Partagas Culebra OEB ABR 07

[havanaclub7]

Great pictures, Rob! When I first started smoking cigars, I thought you smoked all three sticks in the culebra at the same time :-D. I've never tried a culebra of any brand, but it sounds like a fun time.

[nugget]

I thought you

» smoked all three sticks in the culebra at the same time :-D.

I'm the same, I thought you smoked them all at once, what's the point in wrapping them together apart from the art factor?:-) They do look good though.

[Professor Twain]

Thanks for the review, Rob. I agree that this will not be a frequent smoke, but bringing these out on a special occasion can add a festive tone to things. And maybe they will sparkle with age.

I have a box and wondered, do the little waxed paper strips go inside of the little coffins, or are those just to lift out the coffins?

[KB24]

My box will be arriving Monday morning and I ordered them to strictly to show off and admire the creativity. I can't see myself smoking them as I'm not a big Partagas guy. I got a box of Shorts but that's as far as my Partagas collection goes.

-Patrick

[Colt45]

Thanks for the review. I've not tried one, and have to admit that they really have no

appeal to me.

» I thought you smoked them all at once, what's the point in wrapping them

» together apart from the art factor?:-)

»

I have read (forget exactly where), but cannot confirm, that they came into being to

try and avoid theft. Workers would get a daily ration of cigars to take home. Some

would take "good" cigars and replace them with their daily gift cigars.

The factory owners took to tying these gift cigars together in an effort to stop this

practice.

Once again, I can't say whether this is truth or fiction.

[Mr.T]

Great review and pictures! Does anyone know extacly why they were made like this and was it only Partagas who made a cigar like this or did other marques also make this style of cigar? I like the comparison to an eel. I hope to try these someday.

[Havana Joe]

Awesome Pics Rob! Thanks for sharing....

[Colt45]

» was it only Partagas who made a cigar like this or did other marques also make

» this style of cigar?

H. Upmann and RyJ also produced the "twisted" culebras. La Flor del Caney produced

the Especiales, which was a culebra in size only - it was a single, "untwisted" cigar.

We have been trying to determine if perhaps Punch produced a culebra, but have

not reached a final conclusion as of yet.

[Mr.T]

» » was it only Partagas who made a cigar like this or did other marques also

» make

» » this style of cigar?

»

» H. Upmann and RyJ also produced the "twisted" culebras. La Flor del Caney

» produced

» the Especiales, which was a culebra in size only - it was a single,

» "untwisted" cigar.

» We have been trying to determine if perhaps Punch produced a culebra, but

» have

» not reached a final conclusion as of yet.

Thanks very much for your reply and the background info!!

[Professor Twain]

» Great review and pictures! Does anyone know extacly why they were made like

» this

I have heard two versions of why these were made, going way back in the early history of the Tampa cigar rolling businesses at the turn of the century. Both have to do with the idea that the cigar factory owners let rollers take some of their work home with them at the end of the day. One way I heard the story is that they were allowed to take one cigar home--so the rollers made it a triple. The other way I heard the story is that they were allowed to take three cigars home a day, but had to roll culebras so that it was clear what they were taking as opposed to the product for sale.

Wish I could remember the source of these stories...

[Miami101]

Great photos Rob......

Looks great.........When are you guys getting this in? I would love to get my hands on this:-P

[Claudius]

» I have a box and wondered, do the little waxed paper strips go inside of

» the little coffins, or are those just to lift out the coffins?

They're made to lift out the middle coffin first.

That's why it's funny to see Rob lifted out the first one (he probably held 2 coffins and turned the box upside down ).

[El Presidente]

What do you say about the Partags Culebra? When do you smoke a Partagas Culebra? Is it a cigar which is a serious part of your rotation or simply a circus act that you roll out with friends?

I think I am firmly in the camp that the Partagas Culebra is a museum piece to hold in your humidor. You may reach for one twice or three times a year but I will be buggered if I know when. 2 frends on the deck...the Partagas Culebra.....two friends on a boat....the Partagas Culebra. But to do so, to go through the decision making process of not selecting a Cohiba or a Punch or a HDM or a Trini...takes some cojones. So the Partagas Culebra needs to stand on its own two feet as a cigar and not simply an anomoly.

The example in question has excellent packaging. What a great gift.

How do you comment on the construction of a Culebra. It looks like an eel that has twisted itself in a landing net. Immediate impressions are that no way could this thing draw. The wrappers can be slightly torn and twisted but there is no set of construction criteria to judge it by.

Aroma at cold is plain Jane tobacco. Nothing overtly sexy. Nothing pungeant in the aroma. Clip the cap and the draw is easy....a miracle in itself. The unlit draw on the palate reveals toasted tobacco and a slight creaminess. Gently torch th foot and a calm, medium body smoke ensues. Minimal white pepper spice through the nose. It doesn't take long to settle down and it is all tobacco with a hint of cream and shortbread. Strictly medium body in profile. Flavours do not change through the first third. While enjoyable it is somewhat one dimendional in delivery.

Through the second third and one half point there is a definitive increase in the core body of the cigar. Some meaty natures are revealed, chewy almond and nougat. It is the first time that this cigar as sparked any great interest in myself. Cool buning with some streamlined and identifiable flavours: Toasted tobacco, Cream, Nougat, Almonds.

Unfortunately the flavours became muddled into the last third. It brough memories of a race horse which bolted to the lead at the final turn only to be swamped by the competition. Whether it will develop a stamina and complexity in the future is a question I can't answer. My gut feel is no. However, keep a box or two aside as a novelty ;-)