Partagas Short (January 2009 Box Date)

This is a very short smoke and it presents in a stocky little vitola that looks leathery and oily. There is some prominent veining, but I do not believe that it will be an issue during the smoke. A quick exam leads to me to believe that cigar is well made, as I detect no areas of concern. The pre light aroma smacks of leather and spice. The pre light draw shows a nice tone of leather and cedar.

The cigar opens with a beautiful profile of leather and nice tobacco notes. At the back of the palate there is a sharp cedar undertones that compliments the front of the profile in a wonderful way. The draw is exceptional, I can't even detect the usual tightness in the draw that I expect from Habanos. The burn shows a nice shoulder, but I have seen better and I suspect some more age might be necessary.

The first half of the cigar continues to show a core profile of leather and fine tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate the cedar notes have picked up an underlying note of vanilla that adds some depth to the experience. The draw continues to perform extremely well and the burn is spot on showing no signs of deterioration.

The final half of the cigar is a disappointment. The profile begins to show heavy tannins and becomes bitey. At the back of the palate the cedar flavors have given way to some bitter notes and the experience becomes less enjoyable. The draw continues to perform well and the burn showed no signs of trouble throughout.

The finish was short and full of tannins. I will lay these down for another six to twelve months and try again.

Appearance- 88 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 83 the back half killed the cigar, but if the front is what I have to look forward to then it will be a classic profile
Construction- 93 an excellent smoking experience from the standpoint of consistency
Strength- 85 average medium smoke
Overall- 87.5 with some age this will be a 90+ smoke

Partagas Short (January 2009 Box Date)

This small cigar presents in a whimsical size for when you have less than thirty minutes for a smoke. The wrapper is toothy and prominently veined, there are also a few flaws in the presentation. The pre light aroma has notes of earth, leather and spice. The pre light draw smacks of tobacco and spice, but there is a metallic note there as well.

The cigar begins with more strength that I would usually anticipate from a cigar of this size. The profile has a core of leathery flavors, but there is some spice at the back of the palate. There is also a bitter, metallic bite on the palate that is hurting the experience. The draw is flawless and the burn, while a bit lopsided, is strong.

This cigar is so short that I can't review it in sections as I normally would. The profile continues hold a core of leathery flavors with some spates of spice, but the bitter notes are still detracting from the experience. I believe that this cigar needs more time, so I will be laying them down for awhile.

The finish is an explosion of nicotine and tobacco, but there is a metallic undertone that again hurts the score.

Appearance- 85 some flaws and veins hurt the score
Taste- 82 the overall core of the profile was excellent, but the metallic bite kills the profile
Construction- 91 this cigar performed extremely well aside from some flaking ashes
Strength- 87 a bit overwhelming from a cigar this size, with age this will mellow to the correct strength to profile ratio
Overall- 86.25 a score based largely on being saved by construction