Video review HERE.
(Description taken in part from Cigar-coop.com and Halfwheel.com websites)
Padilla Finest Hour draws its inspiration from Churchill’s legendary “This was their finest hour” speech that he delivered to the House of Commons on June 18, 1940 as Great Britain was in the midst of the Second World War.
In 2020 Ernesto Padilla announced that he would move the production of the Padilla Finest Hour lines from an undisclosed factory in Honduras to Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
The packaging and sizes will remain the same. The blend is also supposed to stay the same, though Padilla told halfwheel that it will use tobaccos from the AJ Fernandez inventory, meaning it likely uses the same basic tobacco varietals but the tobacco won’t be exactly the same.
Finest Hour is offered in three blends—Connecticut, Sungrown Habano and Oscuro—each in the same three sizes and price points.
Today we look at the Oscuro.
In 2019 I reviewed the previous version which was made in Honduras. It scored a respectable 91. This review will see if the move to AJ's facility makes a difference.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Available vitolas:
Padilla Finest Hour Robusto (5 x 52) REVIEWED TODAY
Padilla Finest Hour Toro (6 x 52)
Padilla Finest Hour Gordo (6 x 60)
The cigar is very dark and has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were very nice; sweet chocolate, citrus, brown sugar, cinnamon, light nutmeg, and a nice black coffee base. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start.
At the first third (16 minutes) the ash is still intact and very nice looking. It's mostly white with some black and gray tossed in. The flavors are just like they started, if not more intense. The citrus is more intense and very sweet and the pepper seems more intense. The finish is quite strange. It's simply sweet cream. The lingering black pepper is very good. The cigar is medium bodied. The sweet notes are very nice. It's almost like a chocolate covered orange. I rated the first third 94.
As I moved through the second third (34 minutes) the cigar made a big change. Now there is unsweetened dark chocolate, light citrus, some brown sugar, nougat, nutmeg, and a dark roasted, full bodied black coffee. The finish is citrus and unsweetened dark chocolate with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The cigar is still good but it's lost a lot of appeal. I rated the second third 91.
The cigar lasted 48 minutes. A rather short smoke. The final third had a long, firm ash also. And, the cigar made a nice bounce back. The citrus and sweet chocolate notes are back. There was also brown sugar, cinnamon, very light nutmeg, and black coffee. The cigar got back to close to what it was in the first third. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish went back to cream and now there is some brown sugar too. The lingering black pepper is very good. The final third was quite enjoyable. I rated it 93. This is a very enjoyable cigar.
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