Aged Padron Question

[Snowdust]

I bring this question as I know there there is alot of experience here and those with big collections.

I found some Padron 5000 Maduros in a shop that had the darkest cellophane that I have ever seen. Thought I had struck gold and bought all that I could. They don’t appear to dry and burned well. But the taste was not what I know a 1000 series to be. They were ultra smooth, had faint chocolate notes with some slight cashew notes. They do not have that unique padron taste that stays with you well after smoking one And what I expect from a Padron.

Does this sound like what is desired with an aged cigar, or did these loose too much of the flavor to the cellophane? It has me questioning if my collection which is now up to more than I will smoke over the next couple of years is a mistake. It was good, but TBH, was not all that satisfying didn’t seem to have the same strength either.

Thlights?

 

[cabaiguan juan]

Yes. If you like that, then buy them all.
I’ll edit this to say that many buy X000 series Padrons and age them to where they compete with 1964 series in flavor for a fraction of the price and some patience.

 

[2K6TBSS]

I do know that after a few years the X000 series do mellow out as you have described. I haven't had any with a lot of years on them, only about 3-4 years, but they do get really smooth.

 

[CigarStone]

I believe the x000 series can be incredible with age.

However, if they spent a few months in the wrong humidity, its all over but the cryin!

 

[CgarDan]

A properly aged x000 series Padron can be quite good, but does have a more mellow profile and lacks the strength and power of the 64 series.

I guess it all depends on what profile works for you.

 

[JoeGibs]

I had a similar experience. I bought box of maduro churchill's from a shop, dust covered box, sticks inside looked very aged with cello almost as dark as the wrapper. Didn't quite give the same experience as a 4000 and a 7000 I had previously smoked. Could be the age, could be that they weren't properly cared for (at all times) by the shop, not sure. Still not a bad smoke, but has me wondering if extensive age starts to take away from it's potential.

 

[wrussell46]

From my experience with smoking aged cigars I’ve found this:

- Nicaragua tobacco will mellow out and lose its “typical” flavor, brand dependent, anywhere from 3-5 years on average and conditions depending. Padron especially will lose that signature full body, full flavor, pepper and spice.
I’ve found this to be the case with almost all Nica Tobacco. Each brand from Drew Estate, Foundation, Montenegro, and Padron all seem to age similarly within their own unique profiles, in that 3-5 year window. The only caveat to this is AJ Fernandez. Cigars that he has provided and curated for Privada Cigar Club specifically has, in my experience, aged differently.
I haven’t tried anything from his mainstream lines, so our Ava Maria and Hoyo de Monterrey smokers can chime in.

- Dominican tobacco is a wild card. Davidoff and Fuente being the big players and their tobacco could not age more differently. Davidoff White Label blends with 10+ years age smoke like vintage Cubans with hardly a resemblance to their original blends. Smoke an Aniversario No 3 off the shelf and one with 5-8 years of age and you’ll be shocked at the difference.
The small amount of Fuente that I’ve smoked doesn’t follow that mold at all. Especially with Opus. Granted my limited experience here needs to be supported by Members with better experience. The aged Opus Robusto I smoked with 10 years age was certainly different, not in a good way. Sour and piquant with very little nuance.
Regular blends of AF with age smoke similarly to their younger counterparts, as I’ve found with MC.
NC Montecristo smoke exactly the same year in and year out, which is honestly impressive. I’ve have 20 year aged White Label (granted not a Dom Puro) and Platinum that smoked almost exactly the same as ones off the shelf today.
LFD is another brand that changes dramatically with age, similar to Nicaraguan tobacco as Litto Gomez is known for his big, punchy, robust cigars. Though from blend to blend in the LFD lineup I’m not experienced enough to say how all of them age.

- Honduran and Cuban I’m going to lump together as I feel they age similarly. Especially anything from the Eiroa Family. The cream, roasted nuts, dried fruit, honey, and cedar meld together over time and mold into a delightful smoking experience. Bolder brands like CC Bolivar, SCdlH, and Cohiba maintain their body and depth while mellowing out and loosing the sharpness that can be present with young Cubans.
CC are also interesting as the manly of the tobacco is grown and harvested now from mostly the same farms/regions, but the blenders are able to combine tobacco to create vastly different flavors that each brand is known for.
Any long time CC smokers here can chime in on how Cubans have changed over the years not just from age, but with the uniqueness of how the Country handles its tobacco production.

We can dive deeper with other boutique brands and their extensive use and curation of different tobacco from Brazil, Puro, Pennsylvania, and Mexico, not to mention hybridization of seeds searching for different flavors.

What do others think?

 

[Snowdust]

From my experience with smoking aged cigars I’ve found this:

- Nicaragua tobacco will mellow out and lose its “typical” flavor, brand dependent, anywhere from 3-5 years on average and conditions depending. Padron especially will lose that signature full body, full flavor, pepper and spice.
I’ve found this to be the case with almost all Nica Tobacco. Each brand from Drew Estate, Foundation, Montenegro, and Padron all seem to age similarly within their own unique profiles, in that they 3-5 year window. The only caveat to this is AJ Fernandez. Cigars that he has provided and curated for Privada Cigar Club specifically has, in my experience, aged differently.
I haven’t tried anything from his mainstream lines, so our Ava Maria and Hoyo de Monterrey smokers can chime in.

- Dominican tobacco is a wild card. Davidoff and Fuente being the big players and their tobacco could not age more differently. Davidoff White Label blends with 10+ years age smoke like vintage Cubans with hardly a resemblance to their original blends. Smoke an Aniversario No 3 off the shelf and one with 5-8 years of age and you’ll be shocked at the difference.
The small amount of Fuente that I’ve smoked doesn’t follow that mold at all. Especially with Opus. Granted my limited experience here needs to be supported by Members with better experience. The aged Opus Robusto I smoked with 10 years age was certainly different, not in a good way. Sour and piquant with very little nuance.
Regular blends of AF with age smoke similarly to their younger counterparts, as I’ve found with MC.
NC Montecristo smoke exactly the same year in and year out, which is honestly impressive. I’ve have 20 year aged White Label (granted not a Dom Puro) and Platinum that smoked almost exactly the same as ones off the shelf today.
LFD is another brand that changes dramatically with age, similar to Nicaraguan tobacco as Litto Gomez is known for his big, punchy, robust cigars. Though from blend to blend in the LFD lineup I’m not experienced enough to say how all of them age.

- Honduran and Cuban I’m going to lump together as I feel they age similarly. Especially anything from the Eiroa Family. The cream, roasted nuts, dried fruit, honey, and cedar meld together over time and mold into a delightful smoking experience. Bolder brands like CC Bolivar, SCdlH, and Cohiba maintain their body and depth while mellowing out and loosing the sharpness that can be present with young Cubans.
CC are also interesting as the manly of the tobacco is grown and harvested now from mostly the same farms/regions, but the blenders are able to combine tobacco to create vastly different flavors that each brand is known for.
Any long time CC smokers here can chime in on how Cubans have changed over the years not just from age, but with the uniqueness of how the Country handles its tobacco production.

We can dive deeper with other boutique brands and their extensive use and curation of different tobacco from Brazil, Puro, Pennsylvania, and Mexico, not to mention hybridization of seeds searching for different flavors.

What do others think?

Thanks for such good information. Gives me thinks to think about. I can say that Padron X000 at 1 year still have the Padron richness and so good