Cigar Review: Padrón Executive Maduro

Ask any cigar enthusiast to name his top three cigar brands, and there’s an excellent chance Padrón will be one third of his answer. This vertically integrated company has been in the business for almost 50 years, and it has produced some of the most sought-after cigars this side of Cuba—including the Anniversary Series (both 1926 and 1964) and Family Reserve.

Not to be overlooked is the original Padrón line, which includes over a dozen vitolas that are available in either Natural or Maduro formats. (By the way, with similar wrapper shades and no distinguishing markings, it’s really hard to tell a Natural from a Maduro without holding two next to each other.) Each is comprised of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobacco that’s aged for two and a half years.

The Executive is a double corona that measures seven and a half inches long with a ring gauge of 50. I picked it up for $7 at a tobacconist in downtown Chicago. It’s a long, rugged-looking cigar that takes a good two hours to smoke to completion. Before setting fire to the foot, it’s impossible not to take note of the Executive’s pungent pre-light aroma of chocolate and earth.

I’ve read that the draw on this vitola can be a bit airy, especially for its length. Using a punch instead of a guillotine cutter yields a perfect draw. Once an even light is established, a syrupy taste of coffee, leather, and pepper emerges. And while there’s a bit of sweetness on the finish, the cigar is far less chocolatey than expected.

I don’t really mind that because the Executive’s taste is agreeable and the resting smoke is very aromatic and pleasant. These are important points, especially since the profile hardly changes from beginning to end. A two-hour smoke with an unwavering flavor can often be a bad thing. But, in this case, the taste is interesting and balanced enough to hold my attention.

With superb physical attributes—including a solid white ash and a straight burn—the Executive Maduro is a great way to get that classic Padrón quality without paying top dollar. Sure, the complexity doesn’t match the Anniversary Series or the Family Reserve, but try finding those premier smokes for $7. I rate this vitola three and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys