Padilla Signature 1932 Torpedo And A New Friend

October 8, 2007 at 1:00 am (Cigars, News, Reviews)

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a review on my blog. Up until very recently, my multi-job juggle has kept me so busy that I’ve only had time for the weekly review I write for the Stogie Review. (And if I’m lucky, a post or two here.) Though I am still juggling, the job I’m leaving is finally winding down, allowing me an almost normal working week. And in a few short weeks life will again be as normal as can be expected. I can’t wait.

The good news doesn’t end there! Recently my blog made a new friend. The good people over at Cigars Direct have taken a shine to my cigar reviews, and have asked me if I’d be willing to review some cigars for them. And of course, I said yes, I’d love to assist them in smoking cigars and taking notes! They wasted no time and rushed me over a few Padilla Signature 1932’s to investigate. In appreciation of their promptness, I lit one up just as soon as the box was open. Let’s have a look at how it measures up.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 1/2 x 52
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Beverage: Water
Price: ~$15 (buy now)
Smoking Time: ~1 1/2 hours

The Pre-Smoke
The 1932 torpedo is an impressive looking cigar. Weighing in at a 52 ring gauge, you just know it’s going to keep you company for quite a while. Contributing to it’s significant presence is a veiny wrapper with a slight oily sheen that looks like the arm of a body builder. It comes as no surprise that this cigar is nicely packed with tobacco and consistently firm to the touch.

I noted that the cigar’s wrapper had a sweet smell to it before I clipped the cap with my flamboyantly-red Xikar. My notes on the cold taste differs from one cigar to the next, but overall the flavors resembled a dark, oily chocolate or perhaps licorice.

The Burn
Generally speaking, these cigar burn nicely. At points, the burn line achieves perfection, however, in the final third it started to stray a bit. Not enough to cause trouble, but enough in one case to require a touch-up. And in every case, the 1932 produced an attractive, long ash.

The draw on these cigars tended to be a bit tighter than I prefer. But I think I’m partially to blame for that. In the past, I’ve had trouble with torpedo-shaped cigars unraveling. Without thinking, I was cutting these cigars leaner than optimal to avoid wrapper issues. In the last one I smoked, I came to my senses and I gave it a generous cut, and was rewarded with a considerably better smoking experience. And happily, no issues with the wrapper either.

The Flavor
What makes this review an interesting case study is that I noticed different, and better flavors in the final cigar I smoked; corresponding to a better cut and a better draw. But to make things even a bit more interesting, this last cigar also had the beginnings of that rare treat, plume! That’s right, as I was inspecting the wrapper closely in the light, I noticed the sparkle of little crystals.

In the first couple of cigars, I tasted a lot leather, creamy coffee and spicy nuts throughout the duration of the smoke. As the cigars progressed into the second third, I started to taste aromatic cedar, which was reminiscent of the scent of a just-opened humidor. And in the final third, cinnamon appeared.

The cigar with a good cut and and the beginnings of plume was noticeable sweeter and smoother. While the flavors I noted in the previous cigar were present in this smoke, I also got a sweet nougat flavor in the first third, toffee in the second and a raisiny sweet flavor in the final third. It was almost like smoking desert.

The Price
Generally speaking, cigars in the $15 range are a little too spendy to be among my everyday smokes. On the other hand, you can save a buck or two a stick by picking up a box. In either case, we’re not talking Stradivarius or ESG prices here. I would have no problem paying 15 bucks to smoke that third cigar again.

The Verdict
By now, you’ve probably guessed that I really enjoyed this cigar. You’re right. (Was I that obvious?) The first couple of cigars were pretty good, but the cigar with the beginnings of plume was fantastic. And the lack of any real burn issue or other defect just solidifies my opinion. This is a cigar to keep on hand. Better yet, this is a cigar to age a while in your humidor.

Also, I’d like to say another quick thanks to Cigars Direct for generously providing me with these great cigars to review. I really appreciate it! If you’re interested in trying these cigars out, consider buying it from them. And if you do, tell ’em I sent you!

Liked It: Yes
Buy It Again: Yes
Recommend It: Absolutely

What Others Are Saying
I did a little looking around the internet to see what others have say about the Padilla Signature 1932 torpedo, but it looks like everybody’s been smoking the robusto. Well, in theory the smoking experience should be similar. Here for your viewing pleasure is what I found.

• The Stogie Guys think the 1932 robusto is a buy.
• A guy on the Stogie Chat message board reviews the robusto size.

The Cigar In Action

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