A West-Coast winter hike - and my first Party Lusi!

[ChanceSchmerr]

A Beautiful Sunday today on Vancouver Island, after a week of rain......and a promise of another week of rain next week. I thought it was a good time for a hike up Mount Douglas and my first Partagas Lusitania. My fiancee joined me, so I finally got to see her try her first cigar to herself - A PL Petit Corona, a good intro smoke for her, i figured. Finally, I took with me a Diplo #4, a single I wanted to try ahead of the discontinuation.....in case the Lusi had a problem.

The Party Lusi was one i picked up 3 years ago in a sampler, so I don't have a box date. I am guessing it's around 05 or so. It definitely has a few years on it!

Some initial spice, pre-light. I lit up as we started to climb, and this baby smoked like a dream. Loads of smoke, some light pepper in the first third, with a great, even burn. Around the middle third, we had climbed about halfway the mount, and the trails became steeper. We stopped on a rocky outcropping to enjoy the view of Victoria and the Juan De Fuca Straight (we could see near to Seattle!). With a few swigs of Havana Club Barrel Proof rum from a hip flask, the cigar really opened up! A creamy consistency nicely framed the increasing spicyness of the Lusi. Really enjoying the smoke! The burn because uneven at times because of the wind, but always corrected itself. Very nice draw, excellent construction. The Pepper returned with a vengeance in the final third, along with a hint of sweetness to go with the creamy consistency, where the wrapper began to crack severely. I know that doesn't make much sense (sweetness with pepper) but thats honestly what i got! Sweetness initially in a puff, followed by intense pepper, smoothed by the creamy flavour. I was able to smoke it down to about an inch left, and hated to see it go. Overall, a 90 rating from me - The Lusi will need to make an appearance in my humidor - once I've finished acquiring all of these discontinued smokes!

My fiancee's PLPC? A tight draw, but she definitely enjoyed the first half, she liked the honey taste (as I knew she would), although she enjoyed the cedary sweetness that came later a little less. She asked me to pick up a few more, so mission accomplished there!

On the way back down, I had already finished my Lusi but she had let hers go out to smoke it later on the way down the mount, once we were out of the wind in the heavy forest again. I reached for my Diplo 4 in my pocket, to find that it had slipped out of my hoody pocket someways back! NOOOOOO! We were already a 1/3 of the way down the mount....so I decided, instead of exhaustively searching the mountain to find it, I would let someone else find it and maybe make their day! I'll have to find another Diplo 4 to try - I guess it wasn't time yet for that one! Oh well!

In the end of the day - a wonderful hike up and down my favorite forested spot, a great introduction to the Lusi, and a lost opportunity for a Diplo 4....but it's day will come!

Now to wait for the next day-long break in the rain for another hike and smoke!

[reg]

Never leave a fallen soldier behind!

[samb]

Sounds like a good hike, except for that lost smoke

[ipfoley]

Sounds like a great day!

[Tampa1257]

Sweet peppery Spice is typical of the Partagás marca. I encourage you to try the Serie du Connaisseur No. 1,2 & 3 if you want to sample what "Old World" Partagás flavors are. The recent Lusi's have been stellar, yet nothing compared to what the du Connaisseur's provide in complex flavors and a superior smoking experience in my opinion.

[hoyopr]

Got to love the great outdoors on Vancouver Island. The view from up there is really incredable on a clear day. Better pickup some of those Lusi's as well im getting low, thanks for the review.

[craigos]

I shared a couple Party 01 Lusi with a friendt on Saturday night. Drove over to his house after the wife and young'in went to sleep (9pm) and took his german sheppard out for a 2 hr walk in the burbs of Bellevue, WA. Crispy, clear night - about 40 degrees (F). Was wonderful.... my first, and wont be my last.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Sweet peppery Spice is typical of the Partagás marca. I encourage you to try the Serie du Connaisseur No. 1,2 & 3 if you want to sample what "Old World" Partagás flavors are. The recent Lusi's have been stellar, yet nothing compared to what the du Connaisseur's provide in complex flavors and a superior smoking experience in my opinion.

Way ahead of you, man! I've already set up a sampler from Lisa with all three SdC's in it, so I can try them before it's too late!

Got to love the great outdoors on Vancouver Island. The view from up there is really incredable on a clear day. Better pickup some of those Lusi's as well im getting low, thanks for the review.

Couldn't agree more! Of course, now it's no longer a clear day, rain everywhere once again!

I shared a couple Party 01 Lusi with a friendt on Saturday night. Drove over to his house after the wife and young'in went to sleep (9pm) and took his german sheppard out for a 2 hr walk in the burbs of Bellevue, WA. Crispy, clear night - about 40 degrees (F). Was wonderful.... my first, and wont be my last.

Can't beat the Pacific Northwest!

[thechenman]

I love the Lusi...great cigar. Sorry to hear about the Diplo #4.