Partagas Lusitanias ABR Jun 08

[olotti]

I don't do alot of reviews and I apologize for no pics but I'm lazy when it comes down to doing pics and reviews lol. Anyway a little background on the box, it's a box of 10 bought from FOH of HQ quality, bought in 2010 kept in the OLH for a little and I've had the box sent in 11'. Smoked a couple right off the bat and the first I remember vividly was great pure Party all the way, couple more were plugged so bad I had to pitch em, the last I smoked 2 years ago was avg at best from what I remember. I have 2 left in the box now and then next I want to smoke in another 5yrs it's a size I rarely smoke so I often forget I even have them in the cooler. Ok on to the review, took some notes so here it goes.

Original impression: Great bunch and weight in hand. Beautiful colorado wrapper, no plume but silky smooth. Very well made, zero soft spots.

Clip: Absolutely perfect draw, just a touch pull needed which I often find with cubans brings out the best.

Dry draw: Very clean tobacco but rich, some cedar, leather, and well aged or just great tobacco.

Initial opening: Med body. Cedar, light spice, kind of like all spice but def not pepper or cayenne very delicate. Getting old leather but the initial opening mirrors the dry draw.

1st 3rd: Med full now but it creeps def not in your face, she's gentle. Lots of cedar and just well aged tobacco and old leather, a little paprika spice which is a Party hallmark some may call it bell pepper, very smooth and a little more of the capsicum/cayenne through the nose.

2nd 3rd: Burn is razor sharp, amazing. Real rich and refined but leaves a very clean finish but it still coats the mouth best of both worlds to me. Spice dropping off through the nose. More med body now. At this point Im seeing where age has mellowed the smoke but blended the flavors so beautifully.

Last 3rd: Darker, more med-full. More spice through the nose it has gone back to cayenne but light and delicate cayenne not burn your nose hairs type. Still the core of rich, clean tobacco and coats the mouth, I almost get a dark coffee or bakers chocolate which is weird since Party's don't usually have that in their profile that I'm aware of. The smell of the smoke reiterates it though as I get burnt fudge and cedar/spice in the smoke. Going on an hour and a half smoking time. Burn still razor sharp.

Overall Impressions: I'm amazed at the change in a two years but the last one I smoked was so plugged it wasnt fair. I decided to lay these down and see what happens. I'm surprised at how much mongrel was taken out of these cigars in 5yrs but it was replaced by delicate spice and an overall richness, smoothness and blending of flavors that was very impressive. I probably smoked to many of these to soon but again it's not a size I go for this is the first and only box of Lusi's I've ever bought so I dove in right away and while some were great right away others were meh and others were plugged. For the size when I got down to the robusto size it def had D4 written all over it while the first part of the cigar was more delicate, a nice combo,

Final Grade on 0-100 scale: 94. In another 5 yrs who knows I'm expecting that back half to mellow and the whole cigar to be like the first half but I like em with the dark, mongrel back end so I 'll prob smoke the other 2 within the next year but my goal is to leave atleast one to try in 5 yrs and see what happens. Cheers.

[anthem]

Great review, thanks for sharing. I have a 10 count from May 08, that I have not tried yet.

[ramon_cojones]

lusis have zero mongrel for me, love the marca but these always let me down not to mention being plagued with construction issues

[Rye]

A box just showed up in my mail today, and I am very excited about them!

Thanks for the review

[Charltonc]

I have had some excellent 03 to 05s, but some draw issues.

[Upmann2009]

Very details review. I have a box coming (12 ), wonder how it taste compare to your 08 stick.