Vitola: Robusto- 5.5” x 49 ring gauge
- MSRP $14.99
- Samples provided by General Cigar Company
Background
From 2005 to 2009, General Cigar’s Partagas division released the Limited Reserve Decadas, a very limited offering that they held to the highest standard. In 2009, the same year the original release was concluded, they selected and put away 3,000 Cameroon wrapper leaves to age for 10 years. At the 2019 IPCPR trade show, they finally released the next batch of Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas.
They used Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan Ometepe leaf for the filler, a Honduran San Agustin binder, and the 10-year old Cameroon wrapper leaf. There will be four vitolas eventually, but for 2019, they are releasing just the 5.5 x 49 Robusto that comes in a glass tube. They are not revealing the exact number of cigars rolled for this project, only that they will be on sale until the “limited supply is depleted.”
General Cigar Company (GCC) provided me with samples of the Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas; this review is based on the 4th time I smoked it.
Prelight
Along with the clean and elegant gold and white look for box and band, for this Partagas release, they added in some green highlights…and made the entire outside of the box green, as well. Overall, it works better than the blind emboss on last year’s Partagas Legend release. It’s somewhat stately and should be visible on the shelf, especially when they are displayed in the glass tubes inside the box. (The samples sent did not include the glass tubes and there were no provided images of an open box, either.)
The wrapper was a medium-dark brown with that peculiar almost-grayish note that some Cameroon has. It had a strong barnyard note with a metallic twang mixed in, while the foot was a more traditional mix of hay and earth, with some bell pepper vegetal note and a slightly sweet aroma, too.
After clipping with my Xikar Xi cutter, I got a very good draw that had flavors of molasses, hay and bell pepper.
Flavor
The Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas lit up evenly and quickly, producing a medium-bodied smoke at the outset, along with flavors of hay, cedar, and bell pepper up front and a slightly sweet molasses taste coming in behind. The retrohale was roasted peanuts and massive wasabi pepper spice, the latter of which is fairly typical for Cameroon leaf.
The second third got earthier while the hay and vegetal notes faded away. Cedar continued on and the molasses sweetness increased, while I started to pick up some pepper spice on the palate during the finish. The retro continued to be nutty and spicy.
The same mix continued for the final third, with maybe a little increase in peppery spice on my tongue.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and mostly solid ash—a chunk fell off prematurely early on, but that was the only time.
Value
Very good cigar at a premium price tag, but I think the experience justifies the expense.
Conclusions
The Limited Reserve Decadas is a very nice addition to the Partagas line, employing a very nice blend of tobaccos to give a complex medium-bodied smoking experience. It had enough sweetness and spiciness to be well-balanced the entire way and made me think more than once of the Fuente Don Carlos line, another medium-bodied Cameroon-wrapped stick. Note that I didn’t say it was “better” than a Don Carlos, but I would put it right up there as an equal that brings some different flavors to the party.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
