Cigars.ie

Short Stories

One of the cigars that were launched last February in the Habanos Festival is the Partagas Serie D no.5, a 4.3 inches “short” petit robusto, with a ring gauge of 50. It was launched on the opening night along with the larger Serie E no.2, which got all the spotlight. But this is not the first Partagas D5 we have ever seen; in 2008, the original Partagas D no5 was released as part of the Edicion Limitada range. The 2008 D no5 never got too much attention and never received as much praise as any of the other Linitadas. “Too short and too expensive” seemed to be the view of most smokers. Despite that, Habanos decided to include it in their portfolio as a regular production cigar.

Four months after getting to see it for the first time, I decided to put it into the test and smoke it against the 2008 edition, to see which one is better. And to be able to make a proper comparison, I will smoke the two cigars side by side, on a parallel tasting.

Appearance & Construction

Although you would expect thr 2008 LE D5 to have a smooth an attractive wrapper, it is actually the other way around… The wrapper on the 2008 D no 5 is darker, but rougher, drier and  more veiny. On the other hand, the wrapper on the 2011 D no5 is smooth, with a lot less veins and more oils. The triple caps are well applied and both cigars have a rounded head. The bunch seems to be more firm in the 2008 D no5 but both cigars have a good, prelight draw. Interestingly, the prelight aromas are very different; the 2011 D no.5 has an aroma with a sweet, floral profile which reminds me of the smell of marshmallows. The 2008 D no.5 is more peppery, more cedary and more intense on the nose.

2008 Partagas D no.5 LE 12 / 15
2011 Partagas D no.5 13 / 15

Flavour & Body

First one to hit the flame is the 2011 D5. A little tangy at start with plenty of spices and some wood. A couple more drags and there is a lot of pepper and a fair bit of ammonia; time to light its older brother…The 2008 has more flavours from the very beginning; earth, and cedar, with tones of ginger. Definitely more complex and balanced than the 2011.

After the initial burst of flavours, both cigars settle down. The 2011 does not impress me; its flavours are very dry, with tones of wood and hay, along with the Partagas peppers. The ammonia still holds throughout the first third, which makes the aftertaste very unpleasant. The 2008 on the other hand is more gentle and balanced. Earthy, woody and spicy, with a long finish of bitter, dark chocolate. The body seems to be fuller on the 2011 than the 2008 on this first third.

On the second third the 2011 D5 settles down and the ammonia recedes. The body is now medium but the flavours are shallow, with white wood and freshly cut grass being the most noticeable. The cigar lacks in depth and the finish is short and salty. The 2008 is not much more enjoyable either; the Partagas flavours are there, with earth and cedar being more prominent with some herbs on the background, mainly coriander, and a peppery long finish. But it lacks the strength and depth you would expect from an edicion ilmitada.

On the last third the 2011 D5 changes very little… It is now full bodied, with muted flavours and a strong nicotine kick - possibly because I am trying to keep both cigars lit! The wood and grass flavours are still there, while the ammonia shows up again. Not much happening with the 2008 either; its last third is identical to the second and although it doesn’t excel, it is more “smokeable” than the 2011.

2008 Partagas D no.5 LE 20 / 25
2011 Partagas D no.5 18 / 25

Draw & Burn

Both cigars draw equally well from the start and lighting them is effortless. The 2011 burns well all the way through and the ash is thick, light grey in colour, reaching an inch in length. The coal is good and has a nice pyramid shape. The 2008 does not burn too well; it keeps going out from the second third onwards and its white ash falls off prematurely. The coal is conical and the combustion is not great. Both cigars produce ample thick smoke.

2008 Partagas D no.5 LE 19 / 25
2011 Partagas D no.5 22 / 15

Overall & Conclusion

I have never been a fan of the original D no5 as I always found it too small and too overpriced. It has been a while since I had one and unfortunately the one I smoked today did not impress me either… I always set the bar higher in regards to what I expect from a limited edition cigar, and this did not meet the standards. You would expect good construction, nice wrappers and some refined balanced flavours. Apart from the construction, the 2008 D no5 did not have any of the other characteristics. It showed some pleasant flavours, but no signs of progression throughout its length. Although it is still too early to judge the 2011 D no5, it seems to have inherited the shallowness of its predecessor. The strong ammonia is to be expected from a cigar that is not even six months old, but the lack of depth and complexity is something that you would expect from a Partagas.

None of these two cigars impressed me. the 2011 looked and smoked better, but lacked in flavours. The 2008 D no5 on the other hand had some problems with its burn, was not too eye pleasing, but had some more flavours than the newer vitola. With this in mind, if I had to choose between the two, regardless of the final score, I would go for the 2008 version of the D no.5, but I would be willing to try the 2011 in another six months, after it will have gone through its first “sick period”. Now, where is that E no.2?

2008 Partagas D no.5 LE  28 / 35
2011 Partagas D no.5 26 / 35

TOTAL

2008 Partagas D no.5 LE 79 / 100
2011 Partagas D no.5 79 / 100