Partagas Presidente UNK CODE 18 (PRW)

[Guest Nekhyludov]

The Presidente has, up to this point, existed below my radar in the Partagas lineup. To me, there's the Lusitania, the Alphabet Series, and a bunch of stuff I'm not terribly interested in - Shorts, de Luxe, Super Partagas, Aristocrat, etc. But the recent vintage of Presidente has been widely reputed to be smoking beautifully, and this single was generously sent to me by the FOH crew for the perfecto review comp, so I'm curious to light it up and see which side of the Partagas spectrum it falls on.

This Presidente is a rustic looking cigar with some thick veins encircling the body of the cigar, and the wrapper wrinkling around the veins. The color is great, though. It has a vibrant orange rosado hue that I last saw on a 50 cab of Punch Punch from 2015. The cold aroma is a light, earthy barnyard. Construction feels consistent and spongy. The tapered foot leaves an opening of only about a quarter of an inch, and it simply does not want to ignite. In contrast to a lot non-Cuban perfectos I enjoy, the narrow foot requires torching the entire end of the cigar and drawing on it constantly to get a sustainable burn. By the time it does get going - very slowly - the smoke output is too thin to confer any flavor or texture.

Once the Presidente get to a regular burn after several dozen draws and a handful of attempts at lighting, the flavor early on isn't bad. Luckily, there isn't any harshness or char that I sometimes get from lesser Partagas vitolas. The profile is mildly leathery with a nice bit of the sour twang that I associate with Partagas.

By the beginning of the second third, the performance has evened out. The burn and draw are excellent now, and the smoke output has picked up to a level just slightly below average. The flavors haven't really changed, but there is a wet cardboard kind of note added to the mix now.

Just after the midpoint, that cardboard aspect begins to taste burned and bitter. Shortly after, the pleasantness of the sour note is gone, leaving behind a charred, earthy, leather flavor. That basic combination becomes increasingly harsh and bitter. After trying to wait it out in hopes of some improvement in the final third, I finally give up on the Presidente with several inches remaining.

Based just on this single example, I'm not at all tempted to stray from my usual rotation of Serie D, Serie E, and Lusitania. Final score? Hard pass 

[Raskol]

Hard pass....Honest review.  Thank you. Smoked 2 & was average to me. Bought 6ers from our host tis time. Looking forward to smoking in a few months time. Hopefully they would be better....

 

 

[aphexafx]

Bonk.  I still can't wait to try mine this summer.  Thanks for the review and good luck!  ?

[Islandboy]

I was just thinking about reviewing my single Presidente, also gifted by FOH in the same comp. In light of your review, I think it's best that I stash it away for a few years in the hope that it blossoms. Thanks for the intel. 

[TheMonk]

Good job! I agree, they're far from my favorite Party... although I have to say, unlike you, I love the Shorts.

[SwissPEP]

Thanks for the review 

[StalinisBallinn]

Im interested in this cigar. Might have to try one soon.