Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Partagas Y Nada Mas Robusto is light brown and has some thick, raised veins as well as a network of fine veins. The seams are smooth and the squared edge head is decently finished. The band is black, gold, yellow, red and white and carries the brand and line names. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of cedar and cardboard with light mustiness, while the foot brings bread, cedar and some stone fruit sweetness. The pre-light draw brings sweet bread and cedar along with a fairly potent crushed red pepper along with the tingle on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with decently toasted cedar, earth and some crushed red pepper. At a quarter inch in, some mustiness joins the profile as a lead in on each draw and fades quickly. At a half inch in, the mustiness becomes more integrated into the profile. The retrohale is musty cedar, earth and some black pepper. At an inch in, the crushed red pepper is starting to morph into black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit ahead of the earth, with a hybrid of crushed red pepper and black pepper in the middle of the profile and some mustiness a bit further behind. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the black pepper fully consumes the crushed red pepper. At a quarter inch in, some lightly creamy leather joins the profile. At a half inch in, the pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is now musty toasted cedar and earth with some black pepper. At an inch in, the earth becomes even with the toasted cedar up front. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper just behind the middle of the profile and some creamy leather and mustiness in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the toast level becomes pretty heavy and some wood bitterness joins the profile. The retrohale remains musty toasted cedar and earth with some black pepper. At three quarters of an inch in, the cedar now has a light char. As the cigar wraps up, the lightly charred cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper just behind the middle of the profile and some creamy leather, mustiness and wood bitterness in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Burn

The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on through each third.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The cigar began with decently toasted cedar, earth and some crushed red pepper. Some mustiness joined in fairly quickly. Later, the crushed red pepper began morphing into black pepper. The second third saw the black pepper take over the crushed red pepper. Some creamy leather joined in fairly quickly and the pepper mellowed slightly. Later, the earth became even with the toasted cedar up front. The final third saw the toast level become pretty heavy and then led into a light char with some wood bitterness joining in. The construction was absolutely perfect. The Partagas Y Nada Mas Robusto had a pretty nice start as the crushed red pepper provided a nice accent along with the mustiness. The second third took a step down as the black pepper replaced the crushed red pepper and continued at that level the rest of the way. I was hoping for more of the first third throughout, but that didn’t materialize. This is a well priced cigar, which makes it an easy try. I might come back to it again to see if I can chase that first third, but it’s not high on my to do list.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.31

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Partagas Y Nada Mas Robusto