Docbp87
Smoke Into Oblivion
PARTAGAS 898v
6.7x43 Dalias
This always popular, and recently even more highly spoken of entry in the Partagas Marca's line up comes from a 10 ct. varnished box dated MPE SEP09, so it is about a year and a half past its box date. It features an impressively oily wrapper, with that red-clay color to it that I love. It feels evenly packed in the hand, and upon cutting the cap, it has a firm, but not plugged draw (after about 18 hours of dryboxing). The 898 has a cold aroma of tangy cedar, and a touch of spice. The cold draw offers the same pungent cedar flavor, with a balanced mix of spice and sweet tobacco.
Lit at 6:00pm
At the initial light there is a dark, wet earth core, with a tangy cedar that mingles in and out, and a hint of peppery spice on the back of the palate through the finish. Draw is proving to be just a touch tighter than I prefer, but we'll see.
Getting a little further into the first third it starts offering a bit more smoke, and a greater depth of flavor. The dark earthy core has a bit of coffee to it, which is nice with the spice, and slight sweetness that is present. The profile at this point is quintessentially what I think of as Partagas (at least what I think of as good examples, of for instance the Serie D 4 and Partagas Short. The burn line itself is great, just the slightest little waves to it. The ash is impressive, holding firm for just shy of 2 inches at this point as well.
Ash finally drops a bit into the second third. Flavor profile has started to develop a bit of a creamy flavor with the coffee. Still has a wet, dark earthy core, with the cream coffee, and a spicy, peppery finish. The mouthfeel is rich and heavy, slick on the palate somewhere between oily and creamy. This is not a delicate cigar though, by any means. It has plenty substantial body, and for a cigar of Cuban origin, it has a bit of strength as well.
In the final third things get oily, heavy, and leathery. The pepper spice still dominates the finish, but all sweetness is gone. The burn remains great, the draw has opened up over the last third, and the strength has also risen a bit. Just a touch of that buzzy nicotine feel. The depth of flavor, having increased steadily over the course of the cigar, has made this a fabulous smoking experience.
Ended at 7:29 for a total of an hour and a half smoke time. This is just a fantastic example of a big bodied, rich cigar, where Cuban cigars are often light, and subtle compared to their Non-Cuban counterparts, the Partagas 898 holds up in richness in a way that could compete with the darkest, strongest Nicaraguan cigar, and probably beat it out, because it still maintains a smooth suave character. Highly recommended, and for me, exactly what I wanted from a Partagas cigar.
6.7x43 Dalias
This always popular, and recently even more highly spoken of entry in the Partagas Marca's line up comes from a 10 ct. varnished box dated MPE SEP09, so it is about a year and a half past its box date. It features an impressively oily wrapper, with that red-clay color to it that I love. It feels evenly packed in the hand, and upon cutting the cap, it has a firm, but not plugged draw (after about 18 hours of dryboxing). The 898 has a cold aroma of tangy cedar, and a touch of spice. The cold draw offers the same pungent cedar flavor, with a balanced mix of spice and sweet tobacco.
Lit at 6:00pm
At the initial light there is a dark, wet earth core, with a tangy cedar that mingles in and out, and a hint of peppery spice on the back of the palate through the finish. Draw is proving to be just a touch tighter than I prefer, but we'll see.
Getting a little further into the first third it starts offering a bit more smoke, and a greater depth of flavor. The dark earthy core has a bit of coffee to it, which is nice with the spice, and slight sweetness that is present. The profile at this point is quintessentially what I think of as Partagas (at least what I think of as good examples, of for instance the Serie D 4 and Partagas Short. The burn line itself is great, just the slightest little waves to it. The ash is impressive, holding firm for just shy of 2 inches at this point as well.
Ash finally drops a bit into the second third. Flavor profile has started to develop a bit of a creamy flavor with the coffee. Still has a wet, dark earthy core, with the cream coffee, and a spicy, peppery finish. The mouthfeel is rich and heavy, slick on the palate somewhere between oily and creamy. This is not a delicate cigar though, by any means. It has plenty substantial body, and for a cigar of Cuban origin, it has a bit of strength as well.
In the final third things get oily, heavy, and leathery. The pepper spice still dominates the finish, but all sweetness is gone. The burn remains great, the draw has opened up over the last third, and the strength has also risen a bit. Just a touch of that buzzy nicotine feel. The depth of flavor, having increased steadily over the course of the cigar, has made this a fabulous smoking experience.
Ended at 7:29 for a total of an hour and a half smoke time. This is just a fantastic example of a big bodied, rich cigar, where Cuban cigars are often light, and subtle compared to their Non-Cuban counterparts, the Partagas 898 holds up in richness in a way that could compete with the darkest, strongest Nicaraguan cigar, and probably beat it out, because it still maintains a smooth suave character. Highly recommended, and for me, exactly what I wanted from a Partagas cigar.
