Partagas Serie D No. 4 2014 Easter Review Competition

[CoCigarSmoker]

Partagas Serie D No. 4

So normally I work nights but the schedule has been bouncing around a bit and needless to say I couldn’t sleep today before work. So, at first like most people that can’t sleep I got pissed, but then I realized that I still had a few wonderful Cuban cigars sitting in my humidor and suddenly I wasn’t as pissed. So, I went to the box and picked out a nice 2014 Partagas Serie D No. 4 to enjoy during the afternoon.

Construction

The wrapper as a deep milk chocolate brown and had a slight sheen to it when held to the sun. There were a few medium sized veins that ran throughout the wrapper but nothing horrible. The triple cap was securely in place but it was pretty high towards the top of the cigar and made snipping the cap without unraveling the wrapper quite a chore with a necessity for accuracy and patience. The cigar felt firm to the touch and there were no discernable soft spots. The cigar felt properly filled and I was rather excited to light up.

Pre-light

Right away during the cold draw you can tell this is a more medium to full bodied cigar. There are hints of dark cocoa and fresh tobacco, but also a good deal of spice and pepper; nothing compared to an NC though and it was rather pleasant. The draw itself was just a smidge on the loose side but nothing to scuff at.

First third

As the cigar opens up the pepper and spice make their presence known at the front of your palate. As you run your tongue over your lips though you are left with a nice sweetness that almost registers as a very light and savory dark chocolate. The cigar also has an abundance of roasted tobacco and leather on board. Right out of the gate the cigar’s burn started to go all wonky. I let it do its thing for about a ½” and when I realized it wasn’t going to correct itself I went ahead and touched it up. I must say this cigar possesses that wonderful Cuban barnyard aroma but it is more deep in body than what I have experienced before. I’m not sure quite how to describe it and I almost wonder if the depth of this flavor has something to do with this cigar being more “full” in body and strength….?

Second third

The burn continues to be a struggle and I’ve had to correct it multiple times. Moving forward through the second third this cigar goes through a complete evolution. Flavors of cedar, soft wood, earth, and cream come forward and all but replace the pepper and spice. One out of every 3-4 draws will still yield a small amount of pepper and spice but overall this cigar has really changed gears and is very enjoyable. This cigar produces a good amount of smoke and has stayed rather consistent in this regard throughout the smoking experience.

Final Third

As I work through the final third the heat, pepper, spice, and strength of this cigar return. The burn has consistently been an issue and touch-ups are a regular necessity. However, flavor wise this cigar has turned over yet again another leaf. Notes of roasted nuts, leather, and earth are matched only by a soft spice and notes of black and red pepper. You can definitely by now feel the nicotine smoking this cigar and the strength being on the full side is ever present. Great cigar, but not one I would normally choose for a mid-day smoke. This will be a after dinner smoke for me from here on out. This is not meant to say this is anywhere near as strong as full bodied NC cigars but still, for a Cuban, there is a kick in the butt for sure.

Overall

The first and second third of this stick were by far the best of the three. The only big downside to this particular D4 was the burn issues. For whatever reason this cigar just did not want to burn straight to save its life. Aside from that I really enjoyed this cigar and wouldn’t mind picking up a box to have on hand. Time spent smoking was just about 1 hr. 40 minutes and I wasn’t quite able to nub this stick due to some harshness towards the very end.

[bradbrennan]

one of my favorites day or night thanks for sharing :-)

[JohnS]

Thanks again Seth. It's a bittersweet irony when you smoke a cigar and enjoy the taste, yet suffer burn issues. Kudos for persevering!

[Optic101]

Nice review, would guess it shows the youth on different levels but still performs well being so young.

For my experience they do get better with some time and would suggest you should get a box.

[dflan82]

Great review yet again, Seth. The D4 is a favorite of mine...might have light one up after dinner tonight

[Hash]

I always make sure that I have them in my humidor, they are very good cigars.Thank you for the review.

[Hunter1974]

fabulous smoke and review

[ToroRph]

Smoking one right now. Review is spot on. Great work.

[partagasd4]

Nice pics! Looks so good

[jimsta10]

Purchased a box a couple of weeks ago code: ESO JUN 14

Although I could be jumping the gun but my sticks are not firm to touch, I ran my fingers across about 8 sticks and all felt loose and not filled. Foot on some had obvious signs of ventilation holes....mostly like this factory was mass producing this box..not very happy with construction. Will light one up this week and see if its crap and squishy..

Does anyone else have this issue with a recent box of D4s?

Cheers

[gangstarrrrr]

Yes I had one last night, it's a '14 box will have to check factory code. But it felt a bit underfilled and draw was a bit looser than I'd like. Still very enjoyable though.