Partagas Almirante

Before the Castro regime took power in Cuba, Partagas cigars were made in Havana under the direction of Ramon Cifuentes and his father before him. The history of their famous line dates way back to 1845 in Havana, Cuba, and with history like that, you know you’re going to get a great smoke if you choose anything from Partagas. After Castro took over, like so many other great cigar makers whose plantations were appropriated by the government, Cifuentes moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic. There he continued to produce his Partagas line and contributed greatly to this nation’s reputation as a producer of fine cigars. The Dominican versions of his famous Cuban brands feature spicy Cameroon wrappers and a blend of Dominican and Mexican tobaccos as the filler. The binder leaves are grown in the San Andres Valley in Mexico, and as you may know, Mexican tobaccos are known for being bold and spicy. Dominican varieties, on the other hand, tend to be a bit smoother. The brilliant combination of soft and spicy in the Almirante line is what gives this cigar its unique split personality. It begins quite mild, but you’ll notice that the flavor suddenly picks up and finishes like a different cigar entirely. We gave it a strength rating of 7.5, which is an average of sorts, taking in to account the mild beginnings (what we’d normally consider about a 5.0) as well as its robust spicy nature which comes alive about 2 inches through the smoke (what we’d consider about an 8.5 or so). Look for more spiciness and a trace of burnt cedar in the aftertaste. Precisely rolled with a full load of tobacco, this well-aged cigar is a real pleasure to smoke. Overall, we were impressed with its strength and complex flavor. Try pairing it with an Oban Scotch or your favorite Czech Pilsner.