Tasting Note

It's not easy to find some of the Padrón family's rarest gems—such as its 40th Anniversary masterpiece that tops this list— but cigars in the core Padrón brand are made in good quantity. One of the latest additions to the Padrón line is the 6000, a shortish, fat torpedo—it measures 5 inches by 52 ring— that has an amazing amount of flavor and that rare combination of value and quality. Somewhat spicier than traditional Padróns, the 6000 Maduro has woody, nutty flavors and hints of cocoa. Good on release, it tastes as though it should age well and get even better. The cigar debuted last summer, so the production of 75,000 is for only part of the year. There will be more available in 2005.