Few names carry the weight of prestige like the Padrón family does in the cigar industry. Back in 2002, the Padrón 1926 Serie line was introduced to commemorate José Orlando Padrón’s 75th birthday. Since then, the cigar has become a staple in most humidors and is considered one of the greatest cigars ever made. We decided to review this cigar and put it to the test to see if it still holds up.
The Padrón 1926 Serie is available in five different sizes and is offered, like most Padrón cigars, in both natural and a maduro wrappers. I am somewhat partial to Padrón maduros so I figured I would go that route. Serie 1926 comes in rustic boxes with twenty-four cigars.
Under the Lid
- Origin: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Nicaragua
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Vitola: Robusto (4 3/4 x 50)
- Factory: Tabacos Cubanica S.A.
- Released Date: 2002
- MSRP: $18.69
Holding the cigar, it feels light and soft to the touch. It is toothy, a little uneven and slightly veiny. I know many people talk about Padrón not always having the most visually pleasing cigars, but man do they burn and taste great. It is one of those, “don’t judge a book by its cover” kind of things. I cut the cigar and take a few cold draws through it and it is light and fruity with some mild spice and fresh cut grass. The draw is loose and free so this cigar is going to burn and breathe very well. If you do not smoke a cigar like this carefully, it can get too hot and ruin the flavor.
First Third
This cigar starts off with plenty of white pepper upfront with very rich, dark and earthy undertones. The pepper continues to linger in my mouth like hot sauce and is all over not just in my throat or on my tongue. As I get a little further into the cigar, the pepper quiets down but doesn’t fully disappear. At this point, it becomes very leathery and dry. The burn line is almost perfect and the draw is flawless, and the cigar is giving off plenty of smoke production while also not getting too hot. I also pick up notes of rich creamy espresso on the back end.
Second Third
By the second third, the pepper is much more muted, almost non existent. In its place I start to taste some fresh roasted garlic up front but it also darkens to a deep rich oak and leather aftertaste on the back end. The burn line gets slightly jagged on the last cigar but not bad at all and the other two are flawless. Furthermore, the smoke production is down significantly more than the first third but not to a “barely there” stage either. I love how loose the draw continues to be but I am also trying not to smoke too fast. The ash on this cigar is also very strong and holds on very well. I think that across all the cigars, I might have broken the ash on average only three times the entire way.
Final Third
By the time we get towards the end of the cigar, some rich cocoa takes the dominant tone with the white pepper slowly creeping back in. The flavor also rounds off with some notes of vintage musky leather and fresh sanded cedar. I cannot say enough about the construction on these cigars. They are rolled just right in my opinion – not too dense, not too soft, and they burn and breathe exceptionally well. Everything about the experience here has been top notch. None of the cigars cracked, broke, had draw issues, unraveled or otherwise had any issues with construction. If I am being honest, the only drawback was keeping this cigar from getting too hot which it did slightly towards the end.
Smoking Experience
I have to say, I have smoked plenty of Padróns in my day. The 1926 has always been a favorite, although I usually smoke the No. 48 size the most. Padrón cigars have, for the most part, always been pretty guaranteed to be exceptional, at least from a construction stand point. As I said, not the most polished *looking* cigars compared to most of the cigars on the market in its price bracket, but that doesn’t matter at all.
The performance of this cigar is one of the best out there and brings plenty of flavor with it as well. This cigar is no slouch, and it would put cigars well above its price range to shame. The smaller format was actually a nice change of pace and I was surprised how much of a punch it packed compared to the larger formats I am used to smoking. The level of complexity and boldness this cigar presents is something special that you don’t find in every cigar.
Smokin Facts
- Released in celebration of Jose O. Padrón’s 75th birthday
- Cigars were purchased by Smokin Tabacco
- Features tobaccos aged five to ten years
Purchase recommendation: Box Purchase
Smokin Wrap
Cigars Smoked for the Review: Three
Average smoking time: Forty-eight minutes
