In case you haven't got 'em, the next batch is ready at Sam's hideout.
The cigars are (in order of size):
- Cohiba - Clubs (cigarillos)
- Partagas - Princess
- La Flor de Cano - Selectos
- Partagas - Serie D no4
- Saint Luis Rey - Serie A
I love these Cohiba Clubs cigarillos, just what the doctor ordered to go with coffee or whenever, they get you addicted to nice flavour in a short fix (made from cuttings of premium Cohiba cigars so top quality tobacco). The Princess you have tried before. The Selectos are actually non-premium cigars, 
made for cuban market rather than export - cheaper, looser construction etc - but as you will find nice enjoyable flavour; perhaps 'cos they are aged (i don't know how much but i'm guessing by flavour a good few years).
The Partagas Serie D no 4 is one of the top selling cubans out there, typical Partagas flavours in a heavy-medium body Robusto - great cigar (see if you recognise the affinity with smaller Princesses from same brand). Finally, the Saint Luis Rey Serie A is a Corona Gorda (one of my favourite vitolas ie
sizes) from a smaller production brand known for its woody-sweet smooth flavours.
made for cuban market rather than export - cheaper, looser construction etc - but as you will find nice enjoyable flavour; perhaps 'cos they are aged (i don't know how much but i'm guessing by flavour a good few years).The Partagas Serie D no 4 is one of the top selling cubans out there, typical Partagas flavours in a heavy-medium body Robusto - great cigar (see if you recognise the affinity with smaller Princesses from same brand). Finally, the Saint Luis Rey Serie A is a Corona Gorda (one of my favourite vitolas ie
sizes) from a smaller production brand known for its woody-sweet smooth flavours.
Enjoy smoking these babies - put some reviews up or even short comments so I know what you think.
F tests appearance, aroma, fit... and then just gets silly
Anaru and I shared one of these cigarillos last week giving a hard contest for the Ethiopian coffee beans we ground and brewed, to which of them tasted better. My verdict is that they are the perfect partners giving the coffee a creamy edge and the cohiba a soft lingering pleasant smoke taste. Because of size and nature, too many could cause a regular morning smoke/caffeine hit, fix, addiction. On the other hand, try one with a rooibos tea. It'll put you off both, leaving a...wet ashy poo in your mouth.
ReplyDeletenice one Joel.
ReplyDeleteGotta love these with morning coffee... and so nice and short, low maintenance, like a takeaway ristretto.
Agree that tea like most other watery drinks doesn't really seem to work with cigars, make'em quite ashy tasting. It can be ok just to rinse and refresh the palate before getting back into it, but i struggle to really marry the two. Maybe if you take milk and sugar (and brandy? ;-)
It is noteworthy that a cold climate makes one think of one's cigars more often than is one's custom. This seems like an irony considering the warmth in which the tobacco is birthed and raised and yet there it is. Nothing calls for coffee (freshly ground Columbian) and cohiba more than a cold sunny winter's day at Katy and Jean-Michel's!
ReplyDeleteWhen Sam mentioned smoking cigars on cold sunny winters days in Provence, these pictures of us doing just that at christmas time 2007 came to mind. Shows the value of a good camera.
ReplyDeletehttp://picasaweb.google.com/frenchkiwi/FumerALaProvencale?authkey=Gv1sRgCKT7t9ju18bVTw&feat=directlink
makes me think i need to smoke that partagas serie d no4 and post something about it... when on top of its game it's a great cigar. (and so is the serie A - i've got some smoking to catch up on !!) Anyone smoked either of these yet?
ReplyDeleteOk i've followed up and smoked the Partagas Serie D no 4 that I had.
ReplyDeleteAppearance: Not the best looking example of a D4, slightly mottled wrapper and a bit spongy to the touch.
Pre-light draw: Strong leather and tannins taste, a bit of spice - announcing a strong cigar. Perhaps a bit too open (ie too easy to puff).
Lit it up, and a definite Partagas flavour, leather, hint of cedar, some rosewood or cabernet. But very feisty, heavy duty ligero leaf is dominating the rest ie pepper, cardamom, bitter citrus. And also quite ashy for the first couple centimetres which is rather unpleasant. Not at all like the D4s i had previously smoked.
Second third and fortunately the Ligero Maximo is mellowing out, the other flavours re-emerge in a different hearty wood and hay body. This is a bit more like it, and does not really vary until the end although the tannin builds up somewhat.
Overall, this was a bad example compared to my previous D4s, maybe half the cigar that i expected. Still smokeable but the balance of the blend was not good, too much ligero crowding out the rest of the flavours. Construction was average. Strength called for whisky which I didn't have. Typical case of a mass-produced cigar - Serie D no 4 is one of the most popular at the moment - having quality issues. Hopefully your ones are better!
I'll try get a short video up from the last poker evening as there are a few comments about the Partagas in there.
ReplyDeleteyeah i think if you look at the partagas sD4 that i reviewed it was the same as andrew's - not a good one.
ReplyDeletehowever as a late comer you got lucky with one from a different batch (i only bought 5 singles for the club but had a couple of my own left over from ages ago). sounds like it was more the way they are meant to be. bad cigars - poor construction or just poor tobacco leaves - don't get better with time in the humidor unfortunately.
On 2/05/2010 10:24 p.m., Joel Hindriksen wrote:
>
> had a partagas from the previous batch with a good scotch whiskey and putting how they complemented each other aside, it tasted so much better than the exact same one andrew smoked at our last poker thing. His was tight in draw and very harsh/over spicey. this one was really nice draw, not very complex in flavours with a nice taste the whole way through.
>
> My humidor made this difference?
jsut found an old la flor de cano at bottom of humi to watch the rugby with. Light bodied, draw was a bit too easy as often with these cheaper cigars, lots of tannins giving it the pleasant taste of a strong english breakfast tea (no milk, tiny bit of sugar?) and a bit of rose essence and cabernet oak to round out the edges. Pleasant enough, good for watching rugby when you can't concentrate on the cigar!!
ReplyDelete