partagas LE D5 2008 revisited

[Ken Gargett]

these have been battered about and had a number of less than flattering reviews, including i think a video from us. i know some have enjoyed them but they have done little for me.

rob and i got to a pre-release tasting at the festival in havana in feb 08, about 6 months before they hit the shelves and it certainly performed well there. for quite a few on the night (we also tried the other two LE's from 08 - cuaba pyamide and monty sublime), it was the pick of the three thought i was strongly in favour of the monty, which i thought stunning. but tose i had seen since that night had not come within cooee.

i had one left over from that evening - the wrapper had become a little ragged - which i thought i'd try last night. i was expecting little.

first thing that is obvious was how much darker the wrapper was on it than on the ones i'd seen since. quite marked. the cigar itself was a evelation on one hand and an object of extreme frustration on the other. it was a cracker - better than i remembered from the night in feb 08 (a little time has worked wonders) and streets ahead of anything since. richly flavoured, complex, roasted nuts, a little spice, but most especially oodles of chocolate - rich, semi-sweet dark chocolate. it was like smoking a choc nut biscuit. i loved it. an easy 93 from me.

the frustration comes from the huge variation in these. i would not buy them for that reason but if i could have been certain that they'd all be like this one, i'd buy every box i coul find. for me, it is really hard to see them as the same cigar. were we given something special in havana? even if not, to have this much of a discrepancy is a disgrace. for those who have enjoyed these, which seems a minority, i understand why. for those who have been so disappointed, again, i can understand why.

[bassman]

I've only smoked one that I was gifted & it was a darn good cigar- strong yet smooth & rather earthy in flavor. Now that they are being discounted some places, I decided to spring for a box.

[OLS]

Boy, isn't that the way it always is with ME. I like a cigar, and then I try to

grab a half dozen boxes because I love it so much, and then I realize that

right off the bat I got a good one and that is the last one I will ever taste

like that again. Sad. But a buried forever box often turns into a swan SOMEDAY.

[Bartolomeo]

Partagas Ser D #5 LE 2008

Wind tunnel for a pre draw with dry leather and cedar

48 min smoke time

Wrapper was Twix colored with a hint of oil and some veins

Draw was too easy IMHO and even burn, burn rate was quick

Construction was great and fresh feeling

Flavors include Leather, wood, light sweetness(crème) and pepper

Cigar had a consistent intensity w/o a lot of flavor I was expecting

True Partagas in taste, sweet/spice on my lips,

Felt a little loose in the hand

Disappointed with this cigar overall to be honest

8.4/10……….Too expensive for what it gives you, which wasn’t much

Bart

[thechenman]

Agreed. I think the PSD4 is a much better cigar and a much better value.

[bassman]

Agreed. I think the PSD4 is a much better cigar and a much better value.

If nothing else the D5 may win the prize for cigar with most price variability. I still have only smoked the one previously mentioned so can't comment on how they are developing, but can find almost $100 a box price difference depending on vendor & if they're having a sale.