cigardawg
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- Feb 11, 2005
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I went by my favorite tobacconist Friday afternoon and sat with he and mrjinglesusa (Jim) to enjoy a cigar. For this afternoon, I chose a Partagas 898 Varnished that I had from a box split some months ago. It was a great afternoon of cigar smoking and comradrie. Here are my thoughts:
Partagas 898 Varnished (JUN04)
This cigar has a nice medium-brown wrapper on it. Inspection of the wrapper revealed only one major vein and beautifully hidden seams. There was a slight bit of damage near the band, but nothing of any concern. The triple-flagged cap was very well applied. The pre-light nose was earthy and sweet, with just a hint of leather and wood. Very nice. The pre-light draw was a bit tighter than I would have liked, but definitely smokable.
Just a quick note, the Dalia is probably my favorite vitola among Cuban cigars. It just seems perfect. I like the way it looks, the feel in the mouth, the burning characteristics...just about everything.
So, I applied the torch to foot and nicely toasted it prior to puffing. As I puffed, I experienced the first bit of aroma. It was woody and sweet, doing a pleasant dance across the olfactory organs. The cigar lit easily and the draw opened just a little. Still not as open as I would like, but not too bad. Smoke production was only medium due to the tight draw. The cigar burned very even throughout the 6 5/8 inches. The ash was a light gray and very firm, requiring me to actually knock it off. The cigar burned cool down to the last inch, never becoming uncomfortable.
I believe the tight draw may be due to the youngness of the cigar. Based on my experience (and it is not necessarily extensive), the longer, smaller ring-gauge cigars require age...not necessarily to taste better, but to smoke better. This is just an observation from my experience, not a general statement.
Now, the taste. Well, it was a Partagas. Sometimes, that would be all that I would feel the need to say about this marca. However, this cigar provided something unique. Yes, there was the Partagas richness. There was the spice and the wood. There was coffee and even a hint of cocoa. However, this cigar had another property. It had the "cleanest" tobacco taste of any cigar that I have ever experienced. "Clean" is the only word I know to describe the feel in the mouth. It was never cloying and the flavors, while rich and full, did not linger unpleasantly. It left my palate feeling very good at the end of the smoke. I thoroughly enjoyed the taste of this cigar.
Well, what can I say. My favorite vitola from my favorite marca. Great conversation and comradrie. Truly a great Friday afternoon. The cigar, I give it an A- based on the draw. Once it opens up, this will be an A or A+ for me.
Partagas 898 Varnished (JUN04)
This cigar has a nice medium-brown wrapper on it. Inspection of the wrapper revealed only one major vein and beautifully hidden seams. There was a slight bit of damage near the band, but nothing of any concern. The triple-flagged cap was very well applied. The pre-light nose was earthy and sweet, with just a hint of leather and wood. Very nice. The pre-light draw was a bit tighter than I would have liked, but definitely smokable.
Just a quick note, the Dalia is probably my favorite vitola among Cuban cigars. It just seems perfect. I like the way it looks, the feel in the mouth, the burning characteristics...just about everything.
So, I applied the torch to foot and nicely toasted it prior to puffing. As I puffed, I experienced the first bit of aroma. It was woody and sweet, doing a pleasant dance across the olfactory organs. The cigar lit easily and the draw opened just a little. Still not as open as I would like, but not too bad. Smoke production was only medium due to the tight draw. The cigar burned very even throughout the 6 5/8 inches. The ash was a light gray and very firm, requiring me to actually knock it off. The cigar burned cool down to the last inch, never becoming uncomfortable.
I believe the tight draw may be due to the youngness of the cigar. Based on my experience (and it is not necessarily extensive), the longer, smaller ring-gauge cigars require age...not necessarily to taste better, but to smoke better. This is just an observation from my experience, not a general statement.
Now, the taste. Well, it was a Partagas. Sometimes, that would be all that I would feel the need to say about this marca. However, this cigar provided something unique. Yes, there was the Partagas richness. There was the spice and the wood. There was coffee and even a hint of cocoa. However, this cigar had another property. It had the "cleanest" tobacco taste of any cigar that I have ever experienced. "Clean" is the only word I know to describe the feel in the mouth. It was never cloying and the flavors, while rich and full, did not linger unpleasantly. It left my palate feeling very good at the end of the smoke. I thoroughly enjoyed the taste of this cigar.
Well, what can I say. My favorite vitola from my favorite marca. Great conversation and comradrie. Truly a great Friday afternoon. The cigar, I give it an A- based on the draw. Once it opens up, this will be an A or A+ for me.
It is a different vitola. The 898 Varnished measures 6 5/8 x 43. The 898 Unvarnished measures 6 1/8 x 42 (the same size as the Punch Super Selection No. 1 and the Le Hoyo de Dieux, a couple of my favorites). By all accounts, the 898 Unvarnished is a milder smoke, but I cannot speak from experience here.