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From one of the oldest family run businesses in the cigar world, the Padron 4000 is just one of the 15 vitolas in the traditional or "classic" line. Released in 2000, the Padron 4000 was created in response to customer requests for larger ring gauge cigars and is an all-Nicaraguan blend typical of the entire line. Tobacco used in the 4000 is sun-grown habano and the cigar is available with a Natural or a Maduro wrapper. The wrappers are virtually indistinguishable from each other though, except for flavor. We selected the Maduro for this tasting, as it offers a specific flavor note that we are looking for in our single malt matchup.
Pre-Smoke
The Padron 4000 is a pretty hefty cigar both in appearance and in construction. Tightly packed, and a little bumpy in the roll, it is well constructed. The chocolate brown wrapper is slightly oily and toothy, but there is little apparent veining and the seams are tight. Scents from the wrapper are of the barnyard and compost type, becoming a little more earthy at the foot.
Clipping the Padron 4000 shows how well it is packed, as it takes some effort to clip the flat cap. ( A punch might work better on this stick.) It also shows the skill of the torcedor as even though it was tight, the pre-light draw was perfect, just a little resistance. A cold draw produces a sweet flavor like a typical maduro.
Burn
Lighting up the 4000 also takes a little work to get an even burn going, but once fired up, the cigar puts out great quantities of thick, white smoke. The draw remains perfect throughout, and the light gray ash with tiny white speckles produces the typical stacking effect, and hangs on pretty well. Knocking off the ash reveals the perfect cone shaped burn, again highlighting the skills of the roller.
The Flavor
The first few puffs of a cigar rarely exhibit true flavors, and you typically taste a peppery note. With the Padron 4000, the initial flavors tend to be similar - earthy and peppery, but not harshly so. As the burn settles in, the flavors soften and morph into a woody base with notes of cocoa, coffee and raisins (or dried fruit).
This flavor profile carries into the middle of the lengthy smoke, and gradually turns into the more typical sweet, spicy and coffee flavors of a maduro cigar. Also apparent throughout are occasional notes of spice on the nose, creating an overall pleasant and sweet smell to the aroma of the smoke. By now, the flavor strength has moved into the medium-full range, yet it remains a smooth tasting cigar.
The flavors turn darker as the cigar strength builds toward full-bodied near the end, bringing a bittersweet chocolate flavor, and adding a peppery spice on the finish.
Overall the Padron 4000 is a smooth cigar with a satisfying amount of flavor complexity to keep you invested in this lengthy smoke. While there will always be the "latest and greatest" cigars coming out as the market demands, a good cigar will always be a good cigar. And that is what Padron strives to produce, and that is what the Padron 4000 is - a good cigar.
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Dried Fruits
