Here's the review I promised...
Construction - solid - decent triple cap - nice smooth roll - medium draw
Prelight Draw - Sweet tobacco
1st Third : Cigar opens up with some nice sweet tobacco notes and hint of green. The cigar is from 09 (not sure what month) so the green notes could still be rounding out. After a few puffs, the typical leather and spice of Partagas started to show up accompanied with some dark earthy notes. The standing smoke has a distinct cinnamon raisin aroma to it which is rather nice. I decided to 'cup' the smoke and smell it, which confirmed my findings. I also got a huge blast of pepper (I coughed like a girl). Towards the ends of the 1st third, the cigar is exhibiting a lot of dry cedar and hay notes with the spice having died down considerably.
2nd Third : Started out with some milk chocolate notes that were rather predominate and unusual for this cigar in my experience. After a handful of puffs that cigar turned back to its earthy and leathery core. The cigar is noticeably sweeter at the halfway point and is sitting right around medium bodied. The end of this third is picking up in sweetness and revealing some light honey and vanilla notes.
Final Third : By the time the final third arrives the honey flavor is coming through more predominately with the standard Partagas earth/leather backbone. The spice has died down a good amount, but the final third is where this cigar really shines. This is my 3rd or 4th 898 in the past 4 months and I've noticed that the final third is always the most enjoyable and complex. The cigar finishes with some hints of orange peel, cinnamon and creamy vanilla.
Random thoughts: The ash was unusually light for a Habano... especially a relatively young one. I find these to be the refined older brother of the PSD4, but I think I still prefer the PSD4 profile more. The 898/Dalias is a sexy vitola that should be used more in NCs and CCs; almost perfect proportions.
Rating : 90 (would have been an 88 but the final third was excellent)
Pics:
My fancy new tasting notebook.... a prototype model courtesy of Kyle (aka WarpedCigars) These should be available within the new few weeks from http://maestrollc.com
And me looking stupid :
Construction - solid - decent triple cap - nice smooth roll - medium draw
Prelight Draw - Sweet tobacco
1st Third : Cigar opens up with some nice sweet tobacco notes and hint of green. The cigar is from 09 (not sure what month) so the green notes could still be rounding out. After a few puffs, the typical leather and spice of Partagas started to show up accompanied with some dark earthy notes. The standing smoke has a distinct cinnamon raisin aroma to it which is rather nice. I decided to 'cup' the smoke and smell it, which confirmed my findings. I also got a huge blast of pepper (I coughed like a girl). Towards the ends of the 1st third, the cigar is exhibiting a lot of dry cedar and hay notes with the spice having died down considerably.
2nd Third : Started out with some milk chocolate notes that were rather predominate and unusual for this cigar in my experience. After a handful of puffs that cigar turned back to its earthy and leathery core. The cigar is noticeably sweeter at the halfway point and is sitting right around medium bodied. The end of this third is picking up in sweetness and revealing some light honey and vanilla notes.
Final Third : By the time the final third arrives the honey flavor is coming through more predominately with the standard Partagas earth/leather backbone. The spice has died down a good amount, but the final third is where this cigar really shines. This is my 3rd or 4th 898 in the past 4 months and I've noticed that the final third is always the most enjoyable and complex. The cigar finishes with some hints of orange peel, cinnamon and creamy vanilla.
Random thoughts: The ash was unusually light for a Habano... especially a relatively young one. I find these to be the refined older brother of the PSD4, but I think I still prefer the PSD4 profile more. The 898/Dalias is a sexy vitola that should be used more in NCs and CCs; almost perfect proportions.
Rating : 90 (would have been an 88 but the final third was excellent)
Pics:
My fancy new tasting notebook.... a prototype model courtesy of Kyle (aka WarpedCigars) These should be available within the new few weeks from http://maestrollc.com
And me looking stupid :
