Partagas Serie D No 4 LRP JUL 06

[Colt45]

Outstanding! Over the course of, let's say the next two years, would you expect

these to retain these qualities, or do you feel they may "close up" - being

relatively young?

[DrAlejandro]

great review rob... got a box of these in a couple of months ago that Im just getting to know ;-) :-D

[El Presidente]

» Outstanding! Over the course of, let's say the next two years, would you

» expect

» these to retain these qualities, or do you feel they may "close up" -

» being

» relatively young?

I can only guess Ross but I suspect they will not close up. These are not Ligero powerhouses. They are meduim bodied blended works of art. Everything is in balance and I suspect they will age in a balanced way. I suspect the coffee and cream elements will intensify and the vanilla disappear alltogether.

[Colt45]

» I can only guess Ross but I suspect they will not close up. These are not

» Ligero powerhouses. They are meduim bodied blended works of art.

» Everything is in balance and I suspect they will age in a balanced way. I

» suspect the coffee and cream elements will intensify and the vanilla

» disappear alltogether.

Thank you. I'm still trying to come to grips with this cigar.......

[stickman]

My input on these from FEB

These are from Feb 06 and they are gorgeous...Dark and oily, shiney, remarkable ash, draw and burn.....and that damm Fire Engine Red Band with Gold Text is the badest sexiest band on the planet....I just want to glue these all over my forhead....these have acclimated in my humidor for over two months and they are "Sweet as a Nut"....oh so sweet...i'm in love...these might be my favorite robusto in fact they are my favorite robusto.......spicy, smooth , strong, creamy, the kind of smoke that just bellows out and just kind of hovers around the foot of the cigar almost like you could suck it back in.........dont even hesitate for a second on these...they will rock your world.......another testiment to the 2006 Cuban blend mixture

Cuba?....I salute you!!!!

Oh ya did I say I liked these?

stick

[shrink]

Colt 45 wrote: Thank you. I'm still trying to come to grips with this cigar.......

I come to grips with this divine Robusto by clipping the head, placing it firmly between my thumb and fingers, igniting it, and then drawing deeply.

Thanks for a great review that does justice to this classic. Yes, the '06 crop is outstanding.

[Colt45]

» I come to grips with this divine Robusto by clipping the head, placing it

» firmly between my thumb and fingers, igniting it, and then drawing deeply.

»

» Yes, the '06 crop is outstanding.

I've not had much luck with this cigar, hence my original question. Perhaps I should

try some from '06 - but I'd be hard pressed given the performance, to date, of the ones I have.

Unless there is a 180' turn around, once I'm through what I have, I think I'm

done with this one.

[olotti]

I kind of agree with Colt here. I pulled out an 01 from the humidor this weekend and it was as bland as bland could be, I pitched it after half way through, needless to say I was thoroughly disappointed. My previous try with my 05 box a couple weeks earlier led me to the same conclusion, so maybe these are still in the "sick" period but as for the 01's I have no idea. While I have had some tasty PSD4's, they were smoked within the first 6 months of boxing date, I would much rather smoke a JL#2 anyday.

[Quint]

» » I come to grips with this divine Robusto by clipping the head, placing

» it

» » firmly between my thumb and fingers, igniting it, and then drawing

» deeply.

» »

» » Yes, the '06 crop is outstanding.

»

» I've not had much luck with this cigar, hence my original question.

» Perhaps I should

» try some from '06 - but I'd be hard pressed given the performance, to

» date, of the ones I have.

» Unless there is a 180' turn around, once I'm through what I have, I think

» I'm

» done with this one.

I agree not to impressed with this cigar and considering the hype it gets even more disappointing

[Cohiba007]

I have to disagree with you who disagree:-D I love this cigar. I have some 01's and 02's that are great, and far from bland. Maybe the one that you had that was bland was not stored properly. Anyways, I always have a few boxes in my Aristocrat and now I have 2 06 boxes in my online locker. I have yet to actually try an 06, maybe time to order a box. PSD4 is perhaps the one cigar I smoke more than any other.

[Colt45]

» Some one help me out.

To me, this sounds like a young cigar showing it's youth. This is kind of why I posed

the question I did to Rob re his review. I would not expect a cigar that exhibited the

characteristics of the above review to "go dormant".

My only advice would be to leave them alone for a while - try one in January '08:-)

This is just one opinion.

[El Presidente]

» I agree not to impressed with this cigar and considering the hype it gets

» even more disappointing

The previous reiew I undertook on the D4 was ERC MAR06 [link=http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=41411#p41415]Link[/link]. It was OK....nothing special and an 86/100. This July 06 D4r was lightyears ahead....so what does that tell us?

1. The D4 is a high production cigar. You are going to get extreme variability. This is the first D4 I have thoroughly enjoyed in a long long time.

2. You need to try multiples of the same cigar over numerous and different production years to really develop an informed opinion.

3. Cuba still has alot of work to do to develop blend consitency and integrity.

[Colt45]

» 1. The D4 is a high production cigar. You are going to get extreme

» variability. This is the first D4 I have thoroughly enjoyed in a long long

» time.

»

» 2. You need to try multiples of the same cigar over numerous and different

» production years to really develop an informed opinion.

»

» 3. Cuba still has alot of work to do to develop blend consitency and

» integrity.

Broken record on:

Shouldn't we able to expect more by now?

Broken record off.

[El Presidente]

» » 1. The D4 is a high production cigar. You are going to get extreme

» » variability. This is the first D4 I have thoroughly enjoyed in a long

» long

» » time.

» »

» » 2. You need to try multiples of the same cigar over numerous and

» different

» » production years to really develop an informed opinion.

» »

» » 3. Cuba still has alot of work to do to develop blend consitency and

» » integrity.

»

» Broken record on:

»

» Shouldn't we able to expect more by now?

»

» Broken record off.

You should expect more.

They are trying.

Still 10 years from meeting consistency standards of say Padron.

However:

Each year since 2000 has been an improvement.

They are back to using proper aged leaf.

Construction has dramatically improved.

They need to get blend integrity and consistency right. HOWEVER, keep in mind, Habanos s.a do not control the blend process.

I know plenty of good people in Habanos s.a who are aware of the problem and doing everything they can to change things. They need time.

[crossbow]

But of all the years

2004, 2005 and 2006

IMHO, the 2006 PSD4 taste better than the 04 and 05's. That does not mean that the 04 and 05 do not. All of them have the delectable partagas taste, earthy, very nutty and full bodied but I think the 2006 taste better when comparing with the other two. But that is just my Honest Opinion.

» » » 1. The D4 is a high production cigar. You are going to get extreme

» » » variability. This is the first D4 I have thoroughly enjoyed in a long

» » long

» » » time.

» » »

» » » 2. You need to try multiples of the same cigar over numerous and

» » different

» » » production years to really develop an informed opinion.

» » »

» » » 3. Cuba still has alot of work to do to develop blend consitency and

» » » integrity.

» »

» » Broken record on:

» »

» » Shouldn't we able to expect more by now?

» »

» » Broken record off.

»

» You should expect more.

»

» They are trying.

»

» Still 10 years from meeting consistency standards of say Padron.

»

» However:

»

» Each year since 2000 has been an improvement.

»

» They are back to using proper aged leaf.

»

» Construction has dramatically improved.

»

» They need to get blend integrity and consistency right. HOWEVER, keep in

» mind, Habanos s.a do not control the blend process.

»

» I know plenty of good people in Habanos s.a who are aware of the problem

» and doing everything they can to change things. They need time.

[stever]

I smoked the PSD4 (ROA JUL 06) from Czar's Twelve Days of Christmas sampler pack. It was truly excellent and renewed my faith in this cigar. My '05s seem to be going through a sick-period. It wil be intersting to see whether the '06s will age differently than previous years.

[shrink]

I have smoked two JUN06 in the past few days, and have been very, very surprised (and pleased) by this cigar. D4's are my favorite robusto, and I have smoked plenty over the years.

These examples were, without question, the smoothest, most approachable young D4's I have ever smoked. But the profile was not at all like previous D4's.

Both cigars had identical flavor profiles. They opened with a creamy, medium-bodied smoke, and little or none of the black pepper spice which I expect in this cigar. There was some white pepper, which revealed itself more fully in the nose. The core was woody, layered with soft spices of cinnamon, vanilla, and graham cracker. Mid-way into the smoke, there was more sweet wood, and a light citrus tang. The finish was delicious.

Frankly, if I hadn't removed them from the box myself, I could have been persuaded that these were a 3-5 year old special edition cigar. Since I knew it to be a Partagas, I was expecting the sweet wood and spice, but not the soft, creamy caramel quality, or the remarkable maturity and approachability.

Unfortunately, both cigars were light in the hand, and appeared to be underfilled. Both became quite soft as they progressed. Still, the draw and burn were close to ideal. A nubber, for sure.

[stever]

» Unfortunately, both cigars were light in the hand, and appeared to be

» underfilled. Both became quite soft as they progressed. Still, the draw

» and burn were close to ideal. A nubber, for sure.

Shrink:

Great description of the PSD4 you smoked! My JUN 06s are also underfilled. The draw is really too open for my liking, but the smoke is enjoyable nonetheless.

[JulietasRomeo]

Currently my favorite Robusto. I wasn't a fan when I first tried them (05's), but now I'm hooked!!!! Great Review

[El Presidente]

I have tried various of the 2006 Partagas Serie D No 4 production with mixed results. While good, I have found many to be flat when compared to 06 offerings of Juan Lopez Seleccion No 2, Cohiba Robusto and ERDM Choix Supreme which have been the standout 2006 Robusto offerings.

So, seeing a LRP JUL 06, I decided to revisit this cigar which is certainly a favourite amongst members.

Beautiful looking cigar with perfect construction. Great weight in the hand...not too heavy and not too light. Foot nice and open. Smell at cold a distinct fresh wood shavings and paprika cream.

Cerrated the end and the draw was perfect. Ever so slight pull required. On the lips was great quality tobaco and again a woodiness.

Torched the foot and settled back with a Havana Club Anejo Reserva and ice. There are certain times when you light a cigar and you need to let it find its feet....all aggression and pepper spice like a young buck hung over at a bar swinging at all and sundry. This was not one of those times.

This cigar did not start well, it started magnificently. This was a concert symphony. From the outset it was all beans.....coffee, vanilla, cocoa. What a wonderous array of flavour interlayed within a sour cheesecake spine.

Medium in body, soft white pepper spice through the nose. Perfect balance. Masterpiece.

The lasting impression by the midpoint was the smoothness of this cigar. Cool, flawless burn which allowed all the bean flavours a stage upon which to showcase their act. The vanilla had disappeared but the coffee and cocoa beans took charge. The cream background was a constant and by cream I mean unsweetened cream blended with a hint of paprika spice. Enchanting.

Into the last third and I have made a mental note to find a box of July 06 to put away. Cigars don't come much beter than this D4. Certainly not at this age. More than approachable now and I can only guess as to the aging potential. Surely at 5 years they will be exquisite but I wonder whether it has oomph/mongrel to go 10. I can't wait to find out.

The flavours are all still here. Not an iota of bitterness or willingness to stray from what it set out to deliver. Coffee, Cocoa, Cream.

Cigars like this are akin to that magic golf shot which keeps you coming back. The best D4 I can recall.

92/100 5/6 Smokerings

[chef2275]

i have a box of jan 06...the first that i had smoked was about 1-2 weeks after recieving and it was awsome yet the two that i have smoked since jan and the other in march have been somewhat flat. They have that nice woody flavor but then bitter up. One i may be doing it myself, smoking to fast, or ?. I do have them at 62-64% and 69-71 degrees so i do believe im at the right on that. Some one help me out. It takes me between a hour to hour an half to smoke.

and here is the foot..