898 varnished did I miss something?

[cls515]

I think I did..I haven't had the chance to smoke a box but I've had a few. I found them to be on the mild side of medium, with a rich, nice tasting vanilla cream and a touch of spice. Not much age at all.

I always read how spicy and full bodied these cigars are, but I found it a bit lacking. I tend to hold stock of smaller cigars, but I like to have some boxes of larger cigars for those occassions.

Is it worth a revisit?

Edit - Well after doing some more reading I saw where Shrink said the 05s "weren't worth a damn" and the sticks I had could very well be from that time frame. Seems I may have had some sticks from a bad batch.

[Cal-Duck]

» I think I did..I haven't had the chance to smoke a box but I've had a few.

» I found them to be on the mild side of medium, with a rich, nice tasting

» vanilla cream and a touch of spice. Not much age at all.

»

» I always read how spicy and full bodied these cigars are, but I found it a

» bit lacking. I tend to hold stock of smaller cigars, but I like to have

» some boxes of larger cigars for those occassions.

»

» Is it worth a revisit?

»

» Edit - Well after doing some more reading I saw where Shrink said the 05s

» "weren't worth a damn" and the sticks I had could very well be from that

» time frame. Seems I may have had some sticks from a bad batch.

I have got 06 varnished that are perfectly wonderful cigars. I am embarrassed to say how much of the box is already smoked. They tend to be a bit light on the first few puffs but really show a depth of flavor and richness as you hit the mid cigar. This is probably one of the more balanced partagas cigars I have had in a while showing depth and power but not to the point of kicking your ass.

Anybody have any 07's? 08's? Looks like I am going to need a new box pretty soon.

CD

[Claudius]

» I think I did..I haven't had the chance to smoke a box but I've had a few.

» I found them to be on the mild side of medium, with a rich, nice tasting

» vanilla cream and a touch of spice. Not much age at all.

»

» I always read how spicy and full bodied these cigars are, but I found it a

» bit lacking. I tend to hold stock of smaller cigars, but I like to have

» some boxes of larger cigars for those occassions.

»

» Is it worth a revisit?

»

» Edit - Well after doing some more reading I saw where Shrink said the 05s

» "weren't worth a damn" and the sticks I had could very well be from that

» time frame. Seems I may have had some sticks from a bad batch.

Sorry to hear you got 898s you dont like. The 898V I got from Rob (GSO AGO 06) are the best Partgas cigar I'va smoked in years. They're full bodied, spicy, leathery, textbook Partagas. Better than the SDC (which I love).

[Colt45]

I've had some piss poor Partagas from '05 - SD4 and SdC No.1 come to mind.

I agree with trying some from '06 or '07 if possible.

[Sandman]

» » I think I did..I haven't had the chance to smoke a box but I've had a

» few.

» » I found them to be on the mild side of medium, with a rich, nice

» tasting

» » vanilla cream and a touch of spice. Not much age at all.

» »

» » I always read how spicy and full bodied these cigars are, but I found it

» a

» » bit lacking. I tend to hold stock of smaller cigars, but I like to

» have

» » some boxes of larger cigars for those occassions.

» »

» » Is it worth a revisit?

» »

» » Edit - Well after doing some more reading I saw where Shrink said the

» 05s

» » "weren't worth a damn" and the sticks I had could very well be from

» that

» » time frame. Seems I may have had some sticks from a bad batch.

»

»

» Sorry to hear you got 898s you dont like. The 898V I got from Rob (GSO

» AGO 06) are the best Partgas cigar I'va smoked in years. They're full

» bodied, spicy, leathery, textbook Partagas. Better than the SDC (which I

» love).

Yep, I have the same box code, and these are just unbelievable cigars. Wish I had of bought 10 boxes, that way I would have to hoard these.

[bassman]

898s from 99, 03 & 04 were pretty mild indeed. The 06s changed all that. Nice full flavored cigars.

[jdbrown]

I have 06/07 boxes. Have not cracked them as I have just tried singles. These are examples of boxes I will hoard as they have substance to be great aged Partagas in 8-10 years!

[BlackFriar]

I got a box off Rob a few weeks ago, don't know the date as I do not have the box, but the ones I have smoked have been really smooth and well balanced. They are not the bold, in your face flavor I keep hearing about Partagas, but it is a lovely cigar that makes you want to concentrate on trying to catagorize all the flavors it gives off. I'm really happy with the box I have. Alas, I don't think they are long for this world, because I will be smoking them young over the next couple of months. Chris ;-)

[El Presidente]

I was picking a few May 07 boxes on Friday. I need to take some boxes of cigars to Chile as we will be there for the week. I will take Partagas 898V and Partagas Connoisseur No 3.

I have not tried the May 07 898V but they look and smell the part.

[Claudius]

» I have not tried the May 07 898V but they look and smell the part.

Could you try one, please? :-) I'd really like a few more but would like to hear your opinion before I try the new code (can they get better than the 06?). I had to smoke 2 boxes of Ingenios to keep my hands off the 06s! :-|

[cls515]

» I was picking a few May 07 boxes on Friday. I need to take some boxes of

» cigars to Chile as we will be there for the week. I will take Partagas

» 898V and Partagas Connoisseur No 3.

»

» I have not tried the May 07 898V but they look and smell the part.

Save me a box please.

[shrink]

I saw where Shrink said the 05s "weren't worth a damn"

Gee, did I write that? Well, I believe it. The '04s and '05s were so anemic that I donated 'em to an old folks home. The early to mid 2006 898's are the best ever, IMO. Yes, they were plenty strong and peppery when young, but it's the complexity and depth of flavor that will make them classics.

I've got to bust into of the '06 Series du Connaisseur No. 1 boxes that have been sleeping to see how those are coming along. Hmmmm...

[El Presidente]

I will take one for the team and try/review an 07 898V in the morning :-)

[jqmunro]

the 898 varnished are one of my favorite cigars hands down. with a few years on them, they are stunning with notes of cedar, pepper and fine dutched cocoa powder.

[El Presidente]

» I will take one for the team and try/review an 07 898V in the morning :-)

Tried 2 x May 07 Partagas 898 V today.

I am running out of time before I leave to do a full review but here is a roundup:

Good pungeant aroma

Good Construction

Medium bodied

Flavoursome but still closed. You can taste the sweet black richness but it is not as forthcoming as it should be. May be slightly wet as they are recent arrivals. Would like to dry box for a week.

Good enough for me to take remnants of box fly fishing to Chile.

Now an 88. Suspect once dried out a little a 90.

Will follow up. No better than the great 06's. Maybe a shade lighter but again suspect it is moisture content.

[cls515]

Thanks for the quick review Rob. Must have been hard having to sample two. I suspect they'll come around nicely too. Something about these 06 and 07 cigars. I had an ENE 06 Siglo IV yesterday that was dripping with oil, so good.