

 

[Duxnutz]

Might be changing tastes but I find most Padrons less flavourful than say 3 - 4yrs ago.

[NSXCIGAR]

Thanks for the review.

I've not been impressed with the handful of 1964s I've had in the past. Not sure if these new sizes represent a blend change but the ones I've had were fairly mild and, as is often the case with NCs, one-dimensional. The 1926s I've had were better, but a bit too much white pepper and again, one-dimensional, and very expensive. And that ridiculous rectangular box press...ugh. 

 

[Philc2001]

I'm not a fan of the box press, and I think Padron's are overpriced, but man they have some wonderful packaging. Seriously! Their presentation is top shelf all the way. And I don't think I've ever heard of plugged or under-filled Padrons. 

[Winchester21]

2 hours ago, Isaac said:

Is it just the packaging that is different?  It appears to still be boxed pressed.  

No it's a new. Cigar according to the rep. Looks like it is box pressed then placed in the coffin. Good smoke

[Winchester21]

2 hours ago, rhcolbert said:

Love it. My go to brand and line for years prior to Cubans 

 

It is the only NC brand that I smoke on a regular basis

[Winchester21]

1 hour ago, Philc2001 said:

I'm not a fan of the box press, and I think Padron's are overpriced, but man they have some wonderful packaging. Seriously! Their presentation is top shelf all the way. And I don't think I've ever heard of plugged or under-filled Padrons. 

I have smoking them since 1998 and I can count on one hand the number of bad ines that I have ever smoked

[Winchester21]

2 hours ago, Islandboy said:

Interesting to hear there’s a floral note, as I would look forward to that change in my next Padron. Anything to lighten up the flavor profile. In general, I find Padrons have a very heavy, bold, almost monotonous wood/leather/dark chocolate taste to them - but construction and burn are always second to none.

I definitely noticed s Chang in the taste about halfway thru which I found to be slightly floral and different but maybe that's just my palate. Just a nice occasional break from CC. I wish that CCs had this level of construction

[JLFIRST]

I smoke Padron and Fuentes when not smoking Cubans. I, along with many botl I've talked to about these, think this is just another way for them to sell cigars; by changing the packaging. These now come in an individual box inside the box vs. Singles in a box. Extra packing cost extra money.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Isaac]

21 minutes ago, JLFIRST said:

I smoke Padron and Fuentes when not smoking Cubans. I, along with many botl I've talked to about these, think this is just another way for them to sell cigars; by changing the packaging. These now come in an individual box inside the box vs. Singles in a box. Extra packing cost extra money.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 

Thats what it looks like to me as well.  

[El Presidente]

I just take my hat off to the Padron family. 

I have enjoyed their cigars over the years. I marvel at their consistency and approach. 

If I were ever to sell  NC's, Jorge Padron would be the first that I would approach. 

[PatrickEwing]

I've had one or two in my life so I shall not offer any opinion, though I've only heard good things, either through individual smoking impression or through reputation as a company. 

That being said...Good God. Do we wonder why Habanos makes the decisions they make? The tobacco and labor must only cost 10% of the Broadway show they're putting on with the packaging, but apparently they sell? 

Rob, in your estimation, what percentage of the total sales go to the occasional impulse buyer versus the sort that grace this forum? I hope it's a very large differential to justify all this marketing. 

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, PatrickEwing said:

 

Rob, in your estimation, what percentage of the total sales go to the occasional impulse buyer versus the sort that grace this forum? I hope it's a very large differential to justify all this marketing. 

The cigar buying market is a pyramid. 

At the top 1/3 of the pyramid are people who simply want the best experience. Price is rarely a factor. 

There are numerous layers to the market in the pyramid including the top third. None are right nor wrong. 

Form a manufacturer's perspective.....if they have some 50,000 boxes of a premium release....and their market (whole) is the largest market in the world (USA 3 billion spent per annum), then they are entitled to roll the dice as they see fit. You would do the same in your own business I suspect. 

Be it Habanos, or RP or Padron or Fuente or Tatuaje, they will price on what they think is achievable. Most of the time they get it right. Sometimes they get it wrong and they adjust moving forward. 

We need to cut some slack on good cigars (I haven't tried these).  Price? 20 USD or thereabouts? I will spend that on a good bottle of Shiraz or Cab Sav. Seldom great mind you.

 I only expect a cigar to give me utility. Utility?....satisfaction for the price I paid. 

It is the same hour commitment as per a bottle of wine. 

Just be good. Occasionally great. Enhance my mood, sometimes even take my thoughts to a higher level. 

 

 

 

 

[PatrickEwing]

First, yes you are very much correct. If it's my bottom line, I'd do what I could to sell my product. No argument there. I'm a bit surprised though that all that investment would produce enough return, but perhaps I'm inflating the actual cost in my mind or deflating the new demand it creates. Totally ignorant on that so perhaps I should have tempered my initial statement. It's not to my taste, but Padrón doesn't and shouldn't care about my liking in particular.

As an owner, my fear would be creating a product that eats itself whole in the end. If we use wine as an analogy, and now speaking to Habanos in particular, do you create only a grog level offering in the Piedras, Quinteros and short fillers and then Bordeaux and Burgundy levels at the high end? Are you leaving room for the mid level marca specific offerings? The everyday players that have more refinement but don't cost you an entire paycheck. If the market sustains itself, then who am I to say anything. However, once we get into site specific appellations and ever more limited offerings and shift away from the everyday and boring to the occasional and expensive, the returns will swing wildly year to year and the odds ever so longer for the producer.

As for the consumer, this may be further evidence that globalization may be a hard landing for the Westerner. We have held dominion over certain markets for a long time and expected a certain quality and price. And we don't always seem ready to accept a world that has many more buyers for a scarce resource. Perhaps it's long due to adjust our expectations and just get on with it. Still don't like it though ?

 

[PigFish]

Long time since I smoked a Padron. I don't have a taste for NC cigars.

I also have to say thanks for the review. NC reviews from Cuban cigar smokers hold more value to me. I at least have a thread of 'something' in common with the Cuban cigar smoker.

I might be smoking Padrons some day. I won't have to keep thousands of them! I won't have to worry about them running out of tobacco, or guessing on an internet forum what the price will be!

Like it or not, these guys and the Fuentes run the cigar world... Before you crack foxy at me, look at who is following whom in the market place, it is plain to see!

I will say it again on this thread. I think 500M to secure rights to sell in the States was a bad investment. By the time Cuban tobacco makes it here (Ahhmmm) there may not be much of Tabacuba left to make a cigar for anyone much less the 'new' market. It is at least 50/50 that CC's are rejected by the indigenous population today if it happened. There might be no room in the market for them at all in the next 10 years. Not the way they are going...

-Piggy

[Guest Nekhyludov]

I'm a big fan of the Anniversario line. I've had a box of Diplomatico maduros in my humidor at all times for nearly 20 years. But I have to say, some of the new vitolas are starting to seem a little gimmicky - and they're all shorter and fatter. As long as they leave my churchill alone, I'm happy!

[Wertman]

My first cigar 12 years ago was a pardon 64 series 40th anniversary.  It was amazing and forever I was hooked on cigars

[schquigly]

Padrons are the only NC boxes I buy.

[Squarehead]

On 6/7/2017 at 9:13 PM, Philc2001 said:

I'm not a fan of the box press, and I think Padron's are overpriced, but man they have some wonderful packaging. Seriously! Their presentation is top shelf all the way. And I don't think I've ever heard of plugged or under-filled Padrons. 

You're gona hear from me now.Back in 2009 I bought 5 Padron 3000 and 2 of them were totally unsmokable.One was tunneling and the other was like sucking air through a straw.About 9 weeks later I met Jorge Padron in Easton,Pa at an event and I told him about it and he apologized  for my bad experience ,reached behind into a box and handed me 2 Padron 1926.I thanked him for that gesture and those smoked just wonderful.

[Philc2001]

 

12 minutes ago, Squarehead said:

You're gona hear from me now.Back in 2009 I bought 5 Padron 3000 and 2 of them were totally unsmokable.One was tunneling and the other was like sucking air through a straw.About 9 weeks later I met Jorge Padron in Easton,Pa at an event and I told him about it and he apologized  for my bad experience ,reached behind into a box and handed me 2 Padron 1926.I thanked him for that gesture and those smoked just wonderful.

Yes, Jorge is a great cigar guy. I met him years ago at the Miami headquarters. I met Jose too. The regular Padron line was and still is a very inexpensive cigar. I have to agree, most of the Padron 2000 and 3000 I smoked had a loose draw, but they were flavorful.