Partagas Maduro No.1 12DCRC

[Meklown]

Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a Christmas sampler but I still have one last party mad which I bought back in March 2018. I thought it was surprising that the prices dropped slightly after the release because I always thought prices only go one way.

This is the last one from that box and I would have aged them longer but for a beetle outbreak in the desktop humidor that contained the last 5 or so sticks, so I froze them all and separated them into small batches. Almost all the infested sticks have been smoked bar a bundle of culebras. 

For this stick, the wrapper looked a bit dry, and there was a little crack in the wrapper, so I rinsed the stick under the tap for a second (wet head can be seen in the picture). After a minute of rest to allow absorption, the cut was fine. 

Cold draw was perfect, with strong dark chocolate. Upon lighting, there was really good complexity, with dark chocolate, earth, with other hints of paprika, peppers, cinnamon. It was thoroughly full bodied and around 3.5-4 in strength. The smoke was velvety and creamy. Very very good. 

The burn was good but the cigar doesn't really want to stay alight. The wrapper is not as thin as what would be ideal, so I guess that might be one factor. 

Suddenly I get a burst of honey, like honeycomb chocolate. Time for a dram of a Bowmore 18. Sherry, peat and chocolate - what a wonderful combo. 

The cigar continued to display good levels of complexity, with no extra district tasting notes that I could identify other than those earlier mentioned. 

Overall 89/100. This cigar would have been 91 if not for the lopsided burn that I suspect was a result of uneven bunching. One of the best examples from the box