Yes I know I’ve said I’m currently on a anti-Maduro mood lately, but the look of this cigar is quite intoxicating! This is definitely one of the boldest cigars on the market. I was browsing through a liquor store that I sometimes go to when I just want to grab one or two sticks. I saw a few La Gloria Cubana Maduro’s that really got my cigar senses ticking. Even still, I decided to move on…
That’s when I saw two displays, side by side, that made me realize why I LOVE cigars! There was a Partagas display and a Hoyo De Monterrey display. Both the Black Label Crystal and the Excaliber Maduro made my mouth water! 45 seconds later, I had my receipt in hand and my cigars in tote. I admit, I’m weak….
The Partagas Black line comes with a sun-grown Connecticut Havano wrapper that is extremely dark and has a very spicy aroma to it. It has a Nicaraguan and Piloto Cubano Ligero tobaccos laced in a Dominican-grown ‘La Vega Especial’ binder. It has a ring gauge of 50, and Partagas likes to boast that they are have the “richest cigars in the world.” You could tell by just the aroma that this wasn’t a cigar for beginners. My 12+ years of smoking has prepared me…
Lighting & First Taste:
I couldn’t initially decide if I wanted to punch or cut this one. I ended up going with a cut to make sure I got a full taste and didn’t handicap myself with any of the aroma. It started with a very spicy leather/coffee taste with a slight hint of sweetness. I use to smoke Partagas quite often, but haven’t had a Black Label until now. So I knew that Partagas was already considered a full flavored, but this took it a few steps further. It had a lot of smoke, definitely a lot of taste, and had an smooth draw, which isnt’ always the case for such a big gauge cigar.
Smoking the Cigar:
This cigar definitelykept an intensity throughout the body. The creaminess of the draw was subtly there, but overshadowed with the powerful spicy sensation I was getting from the taste. The ash kept really well, and actually looked white compared to the dark body of the cigar. For such a large cigar, I only had to tip the ash 3 times.
The Finish:
I was almost glad to see this one end. It was a great cigar, but definitely not something I’d enjoy everyday, but I’m so GLAD I picked this one up. Too much of something this powerful could turn someone away from smoking if you’re not use to it. The taste became a bit more harsh towards the end, but it could have been due to being hot on my part.
Band & Packaging:
I believe this is a cigar that has to be smoked while it’s at it’s peak preservation. Any dryness or faults could make this go from a strong cigar, to a really awful tasting cigar. The cigar I purchased was in a glass tube and kept well. It had a very classic looking black and gold band that was easily removable.
Rating:
8.0 out of 10 puffs
