MY VERY FIRST REVIEW! (Don't Laugh Too Hard!)

Originally Posted 10/2003 here!

All right my first crack at a tasting:

Cigar: Partagas Naturales
Size: 5 1/2 X 50
Wrapper: Natural, Cameroon
&
Ancient Ancient Age 10 Year

A Little Backround: The secret of todays rich Partagas cigars lies in their wrapper leaves. Grown in Cameroon, the Central West African country where the steaming, sub-tropical climate is unique to the fourth parallel, is ideal for growing superb wrapper leaves. The Cameroon wrapper has no equal for rich flavor and the Partagas is the richest of cigars with a deeply mellow taste.


Alrighty then I got my first haul of cigars today and a brand spanking new humidor. As part of the cigars I got a three pack of robusto size partagas from their 3 different lines. Natural, Black Label, Spanish Rosado. Because I couldnt wait till tomorrow for a smoke (got a Hemingway Signature for then) I decided to head out on the fron porch with this herf and a glass of Ancient Ancinet Age 10 Year bourbon, and see what happened. I dont know much about cigar construction so I cant comment on that yet except to say that the tobacco just under the cap seemed a little looser than the other two cigars I smoked. This may have had something to to with one of the problems I had with the cigar, it smoked a little faster than what I would have liked. It lit easily and burned evenly the whole way. The first third seemed a little tough on the draw and a tad tannic, though I am not sure if the tannic taste was all that bad. About 1/2 way through it opened up really nicely though, with tons of round feeling smoke and a flavor of slightly nutmeg like quality. This part was really enjoyable. It seemes to get abit more spicy following through to the end. Then everything fell apart. Literally. The last third was not only ever increasingly harsh, the cigar itself strted to unravel at the foot a bit. GRRRRR. This really frustrated me because to that point it was a suprisingly good smoke from one I wasnt expecting much from. not only was it enjoyable but it really played with the AAA 10 year nicely, the whiskey opened up to lose almost all its barrel notes and tatsed really fruity with a sweet finish that went on for miles. Luxuriant to say the least. It was a shame that the end was like crashing into a brick wall.

This cigar seems like a very workmanlike herf and I thing would make a decent everyday smoke, if it wasnt for the end. Until then, I was looking at the diminishing stick, wishing that I had gotten a longer cigar (I was wishing I had another #10 instead). Maybe a different shape would help the experience. It had perked my interest in the other two in the bundle though

TomC