General Info
- Price: $20
- Made By: Partagas Cigar Factory
- Factory Location: Havana, Cuba
- Dimensions: 7 5/8″ by 49 ring gauge
- Shape: Prominente (Double Corona)
- Filler: Cuban
- Binder: Cuban
- Wrapper: Cuban
- Cold Draw: Cedar, Earthiness, Peanut, Honey, Natural Tobacco, Toast
- First Third: Creamy Cedar, Earthiness, Peanut, Hay, Natural Tobacco, Baking Spice, Leather
- Second Third: Dark Cocoa, Creamy Cedar, Baking Spice, Earthiness, Peanut, Leather, Mocha, Saltiness
- Final Third: Peanut, Creamy Cedar, Saltiness, Coffee With Cream, Leather, Dark Chocolate, Natural Tobacco
Appearance
The Partagas Lusitanias Cuban Cigar isn’t messing around. Measuring in at 7 5/8″ by 49 ring gauge, this Double Corona (or Prominente as they call the shape in Cuba) is long enough to immediately catch the eye of even the most seasoned aficionado. A ring gauge this large tends to deliver a complex cigar full of rich flavors. The reason being is the larger gauge gives the filler blend more room to do its things and reveal its own flavors. Additionally, a cigar like this is a slow burner, which provides a much cooler smoke. For a Cuban cigar with an even larger ring gauge, check out the Montecristo No. 2.
The Double Corona shape is quite difficult to roll as the tobacco leaf needs to be large enough to cover the length of this mighty stick. For that reason, only the best of the best torcedores are trusted to roll one up.
The stogie’s wrapper is dark caramel brown with a reddish hue. The cigar is firmly packed and has minimal veins and a great-looking triple cap. There’s a good deal of oil on the leaf. Everything regarding the appearance of the Partagas Lusitanias suggests we’re in for an excellent smoke. Of course, looks can be deceiving, so let’s jump right in and find out.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar is Michael Jordan’s favorite smoke. We all know MJ knows basketball, and if you’re reading this, you probably know that the guy’s a long-time connoisseur of premium cigars.
Taste & Draw
The iconic Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar never fails to impress. Its complexity and rich character made me wish it’d last forever. The draw was on point from the start. It was as close as you can get to effortless while still providing some resistance, which was actually quite enjoyable. I had no issues with the burn line, and the ash was firm and a real treat to watch grow.
The taste of this stogie is out of this world. Would you expect anything less from such a sought-after Cuban? The flavors were pretty consistent, with a note or two ducking out here only to reappear there. The cigar is like a movie with a lot going on at once—though the production and storyline are so smooth, it never becomes overwhelming.
I enjoyed the way the strength built and built through each third while flavorsome notes like creamy cedar, peanut, saltiness, and natural tobacco kept up for the entire smoke.
Cold Draw
Cedar, Earthiness, Peanut, Honey, Natural Tobacco, Toast
I’ve been looking forward to this cold draw. Partagas is one of the oldest Cuban cigar brands, and the Partagas Lusitanias is a classic Cuban cigar. This iconic stick was not only named the Number 11 cigar of 2017 by Cigar Aficionado, but it also received a highly respectable 93 rating from the same publication.
The first notes I’m picking up on are cedar and earthiness. I pull a few more times, and I’m tasting peanut, honey, natural tobacco, and toast. We’ll see which if any of these stick around once fire enters the equation. Cold draws can be highly accurate previews of the movie or somewhat misleading. Either way, it’s a great ritual that I feel is an integral part of the overall cigar smoking experience.
First Third
Creamy Cedar, Earthiness, Peanut, Hay, Natural Tobacco, Baking Spice, Leather
I take my torch to the Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar. Right away, I’m met with notes from the cold draw. The cedar is there but with a creamy element. Another pull reveals peanut and natural tobacco. Soon the earthiness is present and establishing a solid foothold in this already complex mix. The draw is excellent, wide open, and easy. About an inch down, I’m getting hay, baking spice, and leather within a highly satisfying creamy smoke.
I may regret this prediction, but my guess is the leather and baking spice will become more pronounced moving forward. I also predict some sort of chocolate or cocoa flavor will reveal itself. For now, the honey and toast from the cold draw are nowhere to be seen. So far, the strength level is mild to medium, though I doubt a Cuban stick as iconic as this one will remain so calm. That said, the cigar is crazy smooth, and I expect it to remain well-balanced. Let’s keep this Cuban celebration moving and see what we uncover.
Second Third
Dark Cocoa, Creamy Cedar, Baking Spice, Earthiness, Peanut, Leather, Mocha, Saltiness
Holy smokes! Is that a cocoa note as predicted? Indeed it is, but we’ll need to file this one under dark cocoa. The creamy cedar is still kicking, and it has moved way up front in the second third. Also along for the ride from the first third, we have baking spice, earthiness, and peanut.
The leather flavor remains, though it has established a background presence for now. The toast note from the cold draw decided to make a cameo in this third, and I’m now tasting something like a mocha flavor directly behind the dark cocoa. It’s almost like this mocha note wants to join forces with the dark cocoa to form a chocolate note greater than the sum of its parts.
What I find the most intriguing about this third is the appearance of saltiness, which is a common theme throughout many Cuban cigar brands. This is due to the high concentration of lithium in Cuban soil. Lithium is close to sodium, thus the saltiness of Cuban smoke.
By now, the Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar has picked up big time in the strength department. I would definitely say we’re in medium to full strength territory.
Time to see how this Cuban smoke show ends.
Final Third
Peanut, Creamy Cedar, Saltiness, Coffee With Cream, Leather, Dark Chocolate, Natural Tobacco
Rounding third base and heading home, the Partagas Lusitanias is basically showing off now with its complex flavor show. For the most part, we’re still working with the same notes. I’m tasting peanut, creamy cedar, and saltiness in the thick, chewy, satisfying smoke. The leather is all but gone, though there is a nice coffee with cream thing happening. And that signature Cuban saltiness still lurks in the best of ways.
Call it a new note or the newly formed dark cocoa and mocha combo, but a dark chocolate flavor has entered the room like it has something to prove, and it is delicious. The natural tobacco from the cold draw and first third never really went away, but it’s now back for good. I feel like this note has a lot to do with the cigar entering more of a full strength vibe for its final act. What an incredible smoke!
Summary
The medium to full strength complex Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar is a top-notch smoke that not only lives up to all the great things you’ve heard, it surpasses them. I feel words like “iconic” or “legendary” don’t do it justice. It truly is a cigar like no other.
Complex from the jump, the cigar gains in strength with each pull. As do the notes—they dig in deeper, become more defined, and even allow a few stray flavors to join in on the fun. It’s hard to think of a cigar that can outdo the Partagas Lusitanias. I hope I’m wrong about that because you can bet top dollar if there is, I’ll count the days until it lines my humidor.
Partagas Lusitanias Cuban Cigar Pairing Notes
For a complex stogie like the Lusitanias Cuban cigar, I chose pairings that would amplify certain notes of the stick while further balancing others. A smoke with as much personality and strength as this calls for whiskey and stouts. And for some wildcards, which often turn out to pair the best, I selected some excellent IPAs and even a rum.
- Old Pepper Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
- Graham Cracker IPA by Summit City Brewerks
- Sticky Bun Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Rum
- Matusalem Gran Reserva 23 Year Aged
- Almanac Loud Double IPA
- Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Partagas Lusitanias Cuban Cigar History
Established in Havana, Cuba, in 1845 by Jaime Partagás y Ravell, Partagas is among the oldest cigar brands. One of Don Jaime’s gifts was the ability to select the best tobacco in all of Cuba. It didn’t hurt that he owned a number of the finest tobacco plantations, but his seemingly perfect instinct for choosing, blending, and aging tobacco helped set the Partagas brand apart.
Jaime met his untimely death in 1868 when he was murdered on one of his plantations over what the killer believed to be an extramarital affair. From there, Jaime’s son Jose took the reins for a bit before he sold the company. Eventually, the Cifuentes acquired the Partagas brand, and by 1958 it was the number two exported Cuban cigar, second only to H. Upmann. Two years would pass before Castro’s communists seized over a dozen cigar factories, including Partagas. To this day, Partagas is under the Cuban government’s control.
The Partagas Lusitanias Cuban cigar is old enough to be called one of Cuba’s most classic cigars. A cigar like this that has stood the test of time and changed hands numerous times, ultimately ending up in the control of a communist regime, has more than a storied past. That it remains to many the indisputable king of Cuban cigars speaks volumes to its ability to deliver a rich smoking experience like no other.
