Over the past year I have reviewed a great many Cuban cigars for the EGM Blog. In the winter months those cigars tend to be of smaller vitolas, chosen to accommodate the lower temperatures. The winter months to the end of the year, however, are festive as well as freezing, and it seems fitting to test out some sticks that can be considered suitable for special occasions – not cigars we would light every day, but those suited to the end of a particularly long and filling dinner, washed down with plenty of fine drink and intended to mark the end of the year by celebrating with friends. The Partagas Salomones La Casa del Habano edition is a perfect choice for such occasions.
The Partagas Salomones is a mighty Double Perfecto, measuring 57 ring gauge at its thickest point by an imposing 7 ¼ inches. It smoked for over 2 hours, confirming that this is a cigar best suited to a full glass, full glass and empty calendar – perfect for sharing with friends at upcoming parties.
Construction: 10/10
- Initial impressions of the cigar were flawless: smooth, silky colorado wrapper, generous fill and a beautiful crafting of the complex Salomon
Draw: 10/10
- Cigars in this shape can suffer a bad draw, particularly when lighting, as a result of the tapered foot. No such issues here.
Combustion: 8/10
- Some issues with the burn, resulting in a fairly uneven line and occasional touch-ups with a lighter.
Ash: 3/5
- Fairly dark grey, and fairly flaky – unable to hold to the tip for any real time, and suffered as a result of the lighter use to control the burn.
Smoke: 5/5
- Combustion and ash grumbles had no effect on the plumes of fragrant, flavourful smoke which flowed from this cigar.
Flavour: 23/25
- From Partagas we expect power, and warm, rich flavour notes. These were all evident, but came after a surprisingly light, sweet beginning. The combination made for a very tasty smoke.
Overall: 32/35
- It’s not often I will light a cigar of such epic size, so I expected a treat and was not disappointed. Small imperfections regarding burn and ash only affected the photogenics, not the flavour, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in front of the fire with this excellent smoke.
Final Score: 91/100
- The initial spark of cigars in this shape can prove troublesome, but not so here. Rather there was an instant zing of sweetness from the dark wrapper before the main filler began to smoulder after a few puffs and delivered fresh grassy notes and an earthy aftertaste. The sweetness was – to me, at least – surprising for such a large Partagas, but it continued through the first third and into the middle. The grass at this stage was replaced by cedar, and the earth dissolved away to warmer leathery notes. This heralded a step up in body and power to match the brand’s reputation. Intense black pepper and cinnamon spice rounded off the smoke – the perfect foil for your post-Christmas dinner desserts.