Retro-Smoke: Padrón 2000 Natural

Ever since I discovered Padrón Cigars I've maintained that they are the only cigars made outside of Havana that are as truly distinctive as Cuban cigars. If you're a regular Padrón cigar smoker, then you know what I'm talking about. Nothing else seems to taste like a Padrón, yet many have come close, which is the same argument you can make for most Cubans.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how long it's been since I smoked a Padrón 2000, since they're one of my personal favorites. But in this job it's easy to get distracted with all the new cigars that come my way.

My very first Padrón was from a box of Londres that my brother bought for his wedding many moons ago at the suggestion of a local cigar merchant. I enjoyed it immensely, which encouraged me to move on to some other sizes.

Now among my two favorites in the main line - the other being the Padrón 6000 Maduro - the 5" x 50 Padrón 2000 is "classic" Padrón. The proportions are perfect for savoring all those dark, earthy Nicaraguan tobaccos laced with Padrón's signature coffee & cocoa bean essences. The best part is, you can buy them for an average of $3.60 a cigar. That's surprisingly reasonable considering that with the high demand for Padróns, they could charge $5 a cigar, and they'd still be worth it.

From my experience, this full-flavored, medium-bodied cigar always lights perfectly, draws easily, and burns clean, making it one of the most consistent cigars, too. I've never been disappointed with the 2000 in either the natural or the even sweeter-tasting Maduro version.

If you've never experienced a Padrón cigar, the 2000 is a great place to start.