This Nicaraguan box-pressed giant at 6½"×60 demands attention with its deep EMS wrapper and commemorative double bands. The Anniversary Series celebrates Padron's 50-year legacy using only 4-year-aged tobacco. A quarter-century after its 1994 debut, it still delivers textbook construction with near-flawless combustion and that signature earthy-sweet punch Padronistas crave.
The initial inch hits with peppercorn sparkles across the tongue, mellowing into Brazil nut creaminess. Smoke output stays moderate despite the 60-ring girth. Watch for erratic burn lines - this torpedo-shaped behemoth occasionally needs corrective torch work.
At the halfway point, burnt caramel notes emerge with occasional iron-like minerality. The retrohale delivers a whiff of cedar closet musk. Ash holds firm in one-inch platelets despite the heavy gauge. Keep your bourbon close - the nicotine creep becomes noticeable here.
The last act brings unsweetened cocoa powder and damp earth undertones. Tar buildup starts affecting draw around the 90-minute mark. Most smokers ditch the nub with about 1.5" remaining. Post-smoke aroma lingers like extinguished campfire embers.
Jalapa Valley filler tobaccos provide the honeyed core, while Estelí-grown binder leaves contribute peppery backbone. The sun-grown wrapper from Condega undergoes 18-month fermentation, developing its signature reddish hue. Padron's triple-capping technique ensures easy punch cut despite the massive ring gauge.
