Padron Series Churchill Natural
There are many outstanding cigars available from brick and mortar tobacconists nowadays, but there are few lines of cigars that are consistently as good as Padron. Whether smoking a high-end Padron special blend or one from their original, regular line, smokers of Padron cigars can always expect a very good to excellent smoke that is consistent. Recently, I had the opportunity to smoke a Padron Series Churchill Natural, and it was an experience I will repeat, just as I have in the past.
The Padron Series Churchill Natural is not the prettiest cigar one will ever smoke. Rather, the wrapper is quite veiny with a very light layer of oil that lends sheen to the appearance. The roll is a bit lumpy in spots,and the head can be a bit misshapen, as it was on the sample I just smoked.
The pre-light smell and taste are where this cigar begins to pick up. While the predominant smell is earthy, there is a definitive coffee taste noted. It is immediately apparent that this cigar will taste good once lit. After lighting, the burn of this Padron was straight and needed absolutely no corrections. The ash was predominantly light gray, and there was very little flaking at all. There is a good amount of smoke that comes off of this cigar, and the aroma is outstanding.
The coffee flavors are predominant during the first third of this smoke, and they never disappear. However, about halfway through the cigar, some notes of cedar and pepper join the coffee, and the cigar develops quite a bit of complexity. Like many cigars of its length, you can expect the Padron Churchill to be a dynamic smoke with several changes in flavor as you smoke it, as noted above. Whereas most cigars in the Padron Series line are often classified as being medium-bodied, the Churchill is the mildest of the blend. Having said that, the complex flavors, coupled with the initial burst of flavor upon lighting still cause me to call it a medium-bodied cigar. It just slants a bit more toward the mild end of the spectrum than do most Padrons. Now that I’m done writing the review, I’m ready to go smoke another one.
