Partagas Serie P No. 2

ChanceSchmerr · May 22, 2012

As usual, my busy at-sea schedule has kept me from posting a Cigar review on FOH for a long time, but with a competition like this, It's as good a time as any to take some time out and enjoy a favorite!

Cigar - Partagas Serie P No. 2

Box Date - TEB DIC 08

Location of smoking - Deck of my ship, alongside Prince Rupert, BC (just south of the Alaska Panhandle)

Overall Appearance - Quite a light coloured wrapper on this one, and indeed most I've had from this box. A light sheen of oil is always present. The wrapper seems rather thin, giving off a spicy note when brought to the nose. The wrapper looks kind of faded....which is odd, these cigars are only 3 1/2 years old!

Prelight draw/taste - Perfect, easy draw, hot pepper through the nose. These have been powerful cigars!

First puffs - Rich Cayenne peppah......here we go!

First third - Strong, Strong, Strong. This torpedo is throwing loads of smoke out with each puff, and each draw brings tingly tastes of Spicy Black Pepper. Balancing it out is a pleasant framing of gentle creaminess, which is almost imperceptable at times but which prevents it from overwhelming. An overtone of earth, not unlike that found in a good Diplomaticos No.1, is evident from about the first inch onwards. The burn isn't quite even, but it's likely a little bit related to the wind swirling about in the harbour. Either way, I am enjoying it! Wishing I could tame it a little with some Scotch...

Second Third - The earth tones begin to assert themselves more fully. Smoke volume remains high, and the cream hints disappear, not to return. The pepper recedes ever so slowly, but remains omnipresent. This is Rich, that's for sure - the flavour coats my tongue, enveloping the senses. It's impossible to do anything but to focus on the cigar, it demands my attention! The aroma of the smoke is quite pungent, with a main theme of Toasted tobacco. Most importantly, the strength (which has not abated) is in control, but does not exceed it's bounds - This cigar might give a novice a headache, but I can definitely handle it.

Final Third - Picante Pepper, almost like a Habanero Pepper, blasts through for the final third. The earth retreats from the palate, with the toasted tobacco rushing in to fill the void. The smoke has actually become quite acrid, as some of my companions note. The burn has become a little more problematic, with some significant angling, but I can still smoke it without much trouble. The band is unfortunately quite stuck to the wrapper, which results in some wrapper tear as I gently attempt to remove it. An occasional whiff of dry cocoa makes itself known, but King Pepper kicks it out swiftly each time. The best part at this point is the richness of this cigar, which remains all the way to the end, with half an inch to go. While the strength and spice does not retreat, nor does it devolve into a hot, single-dimensional spice - it retains great body of flavour, allowing me to enjoy it to the end.

Overall thoughts and impressions - This cigar makes me think of Guy. When I met him and spend the night at his place, he gave me a PSP2, exclaiming that I had to try it, he had been quite enjoying them lately. I thanked him and I told him how much I liked the vitola and talked and talked, and eventually got to smoking other cigars and I never got to try it out before I had to leave, but after smoking it a few months later, I could see what he meant - that one had the extra element of smoothness that perhaps this cigar lacked. His PSP2 had more creamy "framework" than mine today showed, perhaps illustrating how some more aging can endow these cigars with further charactor. At the same time - every once In a while, I crave a good Cuban "punch out", and this cigar delivered! The evolution of the flavour was subtle, and took a backseat to King Pepper, but made it great instead of merely good, in fact if I hadn't been able to note the slight movements from cream to earth to toasted Tobacco, I might have been convinced that I was smoking a NC cigar blind. At the end of the day, this was a winner, and a perfect compliment to a chilly day in Northern BC.

Guy - keep the faith, mon ami! I look forward to a day in the future when we can meet again and enjoy another of my Partagas Lonsdales!

Final score - 92

Drink accompaniment - My issued bottle of water from a fountain on board. What I wouldn't give for some Ardbeg Corryvrecken...

I wish I could have attached some Pictures - no camera with me on this sale. C'est domage!