2010 Partagas Serie D. No.4

After some very interesting results recently, I decided to break down a new Partagas Serie D No.4.  I had them while webcasting a kart race this late summer, and they were as right off the truck as they come.  Kind of strong and obnoxious and gassy, like Rosie O'Donnell.   Then  over a Saints...no, LSU game I had another and they were great.  Approaching 90, maybe more, great.   

So you'd have to be a little intrigued, they SMELL great.  The performance shows potential on two planes; strength for the future development and body and finesse when enjoyed now.  Which would be no surprise to historic lovers of the "PSD4".  The cigar comes from a box of unvarnished wood containing ten great looking cigars.  Nice packaging for a Christmas gift, retirement, graduation.

 The cigar is a dark winey-tan colorado maduro that looks dangerous as dynamite.  So NOW, it is time to smoke it.  First I need to eat some ribs I smoked yesterday and some marsh taters.  Best ribs I have made in some time.

Whew, that was way too much food.  4 smoked wings and about 4 ribs.  Small ribs. 

You need to light this cigar well.  It's foot shows signs of a kind of magazine roll-up job, they tend to canoe when lazy rollers pull this jazz with a robusto.  It's not classic bad, but it resembles a  magazine roll.  It might be this half roll that makes the cigar burn at least tolerably.

Roll this cigar with respect please. 
OK, I had a big corncob full of Va-Per this morning on my walk and was happy it mostly kept burning without much re-light for 2 miles.  When I turned it up, it was just ash.  Nice and clean, but kind of strong first thing in the morning.  But the point of my going on and on is that my palate was a bit bruised already on just a piece of toast and a cup of milk.  But this cigar is a real treat.  Better than dessert, this no calorie snack is very well complimented by the taste of BBQ that lingers on my palate.  It pours smoke, and is very full-flavored on a medium-full body.  Top notch taste and strength.  Almost too much strength to my tingly sinuses.  The aroma is like a roomfull of those good fries in the red box with the yellow arcs. that are still made with lard cause it tastes good.  That is the aroma.  Whew, this is some cigar. 

Spicy and almost smooth, still a cigar you could mess somebody up with as a first cigar or a first havana.  And it just LOOKS great, starting to reach iconic status in league with the Esplendido and Hoyo Double Corona.  As expected, it is trying to burn up one side and will want repair.  Probably constantly. Sad too, when you consider the really epic one I had burned perfectly and was head and shoulders above your run of the mill havana these days.  A little tea and raisin on the very top that can be enjoyed through the nose.  But the the flavor is there, moving down a bit on the power scale and giving up peppery and leathery taste and a nice salty aroma.  Meaty and aromatic with that side of fries quality.  It is pretty constant in flavor for most of the way, getting a bit more subtle and aromatic in the end, SOMEWHAT saving the cigar. 

As you can see, the burn is going to have to take something away from the final score.  I have smoked three this month, and I have to give it an 87 due to the bad burn on one, unbalanced flavor of two of them, and fantastic flavor and performance on one of three.  Nothing to hang your hat on at the old Partagas factory, but this is fairly young and gets a bit of a pass on that aspect, but the construction on this last one is a really bad sign.  I have smoked more crooked burning cigars lately than good ones.  Not a good ratio.