Partagas D4 aged 2013 (PTGSRW)*

[Fosgate]

Today was a good herf day as I smoked 3 Partagas. A D4 last of 2 from a box I pitched from 2013, A current D4 A/T GLU FEB20, and a Super Partagas UTL MAY19. But enough about the others this review is of the D4 from a Box I purchased in 2014. I kept record of the first few years of those two boxes of D4's I bought way back.

They did not do too well over the journey after being stuck in an outdoor postal box in -40 January temps over a weekend until I could get into the post room to pick them up. When I opened them I had a few of the bottom row of one of the boxes with split wrappers even after immediately throwing them into the freezer and stepping down the temp to refrigerator and room temp. For the first few months they were ok but not great. The records I show they went up in flavor profile really shot up October of 2015 that I really picked up some smooth rich tobacco, spice, leather. and a hint of cedar and they got better from there. The first picture is the 2013 D4 vs the Freshly untubed 2019 D4. Slightly darker. 

Planning on smoking 3 cigars led me to pair with an Old Fashion and a glass of water to rinse for drink as I was going to need to maintain blood sugar levels smoking 3 cigars. 

Cutter: Xikar VX2 cross cut

1st Third= draw was slightly open and maybe a bit too open. Wrapper had good mouthfeel, Lots of flavor as previously noted but it seemed the leather and spice were more prominent this time and it was for sure stronger than my previous notes.

2nd Third= I'm enjoying this smoke while chatting with others and noting some of the characteristics of the cedar and a rich tobacco flavor coming forward. For sure this is not like my previous notes from the same box in 2015-2017. 

Final Third=Flavors are still there and I'm pulling pretty hard on it at this point but it's still being constant. I remove the band and shortly after and I noticed a split forming from one of the V-cuts. Dab some cigar glue on and wait about 3 minutes and try pulling again and it's still going. 

Final Thoughts:  Smoke was strong with an even burn, construction was good up to the last third, flavor was good. At about the 3 year mark though I had a note and I remember smoking one on the way to a dinner meeting and had a hard time setting it down to go in for the dinner. I was pulling hard on that one and wound up clipping it, putting it in my pocket and relighting after dinner. That is not something I do very often and I remember it being that good. Is it that good now? Yes and no. The flavors are stronger but overall different but I don't think that they are in the right strength to make me want to save a box that long again. Just my opinion anyway. I think I seemed to enjoy them better in that 2-4 year range. 

 

smoke was strong and burned evenly.