Partagas Shorts

AKA: "Party Short"
Country: Cuba
Length: 4 3/8 (110 mm)
Gauge: 42
Weight: 7.46 gr.
Format: Minuto
Box Code: TBS OCT 06
Tobacco Procedence: Vuelta Abajo
Factory: Partagas

Info: This brand is named for it's founder, Don Jaime Partagas, who began manufacturing cigars in 1827, but put his own name on his line of cigars in 1845. After his death, the brand passed to Ramon Cifuentes in 1889 and was owned by Cifuentes y Cia. prior to nationalization, earning a mention by name in English novelist Evelyn Waugh's 1945 work, Brideshead Revisited. Partagas cigars also won gold medals in at least three international expositions between 1867 and 1884. There is no doubt about the strong, intense flavour of this line and it is still produced in the Partagas factory, renamed Fernando Perez after nationalization. The range is immense and it would be hard for a smoker not to find a Partagas which fits his or her interest in size or shape.

For more info on Partagas, see my Serie D No. 4 review.

Appearance: A masterpiece of construction, this short little bugger had nary a flaw on it. Wrapped in a sparkling (with tast oily sheen), light brown wrapper, this cigar had no veins or soft spots or irregularities of any kind. Just one beautiful looking cigar.
Pre-Light: Clip was easy and a non issue. The prelight draw was just spot on and had notes of pepper, cedar, and earthiness. In other words, this is a Partagas cigar.
Burn/Draw: This is occasionally a cause of concern with the "Party Short". Examples I have had in the past have suffered from extremely tight draws, as well as the symptomatic burn issues that can come along with it. It was never enough to frustrate me to the point of giving up a cigar, but its been a regular concern.
Thankfully, that was not the case with this particular stick! the draw was just about as perfect as a cigar can be. It has just the tiny bit of resistance, to allow for a long luxuriant smoke (which seems counter intuitive for a cigar called a "short", but I smoked this cigar for over an hour), while producing more than enough round feeling, cool, flavorful smoke. the burn was straight the whole way down, the definition and "light and forget". The ash, while mottled, was quite firm and held quite long, and probably could have held longer. this all smacked of great cigar construction, which alleviates one of my few issues with this cigar.
Flavors: This cigar is a Partagas, and really does not wander far from that profile. Now let me tell you, this is in no way a bad thing. After an initial burst of black pepper, there is a quick foray into sweet honeyed fruitiness (maybe 10 minutes or so), but it doesn't last long. After that it is the Partagas profile all the way. Medium in strength and full in flavor, this little cigar has all the cedary and peppery notes we have all grown to love, along with notes of sweet tangy tobacco, and the earthy "horse stall" organic notes that define the lines flavor in my opinion. It doesn't really develop much, but it does not have to. It is good the way it is. this is one of those work horse, staple cigars that anybody who enjoys Cuban cigars should have in their humidors, and it is priced to make this possible to boot. Great for when you want a quick smoke, and even when you just want a no nonsense, this is what you get cigar, the Partagas Short is truly worth your time. Very much recommended.


TomC