Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro Review
The Padron 1964 Anniversary Principe Maduro is one of those small cigars that makes you forget it's small. Two puffs in and dark cocoa and cedar sit heavy on the palate. At 4.5 inches it runs lean on time, but every minute earns its keep.
In short
A box-pressed Nicaraguan puro punching well above its size — rich, consistent, and satisfying from first light to nub. Grab a box of 25 for $272.
Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro size, specs & box options
Box-Pressed Puro
Wrapper, binder, filler: all 100% Nicaraguan, aged four years before rolling. That discipline shows: a firm, even box press, no soft spots, dark oily maduro that smells like baker's chocolate unlit.
Burn & Draw
Padron's factory consistency is the real story: dead-even burn, effortless draw, no touch-ups across four smokes. Ash holds past an inch on a 4.5-inch stick. One caveat: the dense wrapper favors a straight cut over a V-cut.
Price & Value
At $272 → for a box of 25, you're paying a premium for the 1964 line. The Principe format means you get the full flavor profile in a shorter window.
What does the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro taste like?
Dark cocoa, espresso, and a slow cedar spice across a short but dense smoke
Roasted Coffee and Black Pepper
I lit the foot and got a sharp burst of black pepper right on the retrohale. It settled fast into roasted espresso and dark baker's chocolate.
Dark Cocoa and Cedar Cream
The pepper fades and a creamy dark cocoa takes over. I picked up cedar underneath, dry but not harsh. There's a subtle sweetness here.
Leather, Espresso, Lingering Spice
The last inch brought leather and a return of that espresso note, denser now. Spice crept back on the finish.
Small Stick. Zero Compromise.
Scored across 5 dimensions from a full hands-on burn.
Is the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro the best in its class?
Flawless Construction
Draw, burn, and ash all behaved perfectly across two separate smokes. Zero touch-ups needed. The box press held firm with no soft spots, Padron's quality control is real.
Short Smoke Time
At 4.5 inches, you're looking at 30–35 minutes tops. The flavor doesn't fully open up before you're at the nub. Worth knowing before you spend $14 on a quick lunch-break cigar.
Rich Maduro Profile
Dark cocoa, espresso, cedar, and leather, all from 4 years of aged Nicaraguan leaf. No artificial sweetness, no harsh finish. The maduro wrapper pulls real flavor, not just color.
Padron 1964 Principe Maduro vs. The Competition
How the Principe Maduro stacks up against two obvious rivals
| Cigar | Size | Strength | Per box | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe MaduroThis review | 4.5 × 46 | Medium-Full | $272 | Espresso, Cocoa, Chocolate, Cedar, Black pepper, Pepper |
| Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro | 5.5 x 50 | — | $277.5 | — Sibling |
| Davidoff Millennium Short Robusto | 4.25 x 52 | — | $269.36 | — |
| Vegueros Mananitas | 3.93 x 46 | — | $225 | — Best value |
vs. Padron 1964 Natural (Principe)
Same 4.5x46 format, same Nicaraguan core, the wrapper is what changes. Maduro brings deeper cocoa and dried fruit. Natural leans earthier and drier. Want richness in a short smoke? Maduro. Prefer crisp and classic? Natural.
vs. Padron 1926 Serie No. 35 Maduro
The 1926 No. 35 is the closest small-format sibling, richer and more complex, more pepper up front, deeper earth mid-smoke, but noticeably pricier per stick. The Principe Maduro gets you 85–90% of that experience for less, making it the smarter everyday pick.
If your time is short and you want a legitimate premium Padron maduro experience without committing 90 minutes, the 1964 Principe Maduro is exactly right.
What to drink with the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro
Short smoke, smart sip — here's what works
Cold Brew Coffee
The coffee's natural sweetness mirrors the cocoa notes in the wrapper without fighting for attention. Keeps the palate clean across a 30-minute smoke.
Aged Rum (neat)
A Barbancourt 15-year or similar brings out the dark fruit and molasses character already sitting in this maduro. Small pour, slow sips. It fits the cigar's timeline perfectly.
Nicaraguan Dark Roast Espresso
Origin-matching works here. Nicaraguan coffee and Nicaraguan tobacco share an earthy backbone. The espresso amplifies the cigar's sweetness without adding complexity you don't need.
When You Actually Reach for This Cigar
The Principe format exists for one reason — a great smoke when you have 30 minutes, not 90
Morning Before Work
Half an hour before the day starts. This is the move. The Principe Maduro is short enough to finish with your coffee before you have to be anywhere.
Quick Celebration
This cigar is a proper celebratory smoke that fits a real schedule. Padron quality, no time commitment required.
Lunch Break or Halftime
You've got 20–25 minutes outside. The Principe was built for exactly this window. Medium-full strength, serious flavor, done before the second half kicks off.
The bottom line on the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro
The construction is where Padron earns its name. Draw was dead-on from cut to finish.
Here's the honest truth: 30 minutes, maybe 35 if you slow down. For the price, around $14 a stick, that's a real consideration.
If you want a Padron 1964 experience in a smaller window, the Principe Maduro delivers. The flavors are genuine, the smoke is clean, and the aged Nicaraguan leaf shows through every third.
Hand-reviewed and scored from a full burn — not AI-generated, not sponsored.
Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Principe Maduro FAQ
Is this the best Padron cigar?
Not the most complex — that title usually goes to the 1926 Serie. But for the 1964 line, the Principe Maduro punches well above its size. It's one of the best short-format premium cigars made anywhere, period.
Padron 1964 Principe Maduro vs Padron 1926 — which is better?
The 1926 is more layered and costs more per stick. The 1964 Principe Maduro is slightly milder, faster to smoke, and a better value for daily rotation. Both are excellent — pick based on your time and budget.
Is it good for a celebration or milestone?
Yes, and specifically because it's short. You can mark a moment properly without carving out two hours. The Padron name carries real weight as a celebratory cigar, and the Maduro wrapper adds richness that feels occasion-worthy.
How long does it take to smoke?
Roughly 30 to 40 minutes at a relaxed pace. The 4.5x46 vitola is one of Padron's smallest, designed specifically for smokers who want a complete premium experience in a tight window.
James Peasley is the General Manager at Online Cigars, with a passion for fine cigars that goes back to 2010. He spent a decade at C.Gars Ltd in the UK as Marketing General Manager and cigar reviewer, hosting tasting events along the way, and trained with the prestigious Hunters & Frankau - the UKs Cuban cigar importers. A devoted fan of Cuban cigars, James has a particular soft spot for Trinidad and Cohiba, especially the Trinidad Topes and Cohiba Siglo II. He brings that depth of experience and genuine enthusiasm to every review.
