José Orlando Padrón
Cuban-American founder and patriarch of Padrón Cigars (1926–2017)
🍷 Food, Beverage & Spirits English
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1926, Pinar del Río province, Cuba |
|---|---|
| Died | December 5, 2017 |
| Nationality | Cuban-American |
| Family | Father of Jorge Padrón |
| Career | |
| Occupation | Cigar maker, founder |
| Title | Founder & chairman, Padrón Cigars |
| Founded | 1964, Miami, Florida |
| Known for | Box-pressed Nicaraguan cigars; Anniversary and 1926 series |
José Orlando Padrón (1926–2017), known as Don Orlando, was a Cuban-American cigar maker who founded Padrón Cigars in 1964 and built it into one of the most acclaimed premium cigar companies in the world. A descendant of generations of Cuban tobacco farmers from Pinar del Río, he left Cuba after the 1959 revolution and started his company in Miami with $600 saved from carpentry work.
He is remembered for pioneering Nicaraguan premium tobacco, for the box-pressed Padrón style, and for ultra-premium lines such as the 1964 Anniversary and Serie 1926.
From Cuba to Miami
Padrón's family had farmed tobacco in Cuba's Pinar del Río region since the 1850s. After his farm was nationalized following Castro's rise, he left Cuba in 1961, traveling through Spain and New York before reaching Miami, where the Cuban Refugee Program paid him $60 a month. Working as a gardener and carpenter, he saved enough — aided by a small hammer given by a friend — to open Padrón Cigars in September 1964, starting with a single roller producing about 200 cigars a day.
Building the company
In 1970 Padrón established operations in Estelí, Nicaragua, whose climate and soil resembled Pinar del Río. The company endured enormous hardship: a 1978 factory fire during Nicaragua's civil conflict, the 1985 U.S. embargo on Nicaragua, multiple bombings of his Miami operation, and an attempted kidnapping. He persevered, shifting production back to Nicaragua after the embargo lifted.
Acclaim and legacy
Padrón's cigars earned Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year honors multiple times, and lines such as the 1964 Anniversary Series and Serie 1926 are among the most sought-after premium cigars. He worked alongside his son Jorge, the company president, until his death on December 5, 2017. The family retains full control of production, and Don Orlando's emphasis on balance, quality and consistency continues to define the brand.