Padrón Cigars

If you know your cigars, you already know Padrón. This Miami shop is the source itself, the headquarters where the family has been making cigars since 1964, and stepping inside is a different kind of experience than your average cigar shop. It sits within walking distance of Little Havana and Calle Ocho, and people travel from out of state just to make the trip. A word to the wise before you go: this is a retail store, not a lounge, and they sell by the box or in sample boxes rather than individual sticks.

If you only want singles, the folks at the counter will happily point you toward a nearby retailer that carries them. Everything from the full Padrón line is here, from the celebrated 1926 and 1964 Anniversary series to the 7000 Series and their special anniversary releases. Prices are straightforward retail, and no one is going to gouge you. What keeps the near-perfect reputation intact around here is the hospitality.

Ask anyone who has stopped in and they will tell you about the welcome. Marcos and Diego come up again and again as the kind of people who greet you like family, walk you through the history of how Padrón got started, and often invite you back to tour the production area and see the operation up close. More than a few visitors have met Jorge Padrón and other members of the family right there on the floor. One traveler said he came in just to buy something to say he had, and left having learned more about cigars than he expected.

It is the kind of place where even someone who isn't a serious aficionado walks out glad they came. Regulars keep coming back for the quality and the consistency, and plenty end up ordering direct after that first visit. If fine cigars are your thing and you find yourself in Miami, this one is worth the stop.