Usually these Padron 1964 anniversary 'A' is too rich for my blood, the price tag of those puppies is € 38.00 euro here in The Netherlands but recently I visited the Oliva Cigar Lounge, the cigar shop owned by the importer of Oliva, Fuente, Padron, Don Pepin Garcia and a few others and he showed me a box of these Padron 1964 anniversary 'A' with the wrong tax band of € 18,25 so I had to buy one. Now, I might have to explain the Dutch tobacco law a bit otherwise you might think "why didn't he just correct the price?". Well, tobacco prices are fixed in The Netherlands. The importer sets a price that includes his mark up and the shops mark up, then he has to add the taxes and that price is printed on a tax band. Once that tax band is placed on the cigar the importer and the shop owner are not allowed to remove the band, so this was bad luck for the importer and good luck for me. As soon as I bought the cigar I knew this would be my birthday smoke, and that was yesterday.
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The cigar looks great, the leathery looking wrapper is dark and oily, even the veins on this 8¼x50 box pressed cigar are good looking. The band is tasteful and even has a serial number printed on it, which is created after some counterfeits were found. The construction feels good and the cigar has a mild wood smell. The predraw is great and I taste a mild spicy wood.
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I taste wood and coffee, medium strong. After an inch I also taste a mild herbal flavor. The flavors are quite unique, different than any other cigar I've smoked. I also taste a mild chocolate. After two inch the flavors consist of a mild creamy, herbal chocolate with some wood. The coffee has gone. The cream gets milder while the herbal flavor grows in strength. The wood is the main flavor without becoming dominant.
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Right before I hit the halfway point I also taste something sweet with the mix of herbs and wood. After the halfway point an earthy flavor joins the flavor party in my mouth. The sweetness has disappeared and I get a nut flavor in the aftertaste. Near the end I can also taste some chocolate again.
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The smoke time of this giant is two hours and thirty five minutes. I got a decent amount of medium thick white smoke that gets ticker along the way. The draw is great and due to the length the smoke is quite cool in the beginning. The firm as has a salt and pepper color scheme. The burn is great, straight as an arrow. This cigar is full flavored and full bodied.
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Would I buy this cigar again? For € 18.25 yes, for € 38.00 no.
Appearance: 9 / 10
Construction: 8 / 10
Draw: 8 / 10
Burn: 8 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Aroma first part: 8 / 10
Aroma second part: 9 / 10
Aroma third part: 8 / 10
[Reply]
Originally Posted by CigarNut:
Thanks for the review! This is one of the Padron's that I have not tried; if I ever find a "deal" on them I will have to give them a try!
I think the best "deal" on these is probably to buy the sampler five pack of the five different vitolas, of which the A is one of them.
You can find them around $80-85 on average, which at the end of the day, is not a bad price at all given you are getting five different cigars, to include the somewhat pricey Torpedo.
[Reply]
:-) Thanks For The Review Of One Of My Favorite "Special Sticks"!:-)