The History of Padron Part 1
Long seen as the king of Nicaraguan cigars, Padron has risen very fast in the cigar industry in its relatively short history. While many of the top manufacturers, such as Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta, have been producing cigars for over a hundred years, Padrons only first began appearing in the United states during the 1970s. Yet, their history begins well before then, dating back to the 19th century. It was then, in Cuba, that the miracle and history of the Padron line first came into being.
Some of you may have already tried the latest addition to the Padron line, the Padron Damaso. This cigar was named after the grandfather of Jose Padron. Damaso Padron first came to Cuba in the mid 1800s, hailing from the Spanish Canary islands. Damaso and his family purchased a small farm in the Pinar del Rio region, the worlds most lucrative tobacco area. The family began growing and curing tobacco and kept purchasing smaller farms in the area, slowly growing their stock. Eventually they purchased a factory in Piloto, where the Padron Company, Piloto Cigars, gets its name.
It was in 1926 when Damaso grandson, Jose Orlando Padron, was born. This was the man who would take this small Cuban farming family and make it into the tobacco dynasty it is today. Jose spent his youth working the fields and learning every aspect of the industry. As his knowledge and experience grew, Jose soon faced an almost insurmountable obstacle. Following the Cuban revolution, the entire nations tobacco industry became nationalized. The Padron farms and factory were now under the control of the Cuban government. In 1961, Jose decided to leave his homeland, and began his trek around the world.
After some brief time in Spain and New York, Jose brought all his knowledge and experience to Miami. This is where the true history of Padron cigars began, so make sure to read the next entry and see how the journey continued.
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