The PB-99 Natural by Padron

LBRAND / CO:  Padrón

CIGAR:  Black Natural (PB-99)
VITOLA:  Gordo - 6.75" x 60
STRENGTH:  Medium - Full
WRAPPER:  Nicaraguan, Natural
BINDER:  Nicaragua
FILLER:  Nicaragua
ORIGIN:  Nicaragua, Tabacos Cubanica S.A.

APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION:   Good
A lovely light to medium brown that has a light sheen but heavy mottling and color variation in the wrapper.  All of the visible veins are razor thin and the tight seams disappear into the wrapper.  The triple cap is clean and evenly applied.  Construction looks great overall as the cigar has a nice even firmness and density.

DRAW & BURN:   Average / Great
The draw is on the open side without much resistance, but seems to be burning well.  I'll have to see if it keeps it up because barely a half inch in, the cigar slips and lands on the concrete.  At least it was a cheap one, right? Amazingly the wrapper didn't crack except for a little bit at the foot and suffered no damage aside from my ego and losing the ash.

Speaking of the ash, it's a light to medium gray with uneven but tight striations.  It's feathering a bit with the wrapper leaving a snakeskin like secondary ash over the lower layers. The burn line has gotten a bit wonky, but it's still controlled.  This is a slow burning cigar as well with the final burn time being over 2 hours.  And in spite of that early drop, this cigar is still holding the wrapper and ash together like a champ.  By the mid point the burn line is evening out nicely and the ash is still holding.

FLAVOR PROFILE:   Excellent
Cedary with a hint of coffee and cinnamon.  I'm used to the chocolate and pepper of the maduros but this is a nice change.  The cedar and cinnamon combo expands with earth, baking cocoa, some additional baking spice and a light citrus sweetness.  Some light pepper enters, and then it starts to aggressively ramp up.  We're quickly reaching pepper bomb territory and I'm feeling the numbness on my lips, tongue and throat.  Fortunately that peppery assault pulls back before I'm completely numb.  I like a spicy cigar from time to time, but we're back to where we were a moment before quick is good because it would've been tough to smoke a cigar this size being pummeled by pepper the entire time.

Getting to the second third, I'm getting some light nuttiness and breadiness, less of the cedar.  It's still accentuated by cinnamon, pepper and baking cocoa while the sweetness gets more syrupy and honey like.  The pepper does ramp up and down, never letting you forget it's always lurking in the background.  But in spite of those big pepper blasts, it's all wrapped in a super creamy finish with that thick sweetness.

The final third brings back more of the breadiness and coffee flavors.  There's still a good hit of pepper though it's more medium in strength at this point.  The baking cocoa has gone to a dark chocolate.  The transitions and complexity of this cigar have been on point, but it still feels like being assaulted with a sledgehammer at times, not Jose's small hammer, lol.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:   Excellent
This is a great cigar but it's not for those with sensitivity to strong cigars.  Definitely approach it on a full stomach or only if you're an experienced smoker.  By the end I was starting to feel  the nicotine.  But it takes you on a ride with great complexity and transitions, and you get your money's worth with a long smoking session. Another banger from Padrón! 

Purchase Singles or by the Box HERE

Reviewed by Sean McCloskey of The Collective