In the early 1990s, the Padrón family decided to do something special to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their company’s establishment in Miami by legendary Padrón patriarch José Orlando Padrón.
Drawing upon the very finest tobacco leaves available to them in Nicaragua, the Padróns created a landmark family of cigars — the 1964 Anniversary series — that was a wholesale departure from any of their previous production. It soon catapulted them into the top tier of the cigar business, where they’ve been ever since (in fact, many would say they now ARE the top tier, having won more accolades in the modern era for their sticks than any other maker).
This cigar — the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Torpedo in a Maduro wrapper — is a perfect example of the excellence of this line. Medium-to-full-bodied, with medium-to-full strength, it’s an elegant and refined puro Nicaraguan smoke whose tobaccos have been aged no less than four years. Box-pressed, torpedo-shaped and boasting a dark, silky, near-flawless wrapper, the 1964 Torpedo Maduro draws lushly, burns dead-evenly and produces dense and chewy smoke, while resolutely preserving its thick, white ash.
Sweet, spicy and sublime, the Padrón Anniversary Torpedo Maduro exhibits complex notes of earth, wood, coffee, nougat and cocoa beans, along with subtle intonations of pistachios, leather, chocolate and cream, culminating in a nutty finish. Cigar Aficionado rated this stick a 94 and accorded it six additional ratings of 91 or better, as recently as 2020. In short, the Padrón 1964 Torpedo Maduro is one of the best cigars in one of the most renowned cigar lines produced by the world’s most lauded cigar company. On that account, you couldn’t do much better if you’re looking for something sweet to smoke (or add to your humidor).