C.Gars Cuban Cigars

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Partagas Lusitanias Cigar - 1 Single

Partagas Lusitanias Cigar - 1 Single

Date Added: Tuesday 07 June, 2016 by Staff

£52.99
Reviewed by Joe Gellman
I have hesitated doing a tasting on the Partagas Lusitanias, for some time, now. I thought it was best to review cigars in everyone's price range. What a gaffe on my part. It is 9.30pm, Los Angeles time, October 8th 1999. I feel obligated to harass my friends at C.GARS Ltd and let them know that it is 70 degrees, here on my deck. The sky is clear and, even with the glare of city lights, I can see the stars. Katydids chirp and crickets are a-rubbin away. The sweet aroma of mixed Jasmine wafts by on a soft breeze, over the sides of my deck and here I sit, trying to make accurate tasting notes on a Lucy.

I lit up 15 minutes ago and have been totally enthralled in the delight of the smoke. I finally look up and notice a deep, dark gray ash, perfectly waiting for me to marvel at, on the end of this piece of art (in order to fully appreciate the ongoing permutations of a smoke I am reviewing, I have to wear my reading glasses, being unable to distinguish a cigar from a piece of wood at close distances).

To compound my gracious cigar merchants misery, I must advise that I am nursing the last of my 1924 Coutet a' Barsac (brought over from Paris in 1978, a gift from Pierre Jammet, the then owner of the Bristol Hotel - his father built it in the 20's and it was a splendid place to visit for a month).

Jay Hoggard's vibraphone is pushing out the sounds of Samba Pa Negra, with Grusin plying his talents on the acoustic piano with Dave Valentin blowing ever so gently on his magic flute. As Sammy Figueroa hits a high note at the end of his Cuica solo, I am bought back to reality and the deed of the day.

This cigar is a paradigm of perfection. It is exactly 19.4cm long and 2cm in diameter. Every cigar in my sampling is to this exacting proportion. The color is pretty close to Oscuro as a Cuban gets. It is silky smooth and lustrous with hints of meluza. Parejo is an apt description of this cigar. Very small 'goose bumps' on the leaf leads me to believe this is going to be a very sweet smoke. I am not let down.

The first draw portents a great smoke. The air is filled with sweet aromas. My prelighting taste is sweet and woody, a little nuttiness, also. The cut is without problems and the burn is smooth, from start to finish.

My first impression must be defined as 'awesome', even though that is a rather trite description; sweet, ambered, honey and a hint of a mystery nut. A subtle taste of ripe berries and the smell of the dew on early morning fall leaves comes to mind. I am drawn back to Paris of the 70's, under the vast trees, a strong mist rising from the forest floor in the Bois de Vincennes after a soft rain. It is early October, there, and I now know the only thing which would have made that memory grander would have been to have this cigar, then.

I feel my music is not doing justice to the cigar and quickly replace Hoggard with Faure's Pavane, played by Steve Erquiaga, followed by Faure's Sicilienne..... now I was getting all five senses working; taste, smell, touch, hearing, sight, and the addition of a 'mind trip' worthy of this monument to Cuban cigars (no smug remarks about Peyote, please).

I suspect I could describe the varouis smoking levels of this cigar but, to be perfectly honest, the aromas and taste simply grew to a crescendo on the last possible draw. Nothing marred this smoke.

I was reminded of what Kate Carrington wrote: 'And that subtle fragrance steals, just as a loving, tender hand will sometimes steal in yours, it softly comes through open doors and memory wakes at its command - the scent of that good cigar.' Or perhaps Lord Byron's description (which could have been of this specific cigar): '.... amber, mellow, rich and ripe...'

So many flavors rolled into this cigar make it both difficult and easy to describe. Light. Amber. Honeyed. Subtle woodiness. Fragrant. Floral tones through the nose and off the lips. Sweet. Not a bitter or harsh note to the entire smoke. So very easy to smoke. Such perfect ease of draw. Mouthfuls of pristine tobacco. Dark ash, holding on as the umbilical of a newborn, beckoning for me to partake of subtle wonders yet to come.

This cigar defies everything one had read about tasting. I can only suggest you buy a few and join me in reverie.

The Jasmine glides by, the breeze is afraid to disturb the smoke as it rises from the cigar. I am driven on to the last.

Damn you Cigar Merchants! Why are these so costly!? Oh, I guess this review explains it.
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