Partagas Lusitania POS ENE07

[shrink]

I don't find the time to smoke a lot of Prominentes. Furthermore, I tend to get bored with a cigar this big unless it really has something going on, such as an unusual depth and/or an evolution of flavors.

The 2007 Lusi is a beautiful thing to behold. The medium brown wrapper wasn't oily, and it was dry to the touch, but it was exceptionally smooth and silky. The big double corona was moderately heavy in the hand, and firm between the fingers, which caused me to wonder whether it would draw well. I clippped it, and took a test pull. Fortunately, it wasn't tight.

After ignition, the first pulls were satisfyingly strong and spicy. My first thought was, "this seems more like a PSD4 than a Lusi". But after the first inch, it was obvious that this was no D4. It had a more dry, somewhat astringent quality, and less pepper. But it was loaded with flavor: tanned leather, dry earth, decaying cedar, and cinnamony spices. With a satisfying peppery finish. Yes, that's a Lusi alright, but a stronger, more robust and more satisfying Lusi than any I've had since mid 2003.

By the end of the first third, the cigar had settled down into a smooth, predictable profile. Not bitter, not sweet, not too strong; nothing out of balance. It drew and burned like a champ, providing thick mouthfuls of smoke. When exhaled through the nose, there was a nice white pepper hit, but with plenty of spice and flavor when exhaled through the mouth.

With nine months of box age, this is a cigar that is ready to enjoy now. But I'm putting the rest of the box away for at least another year. 91 now, maybe 93 in time.

[Ken Gargett]

shrink, many thanks for a timely reminder. i used to smoke quite a few lusi's and was always a big fan. a while ago, rob put me onto a box from '97 and they were almost all superstars. almost finished sadly. put some more recent ones away in storage and had actually forgotten about them. they'd be 2 or 3 years old by now (a box hamlet selected for me and i did sneak one or two before storage and they were terrific). if the 07s are this good, might have to dip in. it was always one of my absolute fave smokes but sadly neglected of late.

[Gryphon]

Great Review. Thanks.

[bikeguy1]

Shrink, thanks for the review. This is one vitola I've never sampled..

[Quint]

Nice review shrink. I have a box of 98's that I got to every so often that are wonderful. 07's sound like a winner.........

[El Presidente]

Great review mate. Only recent Lusi's have rung my bell since 2001. They are back to being richer flavourseome cigars. There have been some cardboard kings produced during the bad years.

[smokum]

Have some 06 singles from one of the sales a while back ...excellent cigar.

[hoyopr]

Really appreciate the review Shrink. Parti Lusi is one of the cigars I have in my collection and I've had a few times, although from 06, but your description was similar to my experiance.

[CigarZen]

Nice review Shrink, and I agree that thankfully recently Lusi.s are much better.:-D

[Professor Twain]

Thanks for the review. I have a box, GSO FEB 06, that has been disappointing, dull, very little flavor, boring. I am not one to waste a cigar but the last one I smoked, I had to pitch halfway through.

Nice to see some hope.

[wp2]

» Thanks for the review. I have a box, GSO FEB 06, that has been

» disappointing, dull, very little flavor, boring. I am not one to waste a cigar but the last one I smoked, I had to pitch halfway through.

» Nice to see some hope.

Let 'em rest for a couple of years Prof. I'll come down to Fla. to see you * to see how they've aged.