Padrón 1964 vs. 1926: What’s the Difference?
Padrón cigars have racked up more top ratings and awards from the critics in Cigar Aficionado than any other single brand, including four ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ titles. We’ve given a full rundown of the top Padrón cigars you can buy, but the following is a brief overview of the two most popular blends in the brand’s portfolio: Padrón 1964 Anniversary and Padrón 1926 Series. Both cigars are made from coveted reserves of aged Nicaraguan tobaccos, and both were blended to commemorate important occasions in the company’s history. Brand founder José Orlando Padrón and his son, Jorge Padrón, are the cigar-makers behind the company’s illustrious reputation. Let’s zero in on two pillars in the Padrón portfolio to answer the questions, “what’s the difference between the 1964 and 1926 editions, and is one cigar better than the other?”
The Differences: Padrón 1964 Anniversary vs. Padrón 1926 Series
Strength
One of the biggest differences between Padrón 1964 Anniversary and Padrón 1926 Series cigars is the strength of the cigars. Both are blends are rich and complex, and but the full-bodied tobaccos in the 1926 Series are a notch stronger than the medium to full-bodied tobaccos in the 1964 Anniversary. Because slightly stronger tobaccos go into 1926 Series cigars, they are aged longer, as we discuss below. Whatever tasting notes you enjoy most in the 1964 Anniversary – cocoa, cedar, cayenne, coffee bean, and leather – expect more intensity in them when you smoke a 1926 Series cigar. The 1926 Series is both sweeter and spicier than the 1964 Anniversary by comparison.
Age of the Tobaccos
Another difference between Padrón 1964 Anniversary and Padrón 1926 Series cigars is the age of the tobacco. Padrón 1964 Anniversary cigars are rolled from tobaccos aged for a minimum of four years, and Padrón 1926 Series cigars are aged for a minimum of five years. For both blends, the tobaccos can be aged even longer and often are. But four and five-year minimums require a significant investment in fermentation, storage, and labor, and Padrón cigars reflect an unparalleled level of quality and smoothness as a result.
Price
Padrón 1964 Anniversary and 1926 Series cigars differ in price too. The 1964 edition ranges from around $12 to $36 per cigar, while the 1926 Series goes for around $14 to $24. The 1926 Series is more expensive than the 1964 Anniversary when comparing each blend in a comparable size. The 1964 Anniversary reaches a higher overall price range because only that blend is made in an extra-long 8.25-by-50 format called the ‘A’ which sells for over $35.
Cigar Sizes
Padrón 1964 Anniversary and Padrón 1926 Series are handcrafted in box-pressed sizes, excluding a few exceptions like the Padrón 1926 Series No. 90, which is rolled in a round 5.5-by-52 size. Each line is handmade by the most talented rollers at the Padrón factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, and each line is crafted in entirely unique formats. Similar but not exact sizes can be enjoyed in both blends.
Padrón 1964 Anniversary
When Padrón 1964 Anniversary debuted in 1994, the cigar was released to commemorate the company’s 30th anniversary. Cigar Aficionado was still a relatively new publication, but it didn’t take long for the critics to become infatuated with the rare and stronger Nicaraguan smokes the Padrón family was making. Brand founder José Orlando Padrón sacrificed much after fleeing the oppressive Castro regime in Cuba, starting over in Miami, and eventually creating the first Padrón cigars in 1964 for a mostly local audience of fellow Cuban expatriates. Padrón 1964 Anniversary was a culmination of the family’s persistence, passion, and dedication to making the best cigars in the world. The 1964 Anniversary also ushered in a new era of box-pressed cigars – pressing cigars into squared-off shapes with sharp corners after they’ve been rolled. Dozens of other cigar-makers have followed suit, but Padrón 1964 Anniversary is the cigar that made box-pressing popular.
Padrón 1926 Series
Padrón 1926 Series cigars debuted in 2002 and were blended to celebrate José Orlando Padrón’s 75th birthday – 1926 is the year he was born. The extra, fifth year of aging the tobaccos receive over the 1964 Anniversary blend makes them a touch more exclusive and expensive. The wrapper is slightly thicker, resulting in more strength, and some cigar lovers believe the 1926 is sweeter by comparison. The family promoted the philosophy that they make cigars to smoke themselves, and they sell what they don’t consume. In 2004 when the critics in Cigar Aficionado began publishing their annual list of the Top 25 Cigars, the Padrón 1926 Series 40th Anniversary was awarded the very first ‘Cigar of the Year’ title. The company’s second ‘Cigar of the Year’ title came in 2007 for the Padrón 1926 Series No. 9 in a Natural wrapper.
Which Cigar Is Better?
Choosing between a Padrón 1964 Anniversary and a Padrón 1926 Series is akin to picking a favorite child. Cigar lovers, critics, and reviewers have their preferences, but each blend imparts a superlative profile. Tasting notes of cocoa, cedar, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, nuts, leather, coffee bean, and dark chocolate are common Padrón hallmarks. Both cigars are available in Natural and Maduro wrappers. The ‘Cigar of the Year’ for 2021 is the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Torpedo, rated 97 points. Padrón cigars have placed in Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Top 10’ every year since the rankings were initiated. Finding a bad Padrón cigar, regardless of the blend, is a much bigger challenge than choosing a good one. Smoke both. We dare you to prove us wrong.
