havanaphile
Banned
Partagas Custom Rolled Salomone December 2004
7 1/4" x 57
Visual:
This cigar has a beautiful dark maduro wrapper with some patches of oscuro color. The cigar is as oily and shiny as the pictures of the Ashton VSGs that one sees in magazine adds. Several water sun spots are present on the cigar. Minor veining was present. The torpedo tip was perfectly made. Visually, the cigar is stunning. Even in the foot, a sizeable amount of ligero appears to be present. The wrapper had a wonderful silky feel to it.
18/20
Construction.
The cigar was rolled like a brick, and had a slightly firm draw, just like the good old cigars from 98. As per the filler present in the cigar after the torpedo tip was cut off, the cigar appeared to be rolled using the entubar method. The ligero was where it should have been, near the binder, with the seco and the volado in the center of the bunch. As the cigar burnt down, no relighting or touching up was necessary. If it started to burn a little unevenly, it would automatically correct itself after a few puffs. I only had to remove the ash once, once it had accumulated about 4 of ash. The ash was rock solid, and when it broke off it broke off very cleanly, and no cone was present. Even as it burnt down to just a stub of a single inch, the cigar did not get soft, nor did the cigar get soft. The draw did not get loose at any point in the cigar, as it remained wonderfully consistent.
19/20
Prelight:
The cigar had significant peppery flavors even before the cigar was lit. Hints of cinnamon, nougat, and salt were present in the unlit smoke. The draw was very good.
Flavor:
This cigar was absolutely a stunner in more ways than one. It actually tasted like four different Partagas cigars. Immediately after it was lit, it produced an amazing amount of very agreeable, creamy smoke, which was very approachable. The initial cedary, peppery flavors were very reminiscent of the Partagas Lusitanias. After reaching the point of the cigars greatest girth about an inch from the foot, the cigar became far more complex, with definitive components of cashews, almonds and cinnamon. After 1 ½ the cigars flavor shifted into a slightly grassy component, similar to a half and half composite of a Partagas Short and a Cohiba Siglo I. At the half-way point, the flavors shifted the full bodied peppery flavors of a youthful Partagas Serie D. No 4 as the Cohiba grassy component subsided, as cedary, floral flavors replaced them. When the cigar burnt down to its last two inches, the cigar became a mirror of the first half of the full-on, no-holds-barred Partagas Edicion Limitada 2001 Serie D. No. 3 with robust earthy notes. It became a blockbuster to say the least. I started to sweat a bit in the cigars last inch. The cigar left a very sharp peppery finish. I can only imagine that these cigars would improve with age.
64/65
Overall:
An amazing cigar. A definite recommendation for all who appreciate the Partagas line. Very strong, very full, very sharp. For those who like the Salomones vitola, and those who enjoy the Cuaba Salomones and are seeking something fuller, this fills the bill, and then some. A great way to spend 2 1/2 hours.
96/100
7 1/4" x 57
Visual:
This cigar has a beautiful dark maduro wrapper with some patches of oscuro color. The cigar is as oily and shiny as the pictures of the Ashton VSGs that one sees in magazine adds. Several water sun spots are present on the cigar. Minor veining was present. The torpedo tip was perfectly made. Visually, the cigar is stunning. Even in the foot, a sizeable amount of ligero appears to be present. The wrapper had a wonderful silky feel to it.
18/20
Construction.
The cigar was rolled like a brick, and had a slightly firm draw, just like the good old cigars from 98. As per the filler present in the cigar after the torpedo tip was cut off, the cigar appeared to be rolled using the entubar method. The ligero was where it should have been, near the binder, with the seco and the volado in the center of the bunch. As the cigar burnt down, no relighting or touching up was necessary. If it started to burn a little unevenly, it would automatically correct itself after a few puffs. I only had to remove the ash once, once it had accumulated about 4 of ash. The ash was rock solid, and when it broke off it broke off very cleanly, and no cone was present. Even as it burnt down to just a stub of a single inch, the cigar did not get soft, nor did the cigar get soft. The draw did not get loose at any point in the cigar, as it remained wonderfully consistent.
19/20
Prelight:
The cigar had significant peppery flavors even before the cigar was lit. Hints of cinnamon, nougat, and salt were present in the unlit smoke. The draw was very good.
Flavor:
This cigar was absolutely a stunner in more ways than one. It actually tasted like four different Partagas cigars. Immediately after it was lit, it produced an amazing amount of very agreeable, creamy smoke, which was very approachable. The initial cedary, peppery flavors were very reminiscent of the Partagas Lusitanias. After reaching the point of the cigars greatest girth about an inch from the foot, the cigar became far more complex, with definitive components of cashews, almonds and cinnamon. After 1 ½ the cigars flavor shifted into a slightly grassy component, similar to a half and half composite of a Partagas Short and a Cohiba Siglo I. At the half-way point, the flavors shifted the full bodied peppery flavors of a youthful Partagas Serie D. No 4 as the Cohiba grassy component subsided, as cedary, floral flavors replaced them. When the cigar burnt down to its last two inches, the cigar became a mirror of the first half of the full-on, no-holds-barred Partagas Edicion Limitada 2001 Serie D. No. 3 with robust earthy notes. It became a blockbuster to say the least. I started to sweat a bit in the cigars last inch. The cigar left a very sharp peppery finish. I can only imagine that these cigars would improve with age.
64/65
Overall:
An amazing cigar. A definite recommendation for all who appreciate the Partagas line. Very strong, very full, very sharp. For those who like the Salomones vitola, and those who enjoy the Cuaba Salomones and are seeking something fuller, this fills the bill, and then some. A great way to spend 2 1/2 hours.
96/100
