Partagas 898 varnished Review GSO JUN 06

[Ken Gargett]

macho and i are planning (yet another) intervention for you. this one is to convince you that it is okay to actually do some work and not just leave it all to lisa and miniS. that balcony, a cigar and a rum have become a security blanket, linus. at least we know that there is no chance of clashing with anything on your busy schedule.

[El Presidente]

Dear Principal Skinner....thankyou for your concern.

I am always happy to take advice in the form of an intervention from respected friends and mentors.....But you and Machin

Lets keep Macho out of this for the time being.

While I admit that my work habits may be seen as unconventional they appear to be effective. As to whom requires the intervention, some facts require scrutiny.

One of us lives in a house not owned by their mother.

One of us drives a car not previously owned..... by their mother.

One of us has his tax returns in on time and not sorted in shoeboxes.

One of us has a mobile phone not held together by a rubber band.

One of us is not simultaneously suing a telecommunications conglomerate and an Insurance company.

One of us can get mobile broadband to work.

One of us can actually get e-mail while travelling.

One of us has had a girlfriend.....and a wife.

One of us has not had to apologise the following morning to attendees of a Czar function.

One of us has never taken casked wine or open bottles of wine as a gift.

One of us has never left touring members stranded in Cancun while faking to "go see whats happening up ahead" hopping on the last seat of the plane and heading home.

One of us has never claimed for "Property Damage" on over humidified cigars.

One of us doesn't have great mates who are disbarred lawyers working in the Cayman Islands.

Now I too have my peccadellos....one must love his faults as much as his strengths but it will be a cold day in hell before I have an intervention with you at the table ;-)

I have a Genios set aside for you and Macho whenever you pop around :-D

[Ken Gargett]

oh, cruel viperous tongue! et tu, linus? the unkindest cut of all? surely this be the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat on which it feeds.

let me respond.

first, if you have the time to come up with that waffle then macho and i need to act urgently.

» One of us lives in a house not owned by their mother.

WHILE LOOKING FOR MY NEXT PLACE OF ABODE (AND THESE BARBS ARE NOT HELPING YOUR CHANCES OF A NEW NEIGHBOUR), I AM TEMPORARILY RESIDING IN A FAMILY BEACH SHACK. EVICTION MAY BE THE AYALA FAMILY MOTTO BUT FORGIVE ME IF WE HAVE A CLOSE FAMILY (SORT OF).

» One of us drives a car not previously owned..... by their mother.

AH THE DISTORTIONS CONTINUE. I HAVE OWNED A NUMBER OF CARS OVER THE YEARS, NONE PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY ANY RELATIVE. I WAS LOOKING FOR A NEW CAR. MY MOTHER WAS UPGRADING AND WAS GOING TO FLOG HER BMW WHICH WAS IN VERY GOOD NICK SO WE DID A DEAL, SHE SOLD MINE INSTEAD, AND I PAID THE DIFFERENCE. IT MEANT I GOT A GOOD CAR I KNEW WORKED WELL - TOUCH WOOD - AND SHE DIDN'T GET RIPPED OFF BY DEALERS. I KNOW YOU ASPIRE TO SELLING USED CARS POST THIS GIG AND THAT SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT REVOLTS YOU BUT...

» One of us has his tax returns in on time and not sorted in shoeboxes.

MY RETURN WAS IN ON TIME AND I HAVE NO SHOEBOXES. ALL DOCUMENTATION IS IN APPROPRIATE FOLDERS. AT LEAST I FILE A TAX RETURN.

» One of us has a mobile phone not held together by a rubber band.

PLEASE RESTRICT ALL OF YOUR POSTS TO PRE-LUNCH. AS USUAL, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

» One of us is not simultaneously suing a telecommunications conglomerate

» and an Insurance company.

I AM SUEING NO ENTITY AT ALL. AND NEVER HAVE (AT LEAST PERSONALLY) I HAVE HAD APOLOGIES FROM VARIOUS OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE STUMBLING WOMBAT OF LATE, AND THE TWO TIN CANS AND A STRING MOB. I WAS FORCED, DUE TO THE DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF THE SCUM OF THE EARTH INSURANCE COMPANY, CGI, TO REFER A MATTER TO THE OMBUDSMAN WHO FOUND 100% IN MY FAVOUR.

» One of us can get mobile broadband to work.

I AM SENDING THIS BY SAID MOBILE BROADBAND.

» One of us can actually get e-mail while travelling.

MERELY BECAUSE I CHOOSE TO IGNORE YOUR EMAILS AND NOT RESPOND UNTIL HOME AND FORCED TO, DOES NOT MEAN I CANNOT.

» One of us has had a girlfriend.....and a wife.

YES, BUT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEM AT THE SAME TIME.

» One of us has not had to apologise the following morning to attendees of a

» Czar function.

I RECALL NOTHING OF THIS ALLEGED EVENT AND DENY IT ENTIRELY.

» One of us has never taken casked wine or open bottles of wine as a gift.

ONE OF US DOESN'T BRING GIFTS BUT IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU TO CHANGE. RE THE OFT-DISCUSSED CASK, YOU ASKED ME TO GIVE IT TO LISA WHEN YOU SAW IT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AND THEN CLAIMED IT MY IDEA. WILL THE PERFIDIOUSNESS NEVER END. I HAVE OFTN BROUGHT BOTTLES FROM A TASTING THAT I THOUGHT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST. MANY OF MY FRIENDS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS BUT IT WILL OBVIOUSLY NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU IN THE FUTURE.

» One of us has never left touring members stranded in Cancun while faking

» to "go see whats happening up ahead" hopping on the last seat of the plane

» and heading home.

I'D SAY BOTH OF US HAVE NEVER DONE THAT. ONE OF US DID KEEP TELLING THE TOUR LEADER THAT IF HE DIDN'T GET HIS ARSE IN GEAR, HE'D MISS THE PLANE. AT THAT STAGE, THE CROWD SPLIT AND THE SENSIBLE TRAVELLERS MUTINIED AND FELL IN BEHIND THE NEW LEADER WHO GOT THEM HOME WHILE THOSE THAT DIDN'T SPENT AN EVENING IN CANCUN. BUT FORTUNATELY, YOUR CHOICE OF TRAVEL AGENT MADE SURE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS????

» One of us has never claimed for "Property Damage" on over humidified

» cigars.

IT WAS ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE AS FULLY COVERED UNDER MY POLICY AND WHO WAS IT WHO GAVE ME THE DODGY HUMIDOR IN THE FIRST PLACE.

» One of us doesn't have great mates who are disbarred lawyers working in

» the Cayman Islands.

YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED THAT AT 'ONE OF US DOESN'T HAVE MATES...' BUT IF YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE, IT IS NOT TOO LATE. I DO HAVE A MATE WHO RESIDES IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD BUT HE, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, HAS NEVER BEEN DISBARRED. THEY'D HAVE TO FIND HIM FIRST.

»

» Now I too have my peccadellos....one must love his faults as much as his

» strengths but it will be a cold day in hell before I have an intervention

» with you at the table ;-)

»

» I have a Genios set aside for you and Macho whenever you pop around :-D

AND I, IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP, WILL SMOKE IT.

[Ken Gargett]

other than all that crap, agree with you re the con series, especially the three.

[El Presidente]

» other than all that crap, agree with you re the con series, especially the

» three.

Having a Connie 3 currently (still a work) and it is simply sensational.

[shrink]

» Having a Connie 3 currently (still a work) and it is simply sensational.

Had one last night. An '03. They're turning the corner, showing surprising sweetness, and a cinnamon-peppery core. Cocoa notes on the finish, too. I was reminded of a hard red box candy that I loved as a child: "Red Hots". Did they have those in Oz? What a great combination, both spicy hot and sweet at the same time.

http://www.ferrarapan.com/html/rh_history.html

[motownflip]

you guys are serious! Friends forever? Thanks for the review. I'll have to try a connie.

[anacostiakat]

» » Having a Connie 3 currently (still a work) and it is simply sensational.

»

» Had one last night. An '03. They're turning the corner, showing surprising

» sweetness, and a cinnamon-peppery core. Cocoa notes on the finish, too. I

» was reminded of a hard red box candy that I loved as a child: "Red Hots".

» Did they have those in Oz? What a great combination, both spicy hot and

» sweet at the same time.

»

» http://www.ferrarapan.com/html/rh_history.html

Red Hots? You referring to [link=http://www.groovycandies.com/GC2SearchResult.asp?SR=1&textfield=red+hots&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=PPC&utm_term=red%2Bhots%2Bcandy&utm_campaign=emy00890&OVRAW=red%20hots%20candy&OVKEY=red%20hots%20candy&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=1052352522&OVKWID=7188034522]these?[/link]

[12stones]

Classic review, Rob. The banter just made this thread all the better. Keep it comin'.

[bassman]

All banter aside, IMHO, the 06 898s rock! Much more depth of flavor than the others (99, 03 & 04) that I've tried.

[shrink]

» All banter aside, IMHO, the 06 898s rock! Much more depth of flavor than

» the others (99, 03 & 04) that I've tried.

Yes, Steve. I believe these to be the best Party 898V's ever.

[smokum]

»

» Yes, Steve. I believe these to be the best Party 898V's ever.

Hmmmm...I have been trying not to open mine yet !!!

[Hunter]

» » All banter aside, IMHO, the 06 898s rock! Much more depth of flavor than

» » the others (99, 03 & 04) that I've tried.

»

» Yes, Steve. I believe these to be the best Party 898V's ever.

I don't know about ever, having smoked my first this month, but it’s certainly one damn fine smoke.

[diab0lik]

ahhh the 898 a classic partagas ... i still remember my first one some 5 years back i think it came from a '98 box. smooth and earthy great with the jw black i was drinking at the time. maybe its time i get some more been too distracted with LEs and siglos lately. forgot to add one Bad ASS smoke (can i say ass? i'm new to this forum) haha

[El Presidente]

» smoke (can i say ass? i'm new to this forum) haha

No you can't. You have to say arse ;-)

[El Presidente]

Partagas 898 varnished Review GSO JUN 06

This has always been a classic Partagas cigar but one which has divided members of the cigar community over the years. While the majority have enjoyed the Partagas Earth and Spice, the richness and honest delivery of old havana flavours, others have seen it as one dimensional.

I probably prefer the Serie de Connoisseur line because of its dark notes and slightly sweet nature, however there is a bee's proverbial between them.

This example was the ugly duckling of the varnished box. Light colorado wrapper, not the prettiest wrapper or the best construction. The wrapper was a tad loose towards the cap and from the foot (take a look) it appeared slightly underfilled although this was not evident from the touch. However, all in all it was good enough for a Wednesday morning cigar on the deck accompanied bu some black Merlo Coffee as I checked the e-mails and forums.

Smell at cold was unremarkable. Sinlple Cuban tobacco with a touch of cedar. Cerrated the cap and took a test draw. A little too loose for my preference but not too bad. What was noticeable was the toasted tobacco and sweet paprika on the lips.

Fired up the cigar and it quickly found its mark. Sweet paprika and Cuban unadulterated Vuelta Abajo tobacco dominate the palate with lashings of white pepper through the nose. Medium bodied no doubt to the loosish roll as I can see that properly filled it would be a full bodied cigar. Nonetheless very enjoyable particularly for this time of day.

The cigar progressed as expected. The sweet paprika/Cuban earth/Toasted tobacco is everpresent but there are guest appearances of unsweetened cream, charred wood and overdone BBQ. It is an oldworld cigar which shuns the modern hyperbole of "chocolate/pear/apricots/cherry". If it met the cohiba Maduro 5 Genios in a bar no doubt it would instigate a fist fight of the highest order.

The Partagas 898 Varnished is in part a throwback to pre 1994. I haven't noticed a change in blend with this cigar. Well into the back half of this JUN 06 example it is still tenaciously holding to its historical roots; earth, tobacco, sweet paprika and enough white pepper through the nose to elimate the need for nasal hair clipping for a lifetime.

The burn is a little ragged, the last inch and a half split to be annoying if not worrysome but I didn't really care. I felt I was back in Havana in the back blocks of nowhere enjoying a sweet black coffee while enjoying the aroma of stewed frijoles on the wood stove.

89/100 4.5 / 6 Smokerings (if it was not underfilled it would be a 92)

[BigSlick]

I smoked my first one of these about the same time Rob reviewed his. It was gifted from a member of another forum that I met up with while in Dallas a couple of months ago. Here were my impressions.

Fine looking cigar. Love the Lonsdale size!

First Third: Began with a taste of sweet ginger which quickly moved towards wood with a spice finish. It was slightly bitter and a bit musty.

Second Third: Core tobacco with earth and honey undertones. Spice continues.

Last Third: Cream and butter to a black pepper and a no bullshit in your face tobacco to the end.