Partagas D4 BUP ABR 19 (VVRW#1)

[BlueRidgeFly]

I'm gonna jot down some thoughts as this burns...

This is good. These are always pretty good. Starts off kind of bland, then quickly yields that classic Partagas sourdough and spice. Draw is pretty loose. Not the best example, but A-OK, from a FoH clearance box acquired a year ago at a great price compared to what's current.

Realizing as I sit here with it that I'm not quite in the mood for Partagas today, though...

Was going to use the holiday as an inane excuse to fire up something fancier, but it's wicked windy out here and I didn't want to sacrifice more precious stuff. A CCE was the plan until I stepped outside. Decided on a D4 because, of everything in my humidor, "D-4" sounds the most like "East-er." Even more inane, yeah. Should have grabbed a chocolatey Monte as the alternate, 'cause that's sounding good right now...

For me, the "typical" Cuban robustos scratch the same itch. The differences are nuanced. Their flavors overlap quite a bit. And that combined with my penchant for smaller ring gauges lessens their appeal for me, a little. I know I'm not in the majority. But we all like what we like.

Anyway... I'm never dissatisfied with a D4. And as this burns, it gets better and better. Most Cuban cigars do that, generally.

I had a very good Espinosa Laranja Lancero yesterday, one of my favorite NCs. It was a really good one. Better than this D4 in some aspects, for much of it... until the last quarter or so, when it did what a lot of Nicaraguan cigars do, got kind of dirty and rough tasting. And that last impression, well, lasts.

This D4 surpasses that Laranja in the last third. Adds some caramel to that spice and toasted sourdough, along with a bit of ashy mongrel that I don't mind too much.

A good Cuban cigar always makes you wish there was a little more left by the time it's burning your fingers. Makes you look forward to the next 👍

[Mickey D]

Bravo.