Christmas 2010 cigar review... Partagas Serie D. No. 4.

[docbp87]

Partagas Serie D. No. 4.

4.9x50 Robusto

Box code unknown. Tubo from 3 pack. Probably late '09.

It is a beautiful day. The sun is shining, reflecting wonderfully off of the inches of snow that coat everything outside. I am sitting in my truck right now, bundled up quite well (the temperature is uncomfortably chilly otherwise!), and I have in my hand the last of the couple of Partagas Serie D. No. 4 cigars that made up my very first purchase of Cuban cigars. It is truly a beautiful cigar. The construction looks flawless, featuring tight seams, a great looking cap, no unusually soft or hard points in the bunched fillers, etc. What really strikes me right away is the color of the wrapper leaf. It has a ruddy hue, with a slight red color to it, like wet clay I used to dig up in my grandparent's backyard two decades ago. Fantastic! The vein structure on the wrapper is also ideal, visible, but non-existent to the touch. Very nice. I have always liked the simplicity of Cuban cigar bands, and the red ribbon that adorns the PSDn4 is no exception to this rule.

The cold aroma from the body of the cigar is mild, a hunt of cedar is what really stands out. From the foot though, there is a distinctly sweet character to it. Maybe a little spice, but the sweetness reminds me of the sweetness you get in the nose when burning Spanish cedar spills. It has a tangy character that I associate only with Cuban tobacco as well, which is nice, and comforting. This is one of the better looking and smelling PSDn4s I have had. Likely this is a result of having let it rest for a few extra months. After cutting to my satisfaction, the cold draw is firm, but not plugged, and offers a big burst of flavor. Peppery spice, that tastes like cinnamon, a slight acidic tang, but also a darker, earthier character as well. Looking forward to lighting this up, very much. Time to put the windows down, and let the cold in!

Lit at 3:45pm.

Decided to toast with a soft flame XiKar EX lighter, and then finally light with a piece of cedar, just to really make this the complete experience. Right away the flavor profile hits on all cylinders. There is everything present from sweet cedar and cinnamon, to a dry leather flavor. The draw has opened up just enough, requiring just the right little tug to get a proper draw. I know that many talk about the "Cuban Draw" which is firm, but not plugged. This cigar, for me, is ideal in those terms. Often Cuban cigars have a draw that is TOO tight for my personal preference, but if it is going to be a firm draw, then this is an example of exactly how I want it. Like drinking a milkshake through a straw. A good tug, but no strain required. Smoke production is not overwhelming, light and smooth. The ambient smoke has a fantastic aroma that I noticed as soon as I started toasting, like almonds and vanilla beans. Very pleasant.

I recently had a nasty knee injury, and let me tell you, it was really starting to ache today, until about five minutes ago when I totally lost myself in this beautiful cigar. I smoke probably 75% non-Cuban cigars, as an American, with a strained income... but there is nothing quite as nuanced, and subtley refined as a perfectly built Cuban cigar, in my limited experience (which is of course how I ended up on this forum!)

About an inch in, and things are progressing wonderfully. The draw remains great. The flavors remain large, cinnamon, pepper, leather, spice. Medium in body. Smoke is smooth and nutty. The burn line is a little wavy, and the ash is a little flaked on the outside, but not problematic. Just a great smoking experience.

Oddly enough, after rolling the ash for the first time, at about an inch and a half it is showing signs of tunneling. Very odd, considering that it seemed to be performing PERFECTLY when I could not see the inside. Now that the ash is gone, I am left with a bit of a crater. A quick touch up to the wrapper has corrected this, but it is just very odd. Still tasting great, with the addition now, in the second third, of a sort of coffee flavor. Mocha even. Not bitter like black coffee, but a sweet, rich, creamy chocolate coffee flavor. All of that, on top of the already present cinnamon spice, and cedar.

One of the reasons that the Partagas Serie D was the first Cuban cigar I bought is that I was always told that Partagas and Bolivar were the two fullest bodied Cuban cigars, in a world of medium bodied brands. Well, in my experience, there is truth to that but, not comparable truth to the full bodied smokes of the Non-Cuban world. Full bodied cigars in the world of say, Nicaraguan cigars, tend to be very ligero heavy, and blended with very little balance, being all power, and almost sickening nicotine heavy, grubby-make-you-turn-green with strength blends. The same is not true for the fuller Cuban cigar. The fuller bodied Cuban cigar matches fullness of flavor with fullness of strength, never going out of balance, which for me, given my experience with mostly Non-Cuban cigars, makes for a very pleasant, relaxed way to enjoy a cigar that has more body to it.

That said, this Serie D No. 4 is still only slightly above medium for me at this time. Reaching the halfway point, things remain consistent, and the burn issue seems to be non-existent now, which is a relief.

I was hesitant to smoke this cigar today, as it is my last PSDn4 that I have, but boy... since I am not smoking often these days due to the freezing cold weather, rewarding myself with something special like this is exactly what I needed to do. It delivers!

DAMMIT. I knew it would happen at some point, but I hoped it wouldn't. PLOP. Ash right in my lap. Oh well. It held on for another inch and a half, which is impressive enough. No tunneling appears to be happening this go around. So that is good. The biggest change I am noticing right here at the start of the final third is the huge blast of hot pepper spice I am now getting. Not unpleasant, just bold. Very nice actually. The sweetness has subsided considerably, and the flavor profile now consists of a big pepper burst on the draw, followed by a dry cedar wood flavor, and a leather and pepper finish that really lingers on the palette, and tingles across the tongue for a good long while after the draw. I'm really having a hard time expressing how impressive I have found this cigar to be without simply repeating myself over and over, which I am afraid I have done anyway.

The sun is starting to set, the temperature is dropping, and just in time, this fantastic cigar is coming to a close. Cigar lasted about an hour a twenty minutes. What a wonderful afternoon this has been. The setting has been gorgeous, the cigar making it even more so, with that wonderful almond aroma filling the air, and the complexity of this bold and punchy Partagas Serie D. No. 4. just making everything right in the world. I need to take more days off from work and spend them out enjoying a fine Cuban cigar. Thanks for inspiring this great journey, Prez/Czar. I plan to do a few more reviews like this for this contest in a few days. Hopefully they will all be as satisfying!

Maybe a bit long winded. Too bad this contest isn't being judged on length of reviews LOL.

[ZAZ]

Great review. The PSD 4 is on my long list of cigars to purchase...

Thanks for sharing!

[El Presidente]

Great review of a cigar which has been one of the highlights of the year.

[shrink]

Very nice review. The PSD4 was the first Habanos I ever smoked, and it just happened to be the last one I smoked, too...

this evening after dinner. An '04. Great cigar.

[CanuckSARTech]

Great review, well done.

[Trimble]

Bravo, great review!

[mazolaman]

That looked a really nice experience,a great review and a great cigar!Thanks.

[Cig]

Thanks for the great review. Those cigars have been completely hit or miss for me. I've had a some that were amazing, and others that were just not good at all.