Padilla Reserva Habano Review
Cigar: Padilla Reserva Habano
Size: Torpedo, 6.0”x54
MSRP: $8.75
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Origin: Nicaragua
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Prelight: The Reserva has a beautifully oily wrapper that smells intensely woody with some leather and a floral backing note. However, there are some small veins and the seams are a little loose, and the cap seems a little hastily applied. I notice a few soft spots in the cigar as well, which seem to be under filled. The foot has a sweet, chocolaty aroma to it. After clipping the cap, the draw is nice and tastes woody with some toasted bread.
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1/3: I immediately notice tons of smoke output on this cigar, despite my eyes welling with tears from the intense pepper in the retrohale. The pepper calms down in the retro a bit, but stays dominant in the profile, relegating leather and spices to the back seat. There is also an underlying note of cedar that increases throughout the first third. As I transition to the second third, the cedar takes on more of an earthy tone, and tastes more like oak.
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2/3: The second third starts out tasting of oak and earth. The ash has been great so far, probably due to the excellent burn I am getting from this cigar. At about the halfway point, the profile boomerangs back to the start, and becomes peppery and the woodiness tastes like cedar. This is transitory however, as the flavors revert back to an earthy oakiness, with cream and leather in the finish.
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3/3: The final third is primarily oak, with some baking spices, hay, and a slight creaminess. The subtleties fade and the nub is all oak, with the faintest flavor of hay on the finish.
Overall: I am really impressed with this cigar. The burn was great, even though I anticipated some construction issues, and the flavors were complex and really enjoyable. The profile did become more straightforward as the cigar went on, but still suited my palate. I would not hesitate to burn another, given the opportunity.
