The brand was created by José "Pepin" Garcia and is manufactured at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in the Little Havana section of Miami, Florida, with one size made at Tabacalera Cubana S. A., Pepin's factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The late Heberto Padilla, noted Cuban poet, was born in 1932, and his son Ernesto Padilla, the owner of Padilla Cigars, named this cigar brand as a tribute to his father. The brand was released in stages. The first three vitolas of this brand were released in October 2006. The cigars came in a special 45 count cedar box which contained 15 of each size, and only 500 of these boxes were made. The box was to remain on the shelf as a permanent display and were intended to be refilled with subsequent shipments. The next phase was begun in January 2007, when the first of the next three sizes was released. The Lancero and the second release of the previously released sizes followed in February, all in Cuban-style boxes of 25. The third size was delayed until late March/early April. This release represents the regular production of this brand.
Honors/awards/ratings
The Churchill was given a rating of 90 in the December, 2006, issue of Cigar Aficionadomagazine.
The Churchill was named by Cigar Aficionado magazine as the 14th best cigar of 2006.
The Churchill was named Cigar of the Week for the week of 20 Jan 2007.
The Robusto was given an 88 rating in the February, 2007, issue of Cigar Aficionado.
The brand consists of six vitolas in the regular line plus one made exclusively for a single retailer. The wrapper is a Nicaraguan Corojo and the filler & binder is Nicaraguan Criollo, and come in Cuban-style boxes of 25. The La Perla is unusual, for not only is it the smallest of the line, but it comes unbanded in cabinets of 50, production is limited and it is the only vitola in the line to be made in Nicaragua. The cigar band has an overall maroon background, with elaborate gold borders and scrollwork. The left wing has the words "Little Havana Miami" in gold; the right wing terminates in an elaborate monogram "P" and has also the words "Cuban Crafted" with the lot number below it, both in gold. The center has the elaborate Padilla monogram at the apex, below that is "Padilla", below that is "Signature " and below that is "1932." At the bottom of the center is the Cuban coat of arms.
