Arturo Fuente & Padron Legends Collaboration Delayed Until 2024

Fuente y Padrón Legends, the collaborative project between Arturo Fuente and Padrón, will not be heading to stores this year. In late November, Arturo Fuente shipped the first 750 boxes out of the roughly 2,000 that were made to the U.S. Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr. announced the shipment on social media. In the two weeks since, it became apparent that there was an issue that prevented the first batch of cigars—which are expected to be distributed by Padrón—from being released.

As it turns out, some of the boxes in one of the two shipping containers arrived to Tampa damaged. The two companies say that they will delay the release and inspect each box individually, which necessitates the delay.The two companies have yet to offer an updated schedule for the initial shipment of Legends to retail outlets; all that is known is that it won't happen in the current month. Additionally, there is still no fresh information regarding pricing, blends, or the quantity of cigars slated for production.

The widely-discussed project traces its roots back to a 2020 gathering of the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) at the Padrón offices in Miami. Following the meeting, Fuente Jr. and Padrón engaged in a moment of shared Scotch whisky. Jorge Padrón opted for Haig Pinch whisky, his father’s preferred Scotch, while Fuente Jr. chose Chivas Regal, in honor of his father's whisky preference. In the course of this meeting, the two gentlemen reached an agreement to collaborate on a project that would pay homage to each other’s fathers.

Although the collaboration was formally announced in October 2020, it wasn’t until July 2022 that it came to fruition. Unveiled during the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the collaboration showcased Fuente y Padrón Legends, a 40-count box featuring 20 cigars crafted by Padrón in tribute to Carlos Fuente Sr. and 20 cigars crafted by Arturo Fuente in tribute to José O. Padrón. Both cigars measured 7 x 50 Churchills; Fuente's cigar was cylindrical, while Padrón's was box-pressed.