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 3000 (Natural and Maduro)
Size: 5.5 x 52 (robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler & Binder: Nicaragua
Body: Medium to Full
Strength: Medium to Full
Average Retail: $5.38 USD
Cigar Insider/Aficionado Ratings: Consistently high 80s to 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 reviewers for this vitola are:

Padron Series 3000 – Natural and Maduro

Padron’s “Thousands” series of cigars are all robusto or robusto-plus sized cigars. The 3000 is a slightly larger than average robusto; at 5 1/2 x 52 it has just a little more girth and half an inch in length on the standard 5 x 50 robusto.

Based on our reviewers’ impressions, it’s safe to say that the 3000 does not depart from the rusticity that characterizes the rest of the Padron Series we’ve examined so far. If there’s one consistent element here, it’s a rough and ready blue-collar exterior.

Natural

The most impressive aesthetic feature of the 3000 Natural is its well formed and flattened head. Like the triple-cap, the flat head has traditionally been a hallmark of Cuban craftsmanship and quite a few non-Cuban manufacturers have appropriated the style. Unfortunately for the 3000 natural, this otherwise attractive element is defeated by a haphazard application of the cap. The caps seemed to be uniformly sloppy; in one case the cap was loose and made cutting the cigar a challenge — just tear off the cap flapping loose in the breeze, or cut further down?

Hurdling over these flaws, what we have is typical of the Padron Series Natural: a rough, somewhat veiny wrapper with a consistently textured milk chocolate color, a passable roll with a slight box press, and a good draw. The prelight scent is that familiar horsey Old McDonald smell — Jesse describes it as leather, while Matt notes hay and earth. Sounds like the barnyard all right.

The natural lights up easily and introduces itself with a smattering of pepper that quickly gives way to leather. All four reviewers noted leather as a main ingredient here, three of us found a woody element as well, and Jesse tasted some coffee. The finish is very short and a tad salty.

The middle section continues in the same vein but gets creamier and adds a small shot of sweetness. Cigarfan picked up a little cocoa; Jesse stayed with his coffee; Matt noted some subtle spiciness on top of the base of wood and leather, and Lucky7 contented himself with blowing rings with the thick creamy smoke.

The body of the cigar grows to a solid medium-plus in the last section. (Matt thought it was lighter than this, but in reading his reviews you’ll find that he is partial to some thundering smokes.) As always, gauging the body and strength of a cigar is very subjective. What we all agreed on was this: leather. Leather with nuts, leather with coffee, and leather with wood. For dessert, the 3000 natural serves up a few crusts of toasty bread and a touch of caramel.

Matt sums it up:

Even though it has an ugly appearance it is a very well constructed cigar. The ash held firm and was well formed with a good burn and excellent draw. The flavors, although a little one dimensional, are very good, making for a good easy going and enjoyable smoke. I’d rate this a good everyday kind of smoke.

 

Maduro

Padron’s natural cigars are much darker than the average “natural” due to the sungrown Habano leaf that is used. The processing of maduro leaf provides additional fermentation, but in this case it results in a wrapper that is only slightly darker than the natural. This is evident across many of the different vitolas, and this is the case with the 3000. Viewed separately it is quite difficult to differentiate between the natural and the maduro 3000s. (Which is why it’s always a good idea to label these cigars if you are placing them in the same humidor compartments.)

In other ways the maduro is quite similar to the natural, including the rough wrapper and sloppy cap. As Matt says, it’s “just as ugly as the natural.” There are lumps and veins and wrinkles and the occasional soft spot — once again, this cigar will not elicit sighs of admiration based on its presentation.

George E. from the Stogie Guys weighed in on the 3000 as well, noting a prelight minty scent that follows through to the taste on a cold draw. Cigarfan was a little surprised to find the faint scent of ammonia on one sample, but a simple sweet tobacco scent on the rest.

All of our reviewers found sweet bean flavors in the first third, though some identified this as coffee and others as cocoa. Lucky7 found a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, while cigarfan caught just a glimpse of that coconut/hazelnut he’s been finding in the maduros in this series. The burning qualities were reported by everyone to be very good, with an even burn line and a solid, though somewhat flaky ash.

The flavors turn to wood in the middle section, along with the sweet char typical of maduro wrapper leaf. At this point the body builds up to a solid medium and the cigar gathers a little strength. The finish is short but gets a little sharp if you’re puffing too vigorously. Jesse wondered at this point if his stick “might be a bit off or my taste is off. I remember past ones to be sweeter — more chocolate.” In agreement with this, George noted “burnt coffee.” There are definitely bittersweet overtones at this point.

The flavors grow a little darker in the last third. Some peppery flavors come into play and the finish lengthens. The aroma is still quite nice at this point, smoldering a sweet hickory charcoal scent. The last inch and half gets hot and produces an unpleasant bite, signaling the end stage of this cigar.

Conclusion

Jesse noticed some inconsistency with the maduro version of this cigar, so cigarfan felt compelled to grab a couple at his local shop for comparison purposes. There does seem to be some inconsistency here — it isn’t severe, but as Jesse points out in his review of the Padron 6000 at Cigar Jack there may be some quality control issues to look out for. On the other hand, this is not a super-premium smoke — for most people cigars in this series are considered quality “everyday” cigars. But the caveat is out there.

These are straightforward cigars that don’t exhibit a lot of complexity or remarkable development. They’re medium bodied smokes that are characteristic of the Padron Series — a lot of bean flavors, with an added bittersweet char in the maduro.

Matt’s summary says it all:

These cigars are a prime illustration of how a wrapper can affect the overall experience of a blend. The maduro is very different from the natural: it is a bit more complex. The natural is a good cigar, but I feel the maduro is the superior of the two. Lots of flavor, but still a very accessible easy going smoke. It is a good cigar for beginners and still has plenty to offer the more experienced.

Thanks to Matt, Jesse and GeorgeE for their comments. Be sure to check out Matt’s Cigar Journal, especially if you’re a fan of Don Pepin Garcia and heavier bodied fare, and Cigar Jack, who seems to be on top of the cigar news faster than the AP wire. Thanks to all for taking part in this round of the Padron Roundup!

… cigarfan & lucky7