Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the oval pressed Padron Series 3000 Natural is light brown with some darker spots present. There is a network of decently raised veins, the seams are smooth and the head is well finished. The band is a simple dark brown and white that carries the company name. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly musty and damp cedar along with light earth, while the foot brings very musty cedar, zingy pepper and some earth. The pre-light draw brings lightly musty cedar, lightly sweet bread and some dusty earth, along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

Padron Series 3000 Natural

First Third

The cigar begins with a potent does of black pepper and crushed red pepper, along with some toasted cedar and earth. At a quarter inch in, a light creaminess joins in as well as a decent dose of dark roasted coffee. At a half inch in, the pepper combination mellows a bit. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth, light creaminess with a trailing black pepper. At an inch in, the crushed red pepper has departed and the black pepper has mellowed a bit more. At an inch and a quarter, the earth picks up a fair amount. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth and black pepper, with dark roast coffee in the middle of the profile and some creaminess in the back half. The strength was medium-full.

Padron Series 3000 Natural

Second Third

As the second third begins, the earth becomes even with the toasted cedar up front. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper mellows a fair amount. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with some dark roast coffee and creaminess. At an inch and a quarter, some wood bitterness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with dark roast coffee in the middle of the profile and some black pepper, creaminess and wood bitterness in the back half. The strength remained at medium-full.

Padron Series 3000 Natural

Final Third

As the final third begins, the creaminess has departed. At a quarter inch in, the earth takes a slight lead in the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar and earth with some dark roast coffee and wood bitterness. At an inch in, the wood bitterness increases a bit. As the cigar wraps up, the earth is just ahead of the toasted cedar, with dark roast coffee and wood bitterness in the middle of the profile and some black pepper in the back half. The strength remained at medium-full.

Padron Series 3000 Natural

Burn

The burn was straight throughout, and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Padron Series 3000 Natural

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with a potent does of black pepper and crushed red pepper, along with some toasted cedar and earth. A light creaminess and dark roast coffee joined in fairly quickly. The pepper combination mellowed a bit and later the red pepper departed. Then the earth increased a fair amount. The second third saw the earth become even with the toasted cedar and the black pepper mellowed a fair amount. Some wood bitterness then joined in. The final third saw the creaminess depart and the earth took a slight lead in the profile. Later the wood bitterness increased a bit. The construction was perfect. The Padron Series 3000 Natural had a nice start with the bold combination of peppers and dark roast coffee. It took a step down in the second third as the crushed red pepper was gone and the earth built up. It remained at that level for the remainder of the cigar. With this being a lower cost offering into the Padron portfolio, it’s an easy try, but this isn’t really a cigar I’d see coming back to with much frequency. For those that like a darker and heavier profile, it’s likely to be a go to though.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.49

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Padron Series 3000 Natural