Partagas Spanish Rosado Familia

In Pre-Castro Cuba, Partagas cigars were made in Havana under the direction of Ramón Cifuentes and his father before him (the family had been at it for a while—the brand began in 1845!). Cifuentes moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic soon after Castro arrived on the scene, continuing the Partagas line there. Daniel Nunez, who was an apprentice under Ramon Cifuentes in the Dominican Republic and later his successor as the Partagas Cigar Master, has continued to demand only the best for Partagas cigars. In 2003, Daniel introduced the Partagas Spanish Rosado . The name is derived from the gorgeous wrappers grown in the San Agustin Valley of Honduras. But why "Spanish" when it’s a Honduran-shade wrapper? "Spanish" refers to Spain's influence in Honduran history, while "Rosado" refers to the reddish hue seen in this unique wrapper. The leaf is rich and oily with a thick texture, and red hues so stunning they almost glow. The unique character of the San Agustin soil creates not only the distinctive look, but also a bold, spicy taste. Look for a hint of cinnamon that leaves behind a white, beautiful ash. Combined with the Connecticut broadleaf binder and Dominican, Honduran and Mexican long-fillers, you can expect a medium-bodied cigar with a rich character and a slight spiciness. Look for a mild start to quickly pick up steam and build to a medium-bodied smoke with notes of leather, fruit and nuts and a tea-like, herbal flavor on the pleasant finish. The Spanish Rosado of Partagas received a well-deserved ’90’ rating from Cigar Insider. Consider pairing it with an oaky Chardonnay.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S. The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.