2002 Padron Anniversary 1964 Monarca, 6.5 X 46 

Construction: A box-pressed beauty. Gorgeous satiny walnut brown wrapper with burnt umber highlights and two minor veins. Aging has given this parejo an enticing even coating of fine silver-gray sparkle bloom. Solidly rolled with no soft spots. Clipped clean. 

Prelight: Light coffee, cocoa, cedar and tobacco flavor. Light sweet tobacco, earth and ceder aroma. Medium draw. 

Burn: Lit evenly, occasionally meandering burn that always evened itself out. Very solid silver-gray ash tinged with charcoal gray. 

Drink: Maison Surrenne Tonneau No. 1 cognac with an ice-water chaser. (I chose the MS T1 as a compliment for it’s refined oaky, aged fruity, “petite champagne” character. It complimented the rounded earthiness of the PAM perfectly- it made for an “intoxicating” evening especially since I drank a bit more than I had intended.) 

Smoking Notes: Initial impression is a rich, thick, very smooth and creamy smoke, lightly earthy with a sweet and nutty taste. The finish is quite sweet, nutty and lightly floral. My wife noted the aroma as very mild sweet-woody with hints chocolate and cedar. By 1/3, the cigar is a mix of light cedar, sweet nut, cocoa, coffee and light-earthy tobacco with floral notes and a bit of pepper spiciness on the finish. Aging has made this is very well-rounded with no sharp edges or abrupt flavor shifts, rather one flavor melds to another. By halfway the smoke is intensely cedary but becoming a bit more Nic in profile with the earthy, nutty, cocoa notes deepening. At 3/4, the smoke deepens further to heavy sweet earthiness, rich tobacco and sweet wood with light coffee and cocoa notes. Never became bitter or tarry as I smoked it to the nub. A stunning 1 hour smoke.