Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro

The Padron Family Reserve No. 46 was released in 2010.  It marked the third release of the Padron Family Reserve Series.  The Family Reserve series was launched in 2008 with the release of the Padron Family Reserve No. 44. The significance of the number in the name corresponds to the anniversary of when Jose O. Padron founded Padron Cigars (i.e. 1964).  As with most Padron releases, the line is released in a Nicaraguan natural and Nicaraguan maduro wrapper.  The release of the No. 46 had a tough act to follow as it was the first release after its predecessor the Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro won Cigar Aficionado’s 2009 Cigar of the Year award.  Now over three years old, the No. 46 is still often overlooked, but this should be a cigar that is forgotten about.  Today we take a closer look at the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 in the maduro wrapper.  This cigar still represents Padron at its best and is an outstanding cigar.

The Family Reserve series is highlighted by using some of the best tobaccos the Padrons have.  The tobaccos have been aged a minimum of ten years.   Since the release of the No. 44, there have been four iterations of the Padron Family Reserve series – each in a Natural and Maduro. Following the 2009 No. 45 release, was the 2010 Family Reserve No. 46 release. In 2011, the name was changed the the Padron Family Reserve 85th to commemorate Jose O. Padron’s 85th birthday.   The series has been on hiatus since 2011, but word is this line will be tied in with the company’s 50th anniversary in 2014.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

As with all Padron Cigars, the Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro is a Nicaraguan puro.  The cigar is made at the Padron’s Tabacos Cubanica factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

The Padron Family Reserve No. 46 is available in one size for both the natural and maduro releases – a 5 1/2 x 56 “trunk pressed” shape.  The Padron Family Reserve No. 46 is the largest ring gauge released in the Family Reserve series to date.

Appearance

The  Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro’s Nicaraguan Habano wrapper has a chocolate-brown color to it.  The surface to the wrapper has an oily texture to it.  There are some visible wrapper seams, but this cigar was very much void of any significant visible veins.  The trunk-press cigar is well-packed with no short spots.

There are three bands on the Padron Family Reserve 46th for both the Natural and Maduro.  The first band is the classic maroon and gold Padron Family Reserve 1964 band.  It has the Padron logo in gold with the text “FAMILY RESERVE” below it.  Below that is the Padron hammer surrounded by “19” and “64”

The second band has a white background.  It rests just under the first band and serves as a band of authenticity for the Padron cigars – which are often subject to counterfeiting.  It features the scripted Padron logo in gray and the text “AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEED BY JOSE O PADRÓN” in a gold(ish) font.  Each Padron Family Reserve cigar has a unique serial number located on that second band in black font.  My serial number was 700659.

Located below the first two bands is a third band. That third band is gold with red trim.  It features the text “46 Years” in a ticker tape mode that is black font.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

As I normally do, I opted to go with my usual choice of a straight cut to kick things off. After clipping the cap, I proceeded with the pre-light draw ritual.  The dry draw notes were a mix of leather, earth, pepper, and a touch of cherry sweetness.  Overall I considered the pre-light draw to the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro to be satisfactory.  At this point, I was ready to light up my cigar and see what the overall smoking phase would deliver.

Flavor Profile

The start to the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro delivered some complexity right out of the gate.  This included notes of cocoa, pepper, cherry, and some background cream notes. By the five percent mark, the cocoa notes emerged as a primary flavor.  The other notes played a complementary role in the background.  I also detected some nut flavors in the background as well.  There was some pepper on the retro-hale, but I wouldn’t categorize it as overly sharp.

Later in the first third, the cream notes joined the cocoa in the forefront – creating a nice fusion between the two flavors.  The pepper, cherry and nut flavors remained in the background.

By the second third, the cocoa/cream combination turned to more of an earthy profile.  The spice started to increase and took on a slight baker’s spice quality.  The nut flavors also increased slightly.  Meanwhile the cherry notes became much more distant.  The spice on the retro-hale increased as well.

By the last third, the earth and spice notes remained primary.  The cherry flavors somewhat increased again.  The nut flavors also diminished.  I did detect some harsh notes at the very end of the cigar experience.  The resulting nub was firm to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

The Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro has the excellent construction that one has come to expect from  Padron.   This is reflected in both the burn and draw as both attributes score very well.  The burn line remained relatively straight from start to finish – requiring minimal touch-ups. The resulting ash was tight and firm. The ash had a light gray color with some darker streaks in it.  The burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

Burn of the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro

The draw to the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro performed very well.  The draw was not too loose and not too tight – resulting in a very enjoyable cigar to puff on.

Strength and Body

From a strength perspective, the Padron Family Reserve No. 46 Maduro delivered a little more kick than I expected. I assessed this cigar as being medium to full strength.  The No. 46 does increase in strength and in the closing stages, the strength does creep into the full strength range. As for the flavors, there was some nice depth to them – and the flavors definitely had some weight on the tongue.  I assessed the No. 46 as being a full-bodied cigar from start to finish. When looking at strength versus body, I gave the body a slight edge.

Final Thoughts

I mentioned that this is a cigar that is overlooked in the Family Reserve line – especially following up an epic cigar such as the Padron Family Reserve No. 45.  However, this cigar delivers an excellent cigar in terms of flavor, complexity, and construction.  The No. 46 is also the largest ring gauge cigar in the Family Reserve line – and while a box-pressed 56 ring gauge still isn’t going to be a rounded 60 ring gauge, this might be a cigar to aim for those who like a larger cigar.  This is also a cigar I would recommend for any experienced cigar enthusiast – especially those who like maduros.  While this wouldn’t be my first choice of a cigar for a novice, I certainly wouldn’t discourage one for trying one of these out.  As for myself, this is definitely a box worthy cigar in my book – and one that I would definitely smoke again.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: High
Strength: Medium to Full (Full toward end)
Body: Full
Finish: Good
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 94

References

Price: $26.10
Source: Gifted (2)
Stogie Geeks Podcast: Episode 77 – “Chinese Algebra”
Stogie Feed: Padron Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro