Review: Partagas Series D No. 4

Well, I'll call it a review, but I'm not sure it'll be very subjective.

Cigar: Partagas Series D No. 4
Size: 50 x 4 7/8
Country: Cuba
Purchase date: un-remembered
Beverage: Beer, various at local micro-brewery/pub
Age: 1 year max (suspected)
Date: 2007/04/29
Smoking time: 1 hours, 25 minutes

I've had several of these, and still had a couple in the humidor when I bought some more, so can't be sure of the age or date of purchase of this one. It was the last I had, and I must get some more.

Smoked the second to last one about three months ago and it was disappointing, overly strong but with no depth, so it wasn't expecting much from this one.

We arrived at the pub around 19.00 and were lucky to get a table/booth. Having supped half of my pint I decided I'd start early on this cigar. In the past I've had one of these last me almost two hours, so I thought it best to "get on with it".

Pre-light examination: One stout vein plus one or two minor veins on the wrapper, but otherwise smooth in appearance. It was very firm when squeezed and I thought perhaps it was too dry. It cut cleanly... well, punched cleanly, and I found the draw to be good to slightly tight (only ever so slightly).

I lit the cigar by playing the foot over a butane flame for several minutes until it was well lit before taking a draw. The first puff was tasteless, but this is a large cigar, it takes a while for the smoke to make it as far as the smoker!

First third: Not how I remember any of these cigars tasting before. It wasn't so much mild as mellow. I found the flavours to be well rounded, plenty of leather, cinnamon, and sandalwood. Very pleasant indeed. There was no "waiting for it to start" as I have experienced with some cigars, this one, as soon as the smoke reached my taste-buds, was very, very good.

Second third: More of the same. The draw was still excellent, the leather and cinnamon flavours built, and the sandalwood faded through this third. My wife and I were relaxing, talking, drinking, and playing a bizarre card game called Idiot. Nothing to tax, or in any way detract, from my smoking.

Third third: An intensifying of the leather flavour and the appearance, and growth, of caramel. I may have smoked this a little faster than I normally would but it was *so* good, I didn't want to miss any of it. At around an inch the taste started to deteriorate and I put it out pretty quickly rather than risk spoiling what had been such a pleasant smoke.

I've smoked quite a few of these, and usually find the intensity of flavour builds to something very strong by the end. That wasn't the case with this one, it was a wonderfully smooth, rich experience right until
I extinguished it. This one put out of my mind the last one I had which disappointed and reminded me of why I like these.

I shall be buying a box (maybe two) when I get my new humidor (which my wife is buying as my fortieth birthday present) in about a week's time. I have a feeling that sitting in the humidor, for possibly six months, is what has made this one so much better than the last. It may be that the last one was at the intermediate stage, too old to be fresh and not old enough to be mature (sounds like me).

This may well have been the best cigar I have ever smoked. I don't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

Have I forgotten anything? ... ooh, yes, socks: 1000 Mile (http://www.1000mile.co.uk/) white, very comfortable, the first things to hand when I dressed.

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Tobacco Name Game
    ... At the end of a cigar you are ... purchase of 2oz of bulk Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe. ... I enjoy being in a tobacco store. ...
    (alt.smokers.pipes)
  • Re: The Tobacco Name Game
    ... At the end of a cigar you are ... purchase of 2oz of bulk Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe. ... I enjoy being in a tobacco store. ...
    (alt.smokers.pipes)
  • Re: I Saw a Cruiser bike I liked today! V4 Venture
    ... kind of humidor to get ...et al, without ever appreciating the cigar ... reasons) as the primary reason to purchase an item. ... There are also people that purchase said items for utilitarian ... Not to mention the styling problems I have with the bike. ...
    (rec.motorcycles)
  • OT TR: Western Pennsylvania Cigar Crawl (Pt. 4)
    ... the Bloom Cigar Company in downtown Pittsburgh. ... for purchase just boggled my mind. ... Ben Rothlesberger’s signature BBA sauce. ... owner that my cousin John comes in to buy cigars all the time. ...
    (rec.roller-coaster)
  • Re: Eternal Truth
    ... >>>cigar is a very private, subjective, gustatory event. ... >>>Nicaraguan, Dominican, or a Drew blend. ... what I'll purchase in bulk. ... Which is why I purchased a pack of White Owls and a pack of those Backwoods ...
    (alt.smokers.cigars)