Padilla 1968 Edicion Limitada 2009 Oscuro Salomon (7.2" x 57)

Padilla 1968 Edicion Limitada 2009 Oscuro Salomon (7.2" x 57)

That's a big name...but it's a big smoke...guess it fits!


Here it is, along with my trusty tools and beverage.



Heres' the band-I like it.

Here is what Cigar Bid has to say about this stogie:

Introducing, Padilla Series ’68, a cigar built to honor the world renown work of Ernesto Padilla’s father. Rolled in Honduras - making it the only Padilla handmade from Honduras - the 1968 is chock full of Cuban-seed long-fillers from the Jalapa and Condega valleys of Nicaragua. Topped off with a toothy, reddish-hued Corojo wrapper grown in the black, fertile soils of Nicaragua, each cigar presents a rich, earthy, medium to full-bodied bouquet with spicy sweet undertones.

The Limitado Oscuro Salomon takes this blend to bold new heights, thanks to a beautiful, triple-fermented oscuro wrapper that oozes with rich ’n flavorful goodness.

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I picked these up on a "JoeCigar.com" deal and split the cost with my brother...now I'm wishing I would have bought more!

They are sweet and tart on the prelight-very impressive band and appearance. The Wrapper is rough and leathery, but I like it. Overall it looks like a real beast of a smoke and made my mouth water when I first got ahold of it, especially after I got that first prelight whiff-tart and spicey!

I've sampled most of the Padilla smokes in the last year, (the 68, the 48, the 32, the Miami, and the Habano), and this resembles none of them in flavor (even though it has 68 on the band). I believe that this is a new blend, borrowing the 68's name (though I'm not upset about this as the 68, while a very good smoke, is not my favorite in the Padilla line).

I like the form factor...allows me to have a "billy club" of a cigar without the jawbreaker effect. This form factor is getting more popular but I've kind of had luke warm feelings about it-the sticks are big and require a solid time committment to smoke them. Additionally, on one or two salomans (from other lines/manufacturers) I've had major burn problems-which is a big turn off for me. This Limitada, however, was a real treat and I'd like to get ahold of another five pack to share with other smokers-expecially those who like the thick ring gauges (you know who you are!).

The aroma was great throughout this smoke. Upon lighting, I picked up a cedary/maduro flavor, with a burst of salt here and there. On the second third, I detected several citrisy notes. During the final third, the body kicks in a bit and the flavor transitions, adding some charcoal and mildly sweet maduro type flavors. Throughout the smoke, the aroma was mesmerizing-difficult to describe but omnipresent and very enjoyable.

I got this smoke for around $4 apiece on a deal...see them on Cigarbid for about $8 a piece. I'm guessing $12 or $15 at a cigar store. Did have some burn issues in the first third but they were managable and, though I feared they would persist/worsen, they did not and the cigar overall was fantastic. I think I would have been okay with this cigar for $10 but for $4 it is a complete steal.



The review on this is a "3", tentatively. The 2nd one I have will clinch it-will be sure to enjoy it indoors so as to maximize the chances for the stick to shine. At that point, it could easily move to a "4" on my four-point scale. Regardless, I'm keeping my eyes open for more.

Centurion Lancero, by Don Pepin Garcia (5.5" x 38)

Centurion Lancero, by DPG (5.5" x 38)

Here's a photo of this mini lancero before I sparked it up. I like the band.

Here's another "cream puff" shot of this sweet stick.

I decided to smoke this outside this morning…looked warmer than it is! Nasty Dodge City wind is not improving the experience but I haven’t had a good smoke in over a week so I toughed it out! I paired this stogie with 40 Sardines coffee and they mate very well.

Here's what a vendor selling the stick had to say:

This the first Limited Edition smoke made by Don Pepin Garcia under his own label and it is limited to a production run of 600 boxes per size. This is an absolutely exquisite medium to full bodied smoke made in Don Pepin's Nicaraguan cigar factory, Tabacalera Cubana (TACUBA). A carefully selected blend of Nicaraguan grown, Cuban seed tobaccos featuring both Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 leaves have been meticulously aged for 3 years for the filler and binder. The wrapper is a beautiful, smooth looking, and oily medium brown colored Nicaraguan Habano wrapper also aged for 3 years. To ensure that these tobaccos were aged to perfection, Don Pepin was checking the status of the aging process himself. It's his baby and he was dead set on making sure that this was one of the best cigars he has ever produced.

The smoke is as smooth as a well aged scotch and the flavor is rich and balanced with flavors of cedar, coffee and leather with a spicy finish. Pepin says that El Centurion taste like "old Cohibas" and that they are "aromatic".

RTR notes: beautiful wrapper, dark and smooth, prelight aroma was of strong cinnamon, wrapper is gold and attractive. Held off buying any of these due to price and low availability but received one for Father's Day this year as part of a Don Pepin Garcia Lancero collection....ultra smooth and cinnamony; reminds me of JJ or My Father only smoother. Actually, it also remind me of Holt's DPG house blend "Old Henry", though Old Henry is a little rougher in appearance and not as smooth.

RTR quick rating: 3. This is a really good cigar-so smooth that the body (around Medium) really sneaks up on you. I would give it a 4 if it had more flavor but I think a “mild to medium” cigar smoker would rate this a 4. I cannot imagine anyone disliking this cigar-though, when these were available, the price point was a little steep (above $14 I think). If these were readily available and the price was closer to $6, I would get more of these.

Here I am enjoying this dude on the back patio. Notice the ultra-cool Cigar Bag.

And here are my special guests who visited me despite this Frosty Fall we're having!