Partagas Short 2009 Review - For Rob - From Frank (Do I post it here?)

[Maplepie]

Preface

I absolutely detest Partagas Shorts. I believe Frank gave me this a while back to try and make me used to it. 5 years down the line, it will hopefully be a tad more mild and enjoyable - compared to the harsh ass-kickers that the D4s and Shorts are when they're 0-2 years old.

5 years. Let's do this.

Had a nice one hour break whilst waiting for a mate today. Had a Dip 1, SCdlH O'Reilly, and a Don Alejandro in my humidor today. Tucked away in the corner was a little Partagas Short I remembered packing in today at 1am in case I needed a shorter smoke. Brilliant! Cheers to past tense me!

Pre-light

You tell me about the design and texture - I did terribly in art class so you're probably better than I. I think the picture quality is okay enough for you to judge. It had a very entropic foot - seems like a picture isn't saved on my media card. Sorry about that. No crescents.

Punch cut reveals a few flakely loose tidbits of tobacco at the cap. Weirdly packed - seems like an inverted pigtail filled with flake tobacco. When I picked at it, it revealed a slight inverted pigtail.

On the eye, the foot and cap is looking like it'll be a good cigar.

Cold draw confirms it. Tastes like a cool armagnac before lighting. Hints of the sweet olde strain tobacco mixed with sweet floral tones - but none like an LGC. Weird for a Partagas Short. I sucked on that for a good 2 minutes because I really enjoyed the flavour by itself.

First Third

Mmmmm! Not like Partagas at all! Just like the old strain tobacco maschine rolled cigars in cellophane. Definitely not as smooth and mild - quite the contraire. Very strong but quite a fresh barnyard hay flavour. A welcome change from what Partagas Shorts have been for me.

Of course, this will get stronger sooner as it's still quite weak for a Short. I am quite enjoying this now.

Ash is okay. Burn is okay. A few touch-ups to deal with the normal Cuban 'asbestos wrappers' that plague these. Doesn't help that there are spots of wind where i'm sitting. But it's fine - I don't judge upon construction - as long as it tastes good, i don't mind touching up.

Second Third

At this point, two gents decided to seat on a bench in front of me - each with a cigarette in hand. They stare over at me whilst quietly discussing my presence. Cigarettes put out after 5 minutes, one approaches me requesting a cigar... Weird - 50 cent cigarettes are one thing to bum off... But a cigar? Hmmmmm...

I open up my humidor and offer two Montecristo Blues to them and he jots off cheerfully. Thought he would've enjoyed them at that. They look at the cigarillos for 10 minutes discussing it out of my earshot.

Back to the cigar: Very nice - it's actually gotten milder! Hints of vanilla and sweet white chocolate. Much like those old RA Belvederes. Very strange. Mind you, these are still a pretty strong smoke but it's essentially milded out - a pleasant surprise!

The retrohale gives an even more pleasant smoke. There was a point where I just retrohaled 10 times in a row with only a 10 second break inbetween draws. I just kept going back for more!!

Third Third

The gits came back and i saw them blow through the cigarillos making an empty tube sound. Looks like they've emptied the cigar and are filling them with marijuana... Uggggh.

Back to the cigar:

Strong. Just got very strong. Like the middle of the D4. Retrohale is still very mild but this is probably due to the very small amount of smoke coming from the cigar now. It's lit. It's been relit. It's been purged. Alas, it's all futile as the cigar is churning out strong little plumes of smoke.

A shame... But the retrohale still gives me the vanilla, hazelnuts, and a warm strong cognac flavour from the puffs in the second third.

The regular flavour on the mouth during a strong double puff gives an intense tannic flavour - almost like smelling cigarettes in my mouth. This is the reason I detest Partagas Shorts and D4 - for this flavour only.

Final Thoughts

I put it out early. Just wasn't enjoying it anymore despite the tasty retrohale. Took me exactly 55 minutes which is short as there were times in the second third that I just wanted to go back for more. It wouldn't overheat and it wouldn't provide tannic odours then so it just kept going back for more.

All in all - great smoke that defied initial predictions. The construction made me think it'd be a good cigar. I doubted that due to the marca and vitola... Boy was I wrong (and right).

Final score: Solid 87.

Most partagas shorts rate 45-60 on my centenary scale. They're normally a tosser as I barely get past the first third before chucking them out. Perhaps i'll seek out a box for now and just lay them down for half a decade or so. Just gotta find one with similar construction from 2013!

The next cigar: Partagas Lusi from 2009 from Frank as well

[RijkdeGooier]

Good review J!

These are good smokes with more years on them - they seem to smoke better with more years...

[Large215]

Great review love shorts ...

[mk05]

Partagas shorts are rolled everywhere, especially in cabinet form.

[Optic101]

Nice read. Enjoyed it.

[bradbrennan]

So we'll see you tonight for the D4!

[Maplepie]

So we'll see you tonight for the D4!

I have no D4s left

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[PigFish]

Nice review mate.

What, no dissection of the remainder of the cigar for forensic purposes? -Ray

[ramon_cojones]

still a good third left of that poor short

[Maplepie]

What, no dissection of the remainder of the cigar for forensic purposes? -Ray

naaaaaaah...

i feared being further pesked by the 'hoodlums' for more "blunt wrapping material"

still a good third left of that poor short

perhaps. but not for me...

too much struggling with the burn, tannic flavours, and everything.