Debuting at the 2016 IPCPR, The Padron 1926 Serie Anniversario No. 90 was released to celebrate the 90th birthday of Jose Padron. The cigar was a first for the company in couple ways. The No. 90 which comes in Natural and Maduro is the first time the 1926 has been offered in a round format versus the box pressed version and it is also the first time the company has released a cigar in a tube, and it won’t be the last time.
The company which introduced the 1964 Series in a square tube in Dortmund at Inter-Tabac has begun taking orders for the cigars here in the states where they are expected to hit the shelves of retailers in the near future.
Cigar Review: Padron Serie 1926
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 5.5″
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: No. 90 (Robusto Extra)
The Look: The packaging of the No. 90 is different from the rest of the line. First off, it comes in 10 count boxes featuring two rows of 5. The tubes are color coated making it easy to find the wrapper of the cigar. Cream colored for the Natural line and Burgundy for the Maduro line which matches the colors of the band on the 1926 Serie. There are three bands adorning this release, the first being the 1926 Serie, the second being the counterfeit protection band and lastly the third denoting No. 90. The round cigars showcase the flaws of the wrapper as they have not been pressed, so the cigar looks a little more veiny than your typical Padron. It feels slightly coarse under the fingers although the cigar has a fair amount of oils.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Padron No. 90 has is predominantly earthy. There are hints of cedar and hay with a subtle sweetness that mimics cocoa. The foot of the cigar has a warm aroma and is reminiscent of manure. It is sad the highest compliment you can pay to a cigar is the say this aroma sits on the foot of the cigar. Back in the day many Cuban cigars had this aroma although I can’t remember it being the case for many years.
Once the cigar is lit there is an abundance of red pepper notes both on the palate and retrohale but it isn’t overpowering as the cigar is incredibly balanced. As you adjust to the spice that cigar begins to mellow out considerably with notes of hay and cedar and as sweet finish along the lines of cocoa.
The second third sees the cigar remain true to the first third with the red pepper notes becoming an afterthought. There is still a lot of cedar present and hints of hay and cocoa. The aroma of the cigar has a nougat like sweetness that begins to appear on the palate as well.
As we close things out on the Padron Serie 1926 No. 90 Natural the nougat become the primary note until we get to the primary band when cedar takes hold once again the red pepper notes become dominant on the finish of this balanced cigar with a chocolate like sweetness on the finish. .
The Finish: Despite the abundance of the red pepper notes this is one of the mildest Padron cigars I have ever smoked. It smoked considerably different then the box pressed version and it also smoked a bit faster than I an anticipated. This one definitely stands out for me in the Padron portfolio and if you want something a lit bit milder, with a different flavor profile than your typical Padron you will want to light this one up.
Score: 93
Price: $19.50 / $194.99
Padron 1926 Serie Natural No. 90 Tubo
Padron 1926 Serie Natural No. 90 Tubo Burn
