Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a very uniform dark brown, almost black. There are a few slightly raised veins and the cigar is a bit misshapen in a rustic looking way. The seams are hardly visible due to the dark wrapper color and the head appears to be finished off with a double cap. The band is the traditional Partagas 1845 band in a purple and silver color combination. The aroma from the wrapper is damp earth with a bit of raisin sweetness. The foot is just a light wood note. The pre-light draw brings a slightly sweet hay note.

Pre-light Experience

The Partagas 1845 has a rugged wrapper, with a significant amount of tooth. The aroma is a welcoming spicy cedar, with sweet tobacco on the foot. The band is subtle, with a matte silver against metallic silver highlights and a black background.

First Third

The cigar begins with wood, damp earth and a bit of baking spice. At a half inch in, the flavors are melding together a bit better. The retrohale is a mix of wood and baking spice. As the third comes to a close, a little char joins the wood while the damp earth and baking spice ease up slightly. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first few draws on the Partagas 1845 Extra Oscuro produce flavors of dark chocolate. The smoke has a satisfying velvety mouthfeel. The retrohale has sweet, subtle spices at a light plus intensity. The opening flavors are much more subdued and nuanced than I was expecting. Each draw finishes very clean, with almost no detectable post draw or palate coating flavors. Some light pepper develops as the first third settles in. The dark chocolate evolves into more of a powdered cocoa. Each retrohale is a sweet creaminess that leads into the post draw where I get a light plus red pepper flake. I taste light post draw leather moving into the middle third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the charred wood is up front with the earth a supporting note. The baking spice has completely left the profile. The retrohale provides a lone oak note. At an inch in, the char level picks up as some mustiness joins the profile. There is still some earthiness in the background. As the third comes to a close, the charred wood remained up front with some earthiness and mustiness in the background. The strength remained at the slightly above medium level.

Second Third

The creaminess and spices have found a nice balance going into the second third. The red pepper flake I was picking up on the post draw starts to encroach on the retrohale. The remainder of the middle third is consistent with no notable intensity shifts or new flavors.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the mustiness increases to become even with the charred wood. The earthiness is only detectable on the finish now. At a half inch in, there is now a bite to the charred wood and the mustiness is still present at a high level. At an inch in, the char and musty levels have continued to increase and there remains a bite to the profile as it is caking my palate. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

There’s still some rich cocoa with some subtle red pepper flake on the retrohale. Each draw finishes with spice and leather on the post draw. Once the last third has established itself, there’s some light plus vegetal notes. Some post draw earthiness enters in the mix and continues to increase in intensity to a medium level.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

The burn seems flawless wish the ash holding on in 3/4″ increments.

Draw

The draw was fairly snug the entire way. I don’t think it caused any issues with flavor delivery.

Overall

The cigar had a fairly average flavor delivery centered around wood and char. By the final third, things dropped down a bit as the char increased quite a bit with the addition of a fair amount of mustiness. Other than a tight draw, performance was pretty good. The price point is attractive, but the flavor profile really isn’t. For a yard cigar, this would fit the bill, but I couldn’t see myself going back to it for anything beyond that.

Draw

The draw is in the ideal zone.

Overall

The Partagas 1845 Extra Oscuro Rothschild really surprised me with subdued and nuanced flavors throughout. I was able to get 1 hour and 27 minutes of smoking time which was a great value. I’ll be interested to see how this cigar compares in the other available vitolas.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.00

Cost/Point

$1.26

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$0.92

Scoring System

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