Partagas Shorts TSM MAR 19 (WTR) (WTRW)

[saltbox]

As a relatively seasoned NC smoker but someone new to CCs, I figured I'd participate with the point of view of a newcomer. I had been waiting for my first boxes to hit 3 months of rest but this review topic seemed fun, so I reached for the box I have the most rest on: a dress box of Partagas Shorts, box code TSM MAR 19 (18 months box age), that have been resting for 57 days at 70F 62RH.

Partagas Shorts TSM MAR 19 Dry Review

Of course this thing is plugged. I thought I had dealt with plugged cigars before with NCs, but Cuba has really redefined that word. Stabbed it a couple times with a PerfecDraw to get some marginal improvement, but I'm committed at this point.

SF also happens to be much warmer and dryer than normal, so the test seemed particularly relevant. SF is typically in the 70F 60RH range, which seems to make for problem-free smoking, but I've brought a hygrometer out which is reading 81.5F and humidity too low to register, with the local weather reporting 18RH.

First third: I'm used to reading reviews and dismissing many tasting notes as a bit of a stretch, but this thing really does taste like paprika with a mild sourdough bread finish. I've encountered sour notes in NCs before, but they're usually off-putting to me. The sourness in this Short is much more subdued and actually quite nice. The retrohale is also amazingly smooth, usually not the case with most NCs, and really helps accentuate the paprika.

Middle third: The paprika has intensified and there's some mild sweetness on the finish, but otherwise the flavor has been pretty consistent and pleasant.

Last third: A bit of peppery spice has picked up on the finish, and the tobacco flavor has grown a bit darker and richer. Occasional hints of cocoa on the finish but not consistent. Molasses like sweetness on the finish heading into the very end.

Overall: I used to rate cigars on the typical 0-100 scale, but getting into CCs is going to necessitate recalibrating a bit. For now I'll say this was an excellent simple smoke; not super complex and the flavor was pretty consistent throughout the smoke, but it was definitely tasty. A small wrapper split that happened during my pre light stabbing blew up a bit towards the very end, but it still burned down well, no touch ups needed.

Partagas Shorts TSM MAR 19 Wet Review

Smoked the wet counterpart in the evening, with hygrometer outside reading 77.4F 31RH.

First third: More chili pepper spice on the palate and retrohale, with the paprika and creaminess a bit more subdued compared to the dry smoke. Surprisingly, zero problems lighting the cigar despite visible dampness, and the dampness is gone within a few minutes. There does seem to be a touch more sweetness on the finish.

Middle third: Spice continues to be more prominent, and there does seem to be less twang and more hints of leather on the finish.

Last third: Spice continues to grow, with the paprika and creaminess fading and more woody and nutty notes on the finish. There's also less sweetness on the finish this time around.

Overall: Same basic flavor profile as the dry cigar, with the biggest difference being a lot more spice and a bit of harshness, and more nuttiness on the finish in the last third. Despite having watched the FOHrensics video I'm still shocked that the cigar wasn't simply ruined and at how quickly the wrapper returned to feeling normal after the dunk. Given that both cigars were smoked fresh from the humidor, it seems likely to me that the dunk probably made little to no difference, and that the effect would be a lot more dramatic had the cigar been left out to dry first or if the environment was much more arid.

 

Bonus clip of the dunk. I held the cigar by the head and let water drip down to ensure the wrapper was wet all the way down to the foot afterwards.

 

Thoughts on CCs vs. NCs as a newcomer: It seems a bit reductionist to state objectively one is better than the other (don't see it so often here but moreso on other forums). It seems like comparing whisky to wine: they're kind of in the same family, but different enough that it's hard to compare them directly. Some people like both, some only like one or the other, but you have to appreciate them differently. It's perfectly fine to prefer one over the other, but to state that preference as objective fact seems unfair. That said, I can't wait for the unreasonable number of boxes I've purchased up until now, without having tried a single CC (outside of a RyJ EL I was gifted and smoked over a decade ago), to finish resting, especially the 24:24 aged stock I've snagged.

 

[Connoisseur Kim]

Much agreed for your opinion on wet cigars @philipl! Wet cigars tend to be more harsher than CCs that are stored 62-65 RH based on CCs from local B&Ms in the past. This is the reason why I prefer to keep CCs at 62-65 for refinement and better burn.