Quai d'Orsay Panatela

25-40mn smoke.
Size: Ninfa
Length 17.8cm Ring gauge 33.
Strength: Medium-bodied
Drink match: anything light. cafe creme.
Box date unknown.


Brand History:
The story begain in 1974 when the newly elected President of the French republic, Valéry Giscard d' Estaing, convoked his Minister of Economy and told him that he was very interested in creating a new cigar for the French market. The President said,"France is known the world over for its Perfumes,its Champagne, its Foies Gras, its Haute Couture, but nothing in the field of tobacco". In short, he asked that work would start on creating a new cigar for France made in Cuba.

Together with the help of friends at "Cubatabaco" in Cuba, they started to develop the Ligas that would make up the blend of this new cigar that Belaubre called, Quai d 'Orsay, after the name of the street where the Ministry of Foreign affairs is located in Paris. Quai d' Orsay was now
ready to join the very select club of Cuban cigar brand names that were not of cuban origin, along with Dunhill and Davidoff. The success of Quai d'Orsay was such that Seita and Cubatabaco
extended the brand in other small niche markets around the world. Since 1992,with the end of the Cuban brands Davidoff and Dunhill, Quai d' Orsay is the only brand left in Cuba with a non- Cuban name. Quai d' Orsay has a uniquely medium taste with its characteristic notes of honey, nutmeg and hints of café cream and leather.

Rice Dreams (Fonseca Cadetes)

Its a Thursday evening after work, its drizzling and I'm thinking cigar. I open the chest and pull out a little hoyo cafe cigar. Why a little one? I put it back and decide a review on our latest batch would be better. Besides, I got time. Was keen on a coffee so seeing that the Fonseca was listed good with; I thought good idea...
First look. some kind of funny yet elegant disguise. Remove. Check. Band went with the paper.

Clip and Smell. Could be the reason why the paper is there because once removed, it gave an exciting aroma of cigarness. Soft and lingering.

Size. Fits between the fingers. Almost like the size of my 'up yours' finger. Good size between the teeth. Nibble, slobber, roll around with ease.

Pre-light Draw. Sweet.

Light my fire. Won't go into much detail about the experience because I felt it was a good consistent full tobacco flavour with a smooth mellow taste the whole way through. Good draw right at the start then hit a tight knot like puff of about five in the first section then went back to that pleasant draw for the rest. Complexity was not there and if anything picked up almonds and earth.

Conclusion. Lovely evening stroll smoke after an espresso with bit more time than a little 15 minute pinner. I would give it a 7.0 but with the prezzie paper giving you so many options......
Using every part of the cigar......
I think it deserves a big 8.0