Two of the most iconic family-owned companies are coming together for a historic project. On Friday, October 9th, 2020 word came that Arturo Fuente Cigar Company and Padrón Cigars will be coming together to release a pair of cigars. The cigars will be released at the 2021 PCA Trade Show. The announcement was first reported by Cigar Aficionado.
The principals of the project will be Jorge Padrón and Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr. and will feature cigars to honor their fathers, the late José Orlando Padrón and Carlos Fuente Sr. The twist will be that each principal will blend a cigar to honor the other principal’s father. In other words, Jorge Padrón will blend a cigar to honor Carlos Fuente Sr. and Carlito Fuente will blend a cigar to honor Jose Orlando Padrón.
It’s a similar concept to what Christian Eiroa and Litto Gomez did with the Face Off project back in 2003.
Cigar Aficionado also reported that Carlito Fuente has completed his cigar while Jorge Padrón is still working on his.
On a guest appearance by Jorge Padrón on the 10/11/20 edition of “Meet the Professor” hosted by Carlito Fuente Jr., Jeremiah Meerapfel, and José Blanco, both Jorge Padron and Carlito Fuente acknowledged the project was an organic one not based on one incident, but had been brewing for a long time. The project provided a way to homage to the integrity and honor of the families as well as pay gratitude to the two patriarchs who set the standard of excellence.
“This was destiny,” commented Fuente Jr. on the Meet the Professor Show.
“We will leave a mark with this project,” added Padrón, “this is a lot more than cigars, there is a history and story behind every product. This product will leave a lasting memory of what it means to be in the cigar industry”.
Blend details have not been disclosed other than the two cigars will be sold side by side in a commemorative humidor. The bands will feature images of the patriarchs on the bands. The cigar itself is a 7 x 50 vitola, and both Padrón and Fuente don’t know the details of the blend the other is producing for each other, but both implicitly trust each other to deliver a great blend.
