Sliding into your humidor like a sleek obsidian wand, the Padron Series Panetela Maduro packs Nicaraguan fire into its 6⅞"x36 frame. This box-pressed parejo comes 26 to a box at $176.80, dressed in oily maduro wrapper aged 18+ months. Don't let the slender panetela shape fool you - that sun-grown Nicaraguan tripa delivers medium-full intensity perfect for when you want boldness without committing to a Churchill-sized session.
First Third: Immediate dark roast coffee grounds and bitter cocoa dominate, with cracked black pepper tingling the nostrils. Smoke output feels surprisingly dense for a slim vitola, clinging to clothes like barbecue pit residue. Burn line stays razor-sharp despite the oily wrapper.
Middle Third: Transition brings caramelized cedar and roasted nuts. The pepper retreats to a warm cinnamon glow at the back of the throat. Ash holds firm in one-inch segments - typical Padron construction. Retrohale reveals mineral notes like licking a volcanic rock (in the best possible way).
Final Third: Leather and earth tones emerge without turning muddy. Smoke turns creamy despite the intensifying nicotine buzz. Stop at ¾-inch nub unless you enjoy ashtray mouth - this maduro doesn't fade gracefully.
Grown in Estelí's volcanic soil and Jalapa's sweeter valleys, the Nicaraguan Habano 92 leaves undergo Padron's signature triple fermentation. The maduro wrapper achieves its patent leather shine through 2+ years of natural aging - no rushed steam treatments here. Every stick gets box-pressed the old-school way, creating those crisp edges that fit perfectly between your fingers.
