r3db4r0n
BoM Jan '11
So after a long morning dealing with temperamental lawn equipment and an octogenarian that has a few too many house cats, I was happy to make it back to the beach to find a cool breeze, plenty of sun and enough eye candy to make Hefner jealous waiting for me.
In order to make the abrupt transition from lawn care professional to adolescent beach bum a little easier, I decided it was a good time to sit down and review a BOTL crowd favourite that needs little introduction the Partagas Serie D No. 4.
Cultivated, harvested, and rolled in Cuba, by Cubans for the whole world to enjoy, one could argue that the notoriety that Partagas has upheld for the past 165 years may very well be defined in this cigar alone.
At just 4 7/8 x 50 the Serie D No. 4 is what many consider a true robusto. The presentation is beauty in simplicity, an oily caramel brown wrapper, minimal veining and a picturesque triple cap all encompassed by a plain band proudly proclaiming its name, this is a cigar thats hard not to drool over. The only flaw if you want to call it that could be that the filler feels a tad under packed to the touch.
Pre Light: To my surprise, the cap of this cigar comes off as one of the cleanest and flattest cuts Ive ever made on a Cuban cigar. The draw is OK, though not as loose as Id originally perceived which is a good sign. Flavours from the cold draw are predominantly of cedar, with earthy undertones completed by spice. Fragrances from the wrapper share notes of cedar and earth with the draw, though a barnyard nuance is also heavily present.
Lighting: After a short toast and quick light, Im somewhat surprised at the initially mild notes that are produced: cedar, spice, and earth coupled with grassy undertones are all that complete the profile on the light. However, the ambient burn gives off grassy vanilla bean fragrances, though it is accented early on with hints of ammonia surprising as this cigar has been aged for roughly a year.
First Third: After only 10 minutes of observing bikini clad women pass by while giving me odd looks, this Partagas is already beginning to show its true colours. Vanilla is immediately perceptible as a strong floral note, along with some grassy and earthy undertones which are accompanied by a hint of spice. Taking in the expelled smoke drifting in the air, Im left with largely the same impressions: vanilla bean, some grassy undertones and perhaps a hint of almond. The burn itself is progressing quite evenly despite some minor deviations early on, and the ash appears to drop in segments just under an inch.
Second Third: Amid waiting for the second third to develop while taking in the sights and sounds of the beach, the vanilla bean produced by the ambient burn is absolutely intoxicating. The flavours that wash over the palate in the second third are equally as wonderful, while the vanilla continues to exhibit itself prominently, the spice has become more pronounced, though grassy undertones and earthy notes are still perceptible. The expelled smoke though remaining unchanged has balanced some, pleasing even the non-smokers around me with the vanilla and almond notes it exudes. The burn is progressing in good fashion as it has throughout, still dropping ash at just under an inch.
Final Third: True to my expectations, the Partagas has come through for a strong finish though I would expect nothing less. The vanilla has died to but a hint on the draw along with previously present grassy notes, leaving earth and a strong spice as the predominant notes. Amazingly, vanilla and almond continue to come through in droves on the retro-hale, with the added addition of leather a little one dimensional but both extraordinarily consistent and pleasing nonetheless. Alas the finale was hampered by some minor burn issues, but nothing that warranted more than a touch-up or two while ash continued to drop in pieces just under an inch towards the nub.
Final thoughts: While this wasnt an overly complex cigar, the flavours and consistency that come together in this smoke make for a highly enjoyable experience; besides, at the 5-8 dollar price tag its quite hard to go wrong I always smoke these to the nub. I would recommend this cigar to all smokers, new and seasoned alike.
Total smoking time was roughly an hour.
Cheers,
Shawn
In order to make the abrupt transition from lawn care professional to adolescent beach bum a little easier, I decided it was a good time to sit down and review a BOTL crowd favourite that needs little introduction the Partagas Serie D No. 4.
Cultivated, harvested, and rolled in Cuba, by Cubans for the whole world to enjoy, one could argue that the notoriety that Partagas has upheld for the past 165 years may very well be defined in this cigar alone.
At just 4 7/8 x 50 the Serie D No. 4 is what many consider a true robusto. The presentation is beauty in simplicity, an oily caramel brown wrapper, minimal veining and a picturesque triple cap all encompassed by a plain band proudly proclaiming its name, this is a cigar thats hard not to drool over. The only flaw if you want to call it that could be that the filler feels a tad under packed to the touch.
Pre Light: To my surprise, the cap of this cigar comes off as one of the cleanest and flattest cuts Ive ever made on a Cuban cigar. The draw is OK, though not as loose as Id originally perceived which is a good sign. Flavours from the cold draw are predominantly of cedar, with earthy undertones completed by spice. Fragrances from the wrapper share notes of cedar and earth with the draw, though a barnyard nuance is also heavily present.
Lighting: After a short toast and quick light, Im somewhat surprised at the initially mild notes that are produced: cedar, spice, and earth coupled with grassy undertones are all that complete the profile on the light. However, the ambient burn gives off grassy vanilla bean fragrances, though it is accented early on with hints of ammonia surprising as this cigar has been aged for roughly a year.
First Third: After only 10 minutes of observing bikini clad women pass by while giving me odd looks, this Partagas is already beginning to show its true colours. Vanilla is immediately perceptible as a strong floral note, along with some grassy and earthy undertones which are accompanied by a hint of spice. Taking in the expelled smoke drifting in the air, Im left with largely the same impressions: vanilla bean, some grassy undertones and perhaps a hint of almond. The burn itself is progressing quite evenly despite some minor deviations early on, and the ash appears to drop in segments just under an inch.
Second Third: Amid waiting for the second third to develop while taking in the sights and sounds of the beach, the vanilla bean produced by the ambient burn is absolutely intoxicating. The flavours that wash over the palate in the second third are equally as wonderful, while the vanilla continues to exhibit itself prominently, the spice has become more pronounced, though grassy undertones and earthy notes are still perceptible. The expelled smoke though remaining unchanged has balanced some, pleasing even the non-smokers around me with the vanilla and almond notes it exudes. The burn is progressing in good fashion as it has throughout, still dropping ash at just under an inch.
Final Third: True to my expectations, the Partagas has come through for a strong finish though I would expect nothing less. The vanilla has died to but a hint on the draw along with previously present grassy notes, leaving earth and a strong spice as the predominant notes. Amazingly, vanilla and almond continue to come through in droves on the retro-hale, with the added addition of leather a little one dimensional but both extraordinarily consistent and pleasing nonetheless. Alas the finale was hampered by some minor burn issues, but nothing that warranted more than a touch-up or two while ash continued to drop in pieces just under an inch towards the nub.
Final thoughts: While this wasnt an overly complex cigar, the flavours and consistency that come together in this smoke make for a highly enjoyable experience; besides, at the 5-8 dollar price tag its quite hard to go wrong I always smoke these to the nub. I would recommend this cigar to all smokers, new and seasoned alike.
Total smoking time was roughly an hour.
Cheers,
Shawn
. You can't say stuff like that and then not post a pic of it, you must have missed that line in the terms of agreement while registering :nono:. Now you'll have to endure a parade of ridicule :hammersma.
