Partagas Series D No. 4

[Kangaroo495]

Have tried this cigar 5 times in my life in several different countries (incl Cuba) and form several different suppliers. Could never understand the hype. Always thought it was average. But last night changed all that. Having never got along before, Party D4 and I embraced in fits of passion and emotion. Sort of like falling in love with your worst enemy, we put our differences behind us, and agreed - it was all just a big misunderstanding!

Construction: 10/10. Firm, no veins.

Colour: Colorado. Light brown, mat. Not much oil.

Aroma upon lighting: Sweeeeeet

1st third: Explosion of Partagas flavours. Medium body with sweet dried fruit, leather, wet Cuban tobacco. I would describe the taste as liquer xmas cake. You know the sort of cake which has some sort of alcohol in it?

2nd third: Increase in intensity to medium-full. Same flavour profile, but with the curious addition of milk chocolate

Last third: Slight harshness, reduction in sweetness, increase in bitterness. Flavour profile slightly muted by the fuller body.

Burn: F*cking horrible. Completely lop-sided the whole way. never evened out. However produced volumes of grey, thick smoke

Overall: 96/100. One of the best Cubans I've had over the past few months. In the same league as the Boli Gold Medal and Upmann Mag 48 which I've smoked recently. In terms of regular production, I think only the Dip 2 I smoked in Oz could come close to the complexity and enjoyment I experienced with this cigar. The only thing stopping it from getting a perfect score was the burn, and a slight harshness at the end of the cigar, which I attribute to its relative youth (Dec 08).

Gentlemen, I think I've fallen in love!

[bolivr]

Excellent! Haven't had one of these for many years. Too many smokes not enough time Like you, I thought they were ok but not stunning. I think now they may have been over humidified. Where did you pick this one up from ? While you were in Oz?

[Ozz1113]

Have tried this cigar 5 times in my life in several different countries (incl Cuba) and form several different suppliers. Could never understand the hype. Always thought it was average. But last night changed all that. Having never got along before, Party D4 and I embraced in fits of passion and emotion. Sort of like falling in love with your worst enemy, we put our differences behind us, and agreed - it was all just a big misunderstanding!

Construction: 10/10. Firm, no veins.

Colour: Colorado. Light brown, mat. Not much oil.

Aroma upon lighting: Sweeeeeet

1st third: Explosion of Partagas flavours. Medium body with sweet dried fruit, leather, wet Cuban tobacco. I would describe the taste as liquer xmas cake. You know the sort of cake which has some sort of alcohol in it?

2nd third: Increase in intensity to medium-full. Same flavour profile, but with the curious addition of milk chocolate

Last third: Slight harshness, reduction in sweetness, increase in bitterness. Flavour profile slightly muted by the fuller body.

Burn: F*cking horrible. Completely lop-sided the whole way. never evened out. However produced volumes of grey, thick smoke

Overall: 96/100. One of the best Cubans I've had over the past few months. In the same league as the Boli Gold Medal and Upmann Mag 48 which I've smoked recently. In terms of regular production, I think only the Dip 2 I smoked in Oz could come close to the complexity and enjoyment I experienced with this cigar. The only thing stopping it from getting a perfect score was the burn, and a slight harshness at the end of the cigar, which I attribute to its relative youth (Dec 08).

Gentlemen, I think I've fallen in love!

Rum cake ;]

[LiLo]

great review! This is the cigar that got me into cubans and it will forever be my all time favorite. These kick ass right out of the box and are classic with 5 years on them.

[cigarros]

Gentlemen, I think I've fallen in love!

Every Jack has his Jill!

[Wil]

Glad to hear you got a good one. I bought a box in Cuba in June and they ain't pretty. Quite a few are a bit splotchy, but I've had about 10 so far and 9 of them have been great (the bad one being a wind tunnel).

[kyriakos]

Whats the box code?

[dicko]

I hope i have this moment!! Like Kanga, had a handful from several sources never had anything special

[stargazer14]

Thanks Roo - your review reflects my thoughts on these(tho i was always in love with them)

[android]

I'm a big fan of these as well.

[Geo17pip]

I smoked a 09 last week with Acidmase (member on the forum) and i loved it.

[Kangaroo495]

Whats the box code?

Can't remember the code mate. Sorry. But the date was December 08.

[TrickNick]

Love the SD4. The 08's were surprisingly good for me, considering their youth. My 05's are amazing right now.

[jwm8592]

So with regard to the Party No. 4's are the 08's or 09's the best? I have seen where No. 4 was one of the best Cubans of 2009??

thx.

[stargazer14]

My 08 and 09 are very good. I smoked one of these last nite(thanks to this thread) and wanted to add that I believe this is a cigar for a select moment, meaning, where i could grab a Boli petit corona anytime, the same is not true for this smoke, maybe why Roo495 didnt have a good experience at first. The D4 can be 'in your face' at times and you have to have the right time for that.

The right time was last nite for me. Loved it.

[reg]

Had my first today, an 08. It was very nice, can't wait to smoke another

[Wil]

After saying how consistently good these have been for me lately, had an absolute shocker last night. Draw was tight - turned bitter and acrid half way through.

[El Capitan]

Had a 09 this afternoon and it closely matched the same nuances you picked up Kanga. Starts off quite light, but moves to medium fast. Funny I really felt this one in my stomach in the final third. It kind of sneaks up on you. It had a very thin wrapper that felt dry and it got worse as she heated up, started to split. I keep my humi at 70% and most of my cigars need to be dry boxed before I smoke them. I'm going to smoke the next one straight from the humi. Great potential to age. 87 from me.

[PADDYWHACK121272]

Thanks for the review - haven't had a bad one of these so far, touch wood...

[Pilot]

...

1st third: Explosion of Partagas flavours. Medium body with sweet dried fruit, leather, wet Cuban tobacco. I would describe the taste as liquer xmas cake. You know the sort of cake which has some sort of alcohol in it?

2nd third: Increase in intensity to medium-full. Same flavour profile, but with the curious addition of milk chocolate

...

I just had my first D4 this afternoon and your descriptions fit perfectly! I thought it is an outstanding cigar, with body and "seriousness" but elegant and unimposing.

Perhaps I was lucky, as judging from some comments (on other threads as well), not all D4's come out the same. This was bought as a single, among my very first cigars to try, so I don't know its date. The burn issue you mention was less pronounced on mine.

Excellent cigar (and what an aftertaste! ).

[cubanmule7]

Just finished one and I have to say I'm Impressed. Wife sat out side with me and commented how nice it smelled. First two thirds were very nice, last third ...not so much but I smoked it down to the nub anyway.

[Disburden]

I'm waiting for mine to hit at least 12 months before I light them up and try, this was a temptation and a half!

Nice review!