Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a very light brown. There are a couple of visible veins and where the wrapper is wrapped over veins below, it carries a darker color. The seams are very easily visible but smooth. The head has a well applied triple cap. Another noticeable piece about this cigar is that it feels very light for its size. There are two bands, the primary being the standard Partagas band and the second being the Anejados band for the series. The aroma from the wrapper is the faintest of hays while the foot gives a slightly fuller, but still faint, mix of hay and leather. The pre-light draw is a very light and airy leather.

Pre-light Experience

The Partagas 2015 Habanos Añejados in corona gorda has a classic Cuban claro shade wrapper. Veins are knotted and seams are tight but visible. The roll is rock hard with virtually no give, hoping that will not cause performance issues. The head is finished off with a well adhered triple cap. Nosing the wrapper tells aged cedar and faint barnyard. Nosing the foot gives cedar, dry nuts and white pepper. Cold draw reveals hay, cedar and ripe cherries.

First Third

Initial draws bring a slight charred wood with some black pepper in the background. This cigar is a fast burner because before you know it I’m already three quarters of an inch in. The char note has mellowed allowing the wood to show more age to it as well as some cream to appear. At an inch in, the wood becomes more defined as an aged cedar while this note is what is present on the retrohale. As the third comes to a close, the profile becomes fuller with the aged cedar up front and carrying a slight char. The cream has left and there is a slight pepper finish. The strength in this third was slightly below medium.

First Third

First third provides thin flavors of cedar, hay, dry nuts and dry cardboard. Interesting to note the complete lack of spice through mouth draws. Through retrohaling, notes of cedar, sweet nuttiness and tame black pepper. The finish is medium in length with a lingering dry wood. In terms of body and strength, medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, the profile abruptly becomes very thin where the wood note almost becomes papery. At a half inch in, the profile begins to pick back up with a general wood note and slight peppery finish. At an inch in, the pepper leaves while some cream joins with the general wood note. At an inch and a quarter, some nuttiness joins in with the creamy wood. The retrohale is a mild cedar. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

The second third has spice showing up on the mouth draws, providing a black pepper zing. The other notes of cedar, hay and dry cardboard are still intact. The retrohale shows a deeper black pepper, in addition to a more prominent cedar note. The finish is still medium in length, giving a lingering dry wood with a faint black pepper spice. Strength and body continues to be at the medium mark.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a slight bitterness joins in with the creamy wood and nuttiness. At a quarter inch in, the bitterness ramps up pushing out the cream and nuttiness, just pairing with the general wood note. At three quarters of an inch in, the bitterness drops a bit letting the wood come to the front. The retrohale is a slightly peppery wood. At an inch in, the bitterness increases again and some char joins the wood while the retrohale is a slightly charred wood. This is how the cigar finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third shows very similar characteristics as the second third. At the heart of it, the profile is still wood and spice based with black pepper and cedar. A barnyard note is introduced halfway through the last third, mixing especially well with a roasted nuttiness. The retrohale is still centered around deeper notes of black pepper and cedar. The finish is still a relatively lengthy dry wood. Strength and body finishes at the medium levels.

Burn

The burn was perfect. Razor sharp the entire way and the ash held on in inch and half increments.

Burn

Slow and cool burning cigar with rock solid dirty gray ashes averaging 1.5 inches. Total smoking time clocked in at a great 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Draw

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

Overall

Just like the previous Anejados we reviewed, I feel like this cigar has far passed its prime. This cigar has 10 years on it and it probably would have been better to smoke six or seven years ago. With just some standard wood and cream notes most of the way, it really didn’t offer much. The performance was perfect, but flavor is the name of the game and this cigar just doesn’t have it. It’s a bit disappointing as this series was supposed to be something special and it just doesn’t deliver.

Draw

The hardness felt within the pre-light experience resulted in an annoyingly tight draw. Even cutting to the very bottom of the cap resulted in the same tight draw.

Overall

Another Anejados not worth purchasing. This is a prime example of great marketing (the cool secondary band) worthy of a failure. The flavors were overall thin, non-transitional and complex and quite boring to smoke. Focus your attention and money on regular production Partagas. You’ll come out of it with a heavier wallet and more satisfying smoking experience.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.00

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.20

Scoring System