Partagas D4, Cohiba Robustos, newbie steps into the flames...

[basil]

Nice. Those PDS4's were boxed over a year ago. What kind of luck have you had with these cigars at around this age? Reason I ask is that while these are great cigars, many complain about a sick period of maybe a couple of years or more with these. My experience is that after at least 6 months, some are ok and some have quite a wang, even from the same box.

[One Drop]

I think that was a problem a year or so ago, as the demand for them went over the top and they probably were forced to use extremely young tobacco to meet the demand. I smoked a few singles this winter that were younger than this box and they were fine, back to their best. My experience with a lot of the stronger Habanos in general is they are pretty good fresh, then after a few months need a year to mellow out a bit. All this by way of saying I don't really know. Personally I would start smoking them now myself, they smell really nice, no ammonia traces, etc. I keep all my boxes at closer to 60% humidity, they seem to age nicely that way, and then I move a few to the top shelf of my humidor for a few days to bring them up to 70% before I smoke them.

They're in ziplock bags at the moment, they shouldn't budge for a while.

[One Drop]

An old friend of mine who's now living in Edmonton is here for a few days, and took the Cohibas off my hands. He's sharing the box with his brother, but we had one each last night at this outdoor blues festival. They really are an amazing Robusto, and unique in terms of style and palette of flavours. I'm glad they went to him; he's one of the only friends I have who smokes cigars and I rarely see him any more.

That leaves the Partagas D4s. For anyone who hasn't tried them who might be interested, I'd describe them as medium strong, very typically Partagas i.e. quite masculine, with notes of leather and toasted flavours predominant. Very rich, they get quite spicy by the last third, and there is a lot of subtle development as they smoke, for a Robusto. Never harsh or too aggressive in spite of their strength, and very long on the palette. The ideal smoke after a rich or spicy dinner, or late at night with an old rum or an Islay single malt.




edited for spelling