We’ve been talking about what Padrón would have in store for the company’s 50th anniversary for seemingly two years, especially with a very subdued release list last year.

The booth looked pretty much identical to the way it has in years past and there wasn’t much in the way of fanfare, balloons or music when you walked in. Yet everyone’s attention was drawn squarely to the center of the booth and the incredibly gorgeous display of the company’s 50th anniversary cigar.

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The presentation of the Padrón 50th Anniversary “The Hammer” is jaw-dropping, to say the least and will certainly be a contender for our year end packaging awards. There will be 1,000 humidors produced, each with 50 cigars, all 6 1/2 x 52, that will be either natural or maduro based on what the retailer orders, so we won’t know production numbers for some time. The final units will add a lock and key system and could likely have a different set of humidification instruments than what you see here, but you should get the gist. The units are expected to be in stores by December and while the final pricing has not been set yet, the company estimates each box to have an MSRP between $4,500 and $5,000.

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Each unit is individually numbered, as are the individual cigars, and there were retailers asking for specific numbers while we were there. If you were looking for humidor #8, forget about it as it is staying with the company since Padrón was founded on Sept. 8, 1964. One additional note about the cigars—once the batch that comes with the humidor sells out, retailers will be able to refill them but the serial numbers on the cigars will change from red to black.

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There is also the new Padrón Family Reserve No. 50, a 5 x 54 parejo that will be available in natural and maduro versions. It is priced at $250 for a box of 10 and will be on shelves in the coming months.

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Padrón has also partnered with S.T. DuPont on a pair of lighters, one in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary and one that will be a regular production item. The 50th anniversary lighter is limited to 500 units and has an MSRP of $2,000. It is expected to be released by the endof the year.

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The Padrón-branded S.T. DuPont Maxijet will be regularly available and comes with a protective pouch and an MSRP of $263.

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Finally, there is a new S.T. DuPont ashtray being released as part of the anniversary celebration, also slated to be out by the end of the year. This was the only one on the show floor, and happened to be on display at S.T. DuPont’s booth, who was also joining in the celebration.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.