The Padron Black 97 Maduro by Padron
BRAND / CO: Padrón
CIGAR: Black Maduro (PB-97)
VITOLA: Figurado - 6.75" x 54
STRENGTH: Medium - Full
WRAPPER: Nicaraguan, Maduro
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
ORIGIN: Nicaragua, Tabacos Cubanica S.A.
APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION: Average
I've yet to have a Padrón that didn't bring a strong rustic vibe with plentiful lumps, veins and raised, visible seam edges. But they also check all the boxes with sheen, mottling, good tooth and quality construction. It's just their thing I guess. This one is on the lighter side of Maduro as a color, but as long as it brings the flavor from additional fermentation, I'm not going to be mad that it's a milk chocolate brown. This one is super firm though, it feels like the handle on the hammer.
DRAW & BURN: Good / Great
The draw is perfect and the burn starts clean. The ash is an extremely light gray with broad spacing between the uneven cracks. They're are some oil crystals embedded in the ash but they blend in. The burn is mostly even with a little wave, but it improves, staying nicely controlled though the smoke.
FLAVOR PROFILE: Great
Immediate pepper and chocolate followed by cinnamon and coffee. The coffee builds along with a strong woody note and some earth. This has an intense pepper bite, pushing pepper bomb status early that does drown out some of the other flavors. But a citrus fruitiness does cut through on the finish and I'm getting a bit of saltiness as well. It's mildly creamy at this point, mostly because the pepper is dominant, but it's not harsh. The real issue is the flavor balance is off.
In the second third, pepper thankfully dials
back a bit allowing the other flavors to come to the front. Still very woody, but with a mix of chocolate, coffee and sweet and some musty earthiness. The balance is improving and so is the overall profile. But coffee and sweet are the most dominant flavors right now. It's almost as if the Black name is in reference to black coffee with just a little sugar and cream. At the midpoint, I start getting a bit of a pretzel vibe from a sourdough breadiness combined with that mild saltiness that has never left.
With the final third, the sourdough dissipates and the coffee and pepper come back stronger. It starts getting harsher with more of the pepper burn hitting the back of the throat and a little bitter, but the sweetness on the finish has never quit and is really what makes the blend enjoyable.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Great
The Black line seems to be blended to deliver a powerhouse of flavor, but that has its drawbacks. It's enjoyable, but never finds the balance or refinement you get in the 1926 or 1964 series, while still coming in at a similar price level. If you just want one of the most intense Padróns, this is your smoke, but I'll personally reach for one of the other two. It's still an enjoyable blend, I just think the other two are better. You never get the refined creaminess or smoothness of the other two.
Purchase Singles or by a Box HERE
Review written by Sean McCloskey of The Collective