Origin : Honduras
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Ecuador Habano Oscuro
Filler : Nicaraguan and Dominican
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : ~$6 each
La Pilar was a new line unveiled at the 2015 IPCPR by Padilla Cigars. For this blend, Ernesto Padilla returned to Honduras to produce the cigars at Tabacalera Aguilar, which was the same factory that produced the Padilla Series 68. There are three different sizes available: the Toro, measuring 6 x 52, the Robusto, measuring 5 x 54, and the Churchill, measuring 7.5 x 57.
Appearance : Rating: 
On the whole, this is a nice-looking cigar, but I do spot a couple flaws. I’m not sure if this is a common problem or if it was just a fluke. There are spots where the leaf has been wrinkled a bit. It is not a big deal, but it is an imperfection. Otherwise, the cigar has very few veins and a smooth appearance. The box press shape is of course distinctive, and the triple cap is just perfect.
Construction : Rating: 
The draw of the cigar is a little bit tight, but not too tight. If it had been just slightly looser I would have said it was perfect. The burn for the most part was razor sharp, but I did feel that it burned a bit fast.
Flavor : Rating:
At first this cigar seemed like it might be a mild one, but after a few puffs I could tell that the strength would be closer to medium. During the first third, the most prominent note is pepper. I’m not sure if it is white pepper or red pepper, but there are lots of it. There is also an undertone of earth. There is not a lot of metamorphosis in the second half. Most of the same flavors are still present, but now I get some cocoa and coffee and something kind of generically sweet. The final third also features very little in the way of change, though there is something vegetal at the end. I couldn’t say for sure what.
I cannot say that the flavors in the Padilla La Pilar are unpleasant. They are quite nice in their way. But they are a bit generic and hard to pinpoint. I couldn’t pick up too many distinctive notes. I guess you could argue that means the stogie is well-blended, but to me it was just nondescript. A little more in the way of change would have been nice too. I kept expecting something new and it was basically just more of the same down to the nub.
Value : Rating:
One thing I cannot complain about is the low price. At $6 a stick, these are plenty easy on your wallet, so if you like them, a box will not cost you too much.
Overall Rating : Rating:
I wanted to be a little more impressed with the Padilla La Pilar Toro. The flavors were pleasant, but they just didn’t stand out, and they were too repetitious to hold my attention. The flaw in the wrapper leaf and the slightly-tight draw also detracted from the experience, though I recognize these may have been flukes. There are people who will really enjoy this cigar, but it just wasn’t the right flavor profile for me.
