Ernesto Padilla's father, Heberto, was born in 1932.Though Heberto was Cuban, he was far more than an old school cigar guy. Heberto was a poet and critic of the Castro regime. Though he initially supported the revolution, when the government began restricting free speech that involved any "weakening of the Revolutionary ideology" he became a critic. In March 1971 he was imprisoned and spent thirty-seven days there. His prison time sparked poets and intellectuals to speak out against the government in what became known as the 'Padilla Affair'. The result was many pro-revolutionaries changing their support of the Castro-led government (Just Google Padilla Affair to read more on it). He was not allowed to leave Cuba until 1980, when he moved to the US and continued as a poet and professor until his death in 2000. Ernesto has made several cigars dedicated to his father, (like the Padilla 1932) but this one is likely the best. Just a few weeks ago Cigar Aficionado included the 88th Anniversario on their Top 25 Cigars of 2021 list (#21). One of the best aspects of this cigar is found in the retrohale, that delivers a very pleasant pepper note that contrasts the honey and cocoa notes on the palate.
