Skip the fluff and jump straight to the review!

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Padron Cigars, Inc. – Miami, FL (website)
(distributor operates under the name Piloto Cigars, Inc.)
Factory: Tabacos Cubanica, S.A. – Esteli, Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacos Centroamericanos, S.A. – Danli, Honduras
Model/Vitola: Padron Series 6000 (Natural and Maduro)
Size: 5.5 x 52 (torpedo)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler & Binder: Nicaragua
Body: Medium to Full
Strength: Medium to Full
Average Retail: $7.23 USD
Cigar Insider/Aficionado Ratings: Low 90s

Fourteen other vitola sizes are available in the traditional Padron Series along with one which was recently discontinued.

All sizes come in lacquered cedar boxes of 26, packaged with cellophane sleeves on individual cigars. Many vendors list a box size of 25. I am not entirely sure why that is. It may be that Padron changed the box count since the initial release. The Corticos are the exception packaged in boxes of 30 or tins of 6.

From the Padron website …..

“We deliver only the finest, handmade, complex cigars with the flavor of the Cuban heritage out of which the Padron recipe was born. Our primary mission is the exceptional quality of our product, not the quantity produced. As a vertically integrated, family-owned company, we pay personal attention to every detail throughout all steps of our tobacco growing and cigar manufacturing process. Because we strive to give you, the smoker, the confidence that each cigar is the same ….. perfect.”

If you are interested in more KOTF info on the Padron Story, you can read it here.

The Keepers of the Flame Padron Series Roundup

This comparison review is one in a series on the original Padron line of cigars. When we have completed reviews on the entire line, a vertical tasting for each wrapper will be published. Each review will be an amalgam opinion of cigarfan and lucky7 along with that of the guest reviewer(s). Our guest reviewer for this vitola is:

Padron Series 6000 – Natural and Maduro

The Padron 6000 is the sole figurado produced for the classic Padron Series. Upon its release in 2004 it was hailed as an outstanding addition, garnering scores of 90 for the natural and 91 for the maduro from Cigar Insider. Patrick notes that “some cigar enthusiasts consider the the 6000 to be the elite vitola of the main line Padrons.” So it was with some excitement that we readied our cutters and prepared to examine the 6000 for ourselves.

Both of these cigars have impressively pointed torpedo heads. As lucky7 says, “put a little crook in it and add a brim, voila… the sorting hat from Harry Potter.” And again the wrapper colors are almost indistinguishable — sitting side by side the natural is just a few shades lighter than the maduro, and the maduro glistens with a bit more oil.

Natural

Both of these cigars seem to be constructed more carefully than others in the line. The wrappers are cleaner and more uniform in color. In the case of the natural, there a few protruding veins but they are fairly discreet. The roll is firm and even with a slight box press.

The prelight characteristics are similar to other naturals in the line: an earthy hay-like scent from the wrapper and sweet tobacco with a hint of fruit from the foot. Cigarfan detected a touch of ammonia from one sample.

Like all torpedos this is a cigar that graduates in size from a point at the head to a sizable surface area at the foot — in this case a 52 ring gauge that takes some time to light properly. It opens up with the peppery spice we’ve come to expect from this series, but within a few minutes this calms and presents an easygoing, medium-bodied smoke with a woody foundation. Patrick reported some saltiness as well:

The flavor is a bit spicy at the outset with an arid, woodsy body. Where the Maduro has sweetness, the Natural has salt — a biting dryness that increases with the frequency of each puff. Careful smokers will notice a backdrop of cinnamon.

As the 6000 gathers speed it presents more flavors of cocoa and coffee. Cigarfan welcomed the return of an acidic tang that was present in the 7000 and Magnum naturals (but curiously not the 3000 or the smaller vitolas.) The woody foundation persists and the aroma is distinctly leathery.

As the barrel of the cigar shortens it leaves behind a somewhat mushy, slightly flaky ash, though as Patrick notes, “it wasn’t an encumbrance (even though I expect better for the price.)” He also remarks on an uneven burn that requires corrections and “a tendency for the burn to extinguish itself” down the final stretch.

The end game of the 6000 Natural is intensified by the structure of the torpedo: the flavors become concentrated as the ring gauge narrows. In this case, there are some notes of caramel, but they are brief and scattered as the flavors turn ashy and bitter.

Cigarfan wraps his day with a 6000 Natural as
California wildfires blaze in the distance

Maduro

The maduro 6000 is equally well constructed and is unusually attractive for the classic Padron series. As Patrick tells it,

The beautifully-constructed head clips neatly to reveal a clear pre-light draw. I found plenty of sweet cocoa flavors off the foot — very similar to the aroma of Swiss Miss. There are a few veins, some noticeable seams, and a less-than-perfectly packed cross section at the foot, but this nonetheless has the feel of a finely-built cigar.

The maduro smokes a little more aggressively than the natural, jumping off with a peppery bite. After an inch or so this settles and a familiar base of leather and toasted wood comes to the fore. The aroma is sweet and slightly musty.

The peppery overtones persist into the middle section as the finish grows moderately. The aroma loses some its earthiness and takes on a beanier character, chocolate or cocoa, while the basic flavor of the cigar remains woody. At this point the smoke is quite creamy and the texture rates a solid medium.

The last stage is marked by increased bitterness, but kept in balance until the end, as Patrick explains:

The first inch is stronger than I expected with heavy, earthy notes of leather and a little black pepper. The pre-light sweetness creeps in shortly thereafter, though, balancing out the flavor. This is where the cigar is at its best. A pleasant sweet vs. bitter interaction characterizes the second third, and the flavor is most enjoyable when bitter isn’t winning out. Look for an increase in sourness is the final third.

Conclusion

While lucky7 preferred the maduro 6000 just slightly over the natural, Patrick came down decisively for the maddie:

Even though both displayed construction flaws that would be better left to cheaper smokes, I enjoyed each experience. There’s no question in my mind, however, that the Maduro is the finer cigar. Its taste is fuller and more complex, with a lingering sweetness that I will certainly seek out again.

Bucking the trend was cigarfan, who appreciated the smoother, slightly more suave character of the natural over the sweetness of the maduro.

A final point is worth making regarding the price of the 6000, which is a bit higher than the rest of the line. While this is a quality cigar — in whichever wrapper you prefer — it’s not wildly different from the rest of the line, but it is considerably more expensive (especially if you’re buying by the stick.)

Lucky7’s take:

The 6000 is a very nice smoking cigar but given the price differential between the 3000 and the 6000, I would go for the 3000 every time…it’s so much cheaper and basically the same smoke. For the torpedo nut, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. For the penny conscious, stick with the 3000.

Thanks to Patrick A for taking the time to participate in the Padron Roundup. Make sure to visit StogieGuys.com for the latest news and reviews from Patrick and the rest of the Stogie Guys. Somehow they manage to publish something new every single day!

… cigarfan & lucky7