Partagas Series E No 1 LE (2017/18) 12DCRC

[mt1]

Decided to dig into the EL from the Xmas sampler over the weekend.  I had had this cigar a couple times before but I'm definitely not familiar with it.  The price point didn't seem worth it but I'm glad I got to try it again.

Paired it with a really sweet small batch whiskey from Brooklyn, of all places.  I was pleasantly surprised by this whiskey, it was sweet and fruity, unlike most scotches and was reminiscent of bourbon (but it's a "single malt whiskey"?).  In any case, it was an interesting pairing.

The Partagas E No. 1 is an interesting cigar to me.  It is big, fat, and dark and somewhat unsurprisingly does not taste like a Partagas to me.  This wouldn't be the first EL that isn't "true" to its brand's typical flavor profile but I was a bit disappointed as the previous Partagas EL's I've had were generally pretty true to Partagas flavors.

The start is leathery and sweet, with a deep earthy flavor and a slight tinge of woodiness with some creamy texture.  Honestly, the beginning of this cigar was all over the place and that might just mean it needs time to settle down.  The flavors were good but too conflicted with one another.  With age, I hope this cigar will figure out what it really wants to do with its life.  Right now, the start is like the freshman first semester of college of cigars.  She is not sure which party it wants to go to, she goes to all of them but doesn't have a good time at any, she has too many friends but no real good ones, she doesn't know which classes to take or what major to focus on, but she's still young, hot, and dramatic.

Second third, the cigar has settled a bit.  She is now softer, not as crazy as a her former self and settles down on her major.  She's softer and sweeter than the former self that wanted to be at every party at the same time.  The flavors are backed by that earthy flavor and wood.  There are mild hints of coco but it never truly develops in this cigar, just a tease but no satisfaction.  At this point, the best thing about the cigar is the smoke production.  Ample, big smoke, with a velvety texture.  The flavor is not bad, but I'd rather smoke 5 Partagas Shorts in a row than this cigar.  She's nice to look at, feels right to the touch, but has no clue what she's doing.

Price aside, the cigar is average to me.  Maybe with a few years it will figure itself out but seems like a costly investment for something that may never flourish.  I'm not experienced enough to say whether or not this will become an excellent cigar with time, but for the money I think I would rather buy something else that is a known entity.