Partagas Toppers

[bolivr]

An unusual cheap and cheerful cigar today. Thanks to information from Trevor’s site I found out that these cigars were machine made and discontinued in 2002. It’s another reminder of how many cigars have been consigned to history in such a short time. I bought some simply because I had not heard of them before plus it is very elegant looking and a unique size at 39 RG by 160 mm.

My example is rustic looking, the cellophane a little discoloured as you would expect after nine years or so. The cigar when unwrapped is quite pale with a sparsely toothy wrapper, no oil to speak of; first impression is that it looks to be quite a dry cigar.

It does though feel well packed in the hand. There is a hard section just after half way which sets off warning bells – bad memories of pre 2002 smokes that were plugged, specially the skinnies.

The cheap and cheerful beverage to accompany the Topper today is Stone’s Mac. Ah, it brings back memories of being 15 and buying a bottle from a teen friendly pub.

Cold aroma is funky and surprisingly promises a lot more than the appearance. Looked like it would be just a dry grassy aroma but besides the funkiness the test draw showed dark dried fruit and a nice level of resistance just as a panatela should. This is shaping up nicely to deliver more than appearances might indicate. That rough old cap clipped off softly. So there is good hydration after all.

Anyway, light her up and there is a good volume of smoke, smooth, slightly sweet tobacco flavour, classy, restrained and refined faint earthiness. Age has been kind to this cigar. The Stones Mac is a good match as the ginger cleanses the palate and the sweetness is a good foil for the more savoury Partagas.

At the start of the final third the sweetness goes and is replaced by pepper, old leather and dark roast espresso, pretty good burn throughout and that classic Partagas aroma from near the dark ash.

Opened up the cigar the next day and was surprised to see long filler. I had expected this cigar to be TC so overall I have to say I am impressed.

Mike

[samb]

Neat!!