Do Padron Lovers See Quality Crash?

[Mister Moo]

Never smoked a Padron until frequent praise at CS sent me to try some 2000- and 3000s. They were taken from current crop off the shelf at my local. I sat in the lounge a puffed one down, tried a few more in other circumstances then returned to the local smoke another (2000) yesterday. I thought they were all pretty flat and without special appeal. One was loose draw and went kind of fast and warm; the rest were well made but rather tasteless.

I asked the local owner, a very up-front and knowledgable guy, what I was missing and he said, "Nothing. If you'd asked me I wouldn't have suggested you buy 'em. Last years crop was one of the better cigars in the store. The recent arrivals are nothing like the past season."

So, do new Padrons need a longgggg rest - is the local owner full of beans - do I not even have taste in my mouth - or have long time Padronnies seen a sudden, downward shift?

[RJT]

I think all cigars have their good and bad years. Maybe bad years is not the best way to say it. However they have better years than some. The crops chage from year to year. Cigars are in a class with wine, scotch, wiskey, etc. They all tend to have their better years and batches. I used to live in Rocky Mount btw. RJT

[PaulHag]

Personally, I have not experienced any downward slope...
Always have been good for me

[Ivory Tower]

I think the 2000's, 3000's and the like will improve with some age. I think the 6000 maduro will be especially good after months or years. You can't complain about the quality that goes into the Serie 1926 or 1964 Anniversary cigars. My buddy and I just smoked each of those last night and they are perfect cigars - they looked like smooth, shiny, dark chocolate truffle bars and smoked wonderfully.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by PaulHag

Personally, I have not experienced any downward slope...
Always have been good for me

Ditto.
For fifteen years, they have been very consistent for me.
The regular line does have a problem one here and there but very rare and don't most cigars, even most ISOMs have occasional issues?

The Anni line has never, ever failed me.
An extremely great consistent cigar, regardless of vitola.
Expensive yes but boy are they consistent.

Give an Anni maduro a try and come back and tell us what you think about Padrons. My dad has been a two cigar a day smoker for over 55 years, with fifteen of those years being in Cuba until the mid sixties. Ask him which line is his favorite NC and most resembles the Cuban cigars he remembers and he will tell you without hesitation it is a Padron. The man will trade any cigar for an Anni.

[oddball]

I'm kinda new at all this, but so far Padron is my favorite brand. Their 1964 Anniversary (Principe) is my absolute favorite cigar. I purchased a number of 2000s maduros last month and the few I've had were great.
No complaints...

[puffmtd]

So far I haven't had a problem and I smoke a 2000 about 3 or 4 times a week. I've got 6 boxes in the coolerdor so I hope they stay just the way they are. I have noticed the flavor changes depending on what I'm drinking at the time. Try one with a coke sometime.

[whiteboard]

Been smoking 64s for about ten years. Like any cigar, some are perfect and some are less than perfect. But 64s are more consistently perfect than any other cigar I've smoked. In fact, I've never had a BAD Padron 64 Anniversary until the past two days. I smoked two Exclusivos and both were bitter - I'd say even acrid. The second one so disappointed me I put it out halfway through. I was surprised to say the least. Probably just a bad box from the local shop as I've noticed no other drops in quality with this or other shapes in the line.

My favorite 1964 shapes are the monarcha, principe and imperial in that order.

BTW, if you haven't tried the Padron 1926 "35", you are missing out. It's about the size of a 1964 principe. And it's a powerful, perfect little smoke! I call it the Giant Killer.

Tim

[Danimal]

I think and have heard that Padrons age nicely. I picked up a 3000 that was sitting in my humi a year or so and it was great.. better than a cigar I had last year from the same box. I've read on these boards a while back that someone had 3000's with about 3 years of age and it was phenomenal.

[PaulHag]

I am pretty much to a point where I smoke a Padron about 75% of the time I smoke, and i smoke about a cigar a day...
Even the normal Padron line, even though they may not always look 100% flawless almost always perform top notch, always burn perfectly, with a nice semi-loose draw. (Never had a tight draw), same delicious flavor.
Whoever suggested the Coke, I agree... try it with rootbeer too..

Another thing I like about Padron.. they keep it simple... no crazy line extensions... nothing. Just keepin it real makin the same tasty smokes that are good enough to keep people coming back for more. All the way from ridiculously cheap, to ridiculously expensive (but worth every penny)

Im smoking a Delicia(N) as I type this...

[Alpedhuez55]

I think with any cigar you can get a bad one here and there. And the owner may be right about last year not being a good one.

I have had no issues with any Padrons recently. I find them to be a consistant brand with good quality. But with any cigar, it is a matter of personal taste. You may just not like them.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Alpedhuez55

I think with any cigar you can get a bad one here and there. And the owner may be right about last year not being a good one.
I have had no issues with any Padrons recently. I find them to be a consistant brand with good quality. But with any cigar, it is a matter of personal taste. You may just not like them.

Seems like most gorillas who cite Padron as one of the great NC faves often include other brands I gravitate to in the same breath. The box at the local is fresh (maybe too fresh) and maybe this season isn't like last season. I was waiting to hear if a years rest is normally the difference with Padron. Since the marque has such a loyal and respectful following here (like, 100% of comments above) I was also looking for opinions on most recent shipments compared to previous years. (Aside for the coffeebugs: The first time I bought/roasted/drank Puerto Rican Yauco - maybe 2001 - it made the most stunning liquid honey&butter espresso I'd ever had. Next season, same variety, same farm and same high price - flat as a pancake. Crops change - fact of nature.)

Given my confidence in the comments above I'll try shopping some other sources before concluding they don't suit me. It just rips me up to think I'm missing a good brand!

[floydp]

Anita just flat out doesn't care for Padron's except for the Fuma's. I've been smoking 2000's and 3000's for the past 3 years and other than a few not great 2000's I've yet to have a bad one. They are definately better with age without question. I have quite a few Padron's floating around in the humidors here. I simply love the 64 Anni Exclusivo maduro. I think as far as value and quality its very hard to beat Padron regular line smokes.

[whiteboard]

I smoke 64 annys fresh out of the box all the time. With a little age, they are sublime. Can't say that I keep them around long for the most part, though. We're fortunate here in town in that a local shop has an excellent relationship with Jose and George and has 64 Exclusivos, Imperials, Principes, Diplomaticos and 26 #35s, and #2s pretty much in stock in perpetuity. This proprietor tells me that Jose has said to him that Padron cigars are intended to be ready to smoke right out of the box. And they're great that way. That's not to say that aging hurts them any.

One of the better cigars I ever smoked was a Padron 64 Millennium -- the last of 6 -- which I managed to hold on to for 5 years. Wow...wish I still had some of those!

[Speedmaster]

Probably blasphemy around here, but I've always found Punch Rothschild Maduros to be more consistent and better tasting than Padron 2000 Maduros. They cost noticeably less too.