Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a light brown and has some slightly darker marbling in places. There are a few raised veins present while the seams are smooth and well hidden. There appears to just be a single cap finishing off the head. There is one band which is primarily red with gold lettering and borders. It is very similar to the Cuban Partagas Serie lines. The aroma from the wrapper is a quite noticeable grassy sweetness. The foot gives sweetness as well, but more in line with stone fruit. The pre-light draw is a mix of stone fruit sweetness and leather.

Pre-light Experience

The Partagas Heritage Rothschild has a leathery medium brown wrapper with a slight red hue. Veins are roughly pressed and seams are tight. Cigar feels well rolled as there are no soft spots and a uniformed give persists throughout. The slightly tapered head is finished off with a thick triple cap. Nosing the wrapper tells a mixture of sharp white pepper and flowers. Nosing the foot gives white pepper and mixed nuts. Cold draw reveals mixed nuts and faint cedar.

First Third

Initial draws bring a charred wood note along with a very faint black pepper in the background. At a half inch in, the note that accompanies the wood borders between char and bitterness depending on the draw I’m on. The retrohale is a slightly stale wood. At an inch in, the char/bitterness has dropped way back and the wood takes on a young/green note to it. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third’s mouth draw flavors consists of bread, black pepper spice and charred oak. The retrohale shows sharper black pepper, paper and bread. The finish creates a thin mouth feel with namely a lingering soft dry wood. Strength and body is medium within the entire first third.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood isn’t so green anymore and some bitterness has settled into the profile. At a quarter inch in, the young/green note returns, which carries some bitterness as well. At three quarters of an inch in, the profile moves away from the young wood and more towards the charred version with some bitterness. At an inch in, the bitterness really takes over and the wood is just an afterthought in the background. As the third comes to a close, the bitterness settles down and becomes even with the wood. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third’s primary flavors is increased bread, paper and a dash of black pepper. The combination of bread and paper is an odd and mis-matched combination. The wood note loses out on the charred aspect and is now a general oak. The retrohale remains the same as the first third, being deeper in black pepper, paper and bread. The finish has a greater mouth feel although still on the thin side, with flavors of lingering dry wood and paper. Strength and body continues to be at the medium mark.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the bitterness lessens and some mustiness joins in with the wood. At a half inch in, the wood note increases while the mustiness is in the background and the bitterness is almost completely gone. The retrohale also carries the musty wood note. At three quarters of an inch in some cream joins with the musty wood. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Final Third

The last third is basically the same as the second third. Still a profile centered around paper, bread and black pepper. If anything, these notes spike in unison at various points of the last third. The retrohale picks up a nutty sweetness on top of the increased black pepper, paper and bread. The finish is now dominated by a soft and lingering paper note, followed by dry wood. Strength and body finishes at the medium levels.

Burn

There was a little bit of waviness right in the middle of the cigar, but it self corrected. The ash held on to the midpoint of the cigar and then held on again until the end.

Burn

Burn was almost perfect. The only thing from perfection is a slightly flakey ash. Aside from that, the cigar burned even and cool throughout the entire smoking period with zero touch ups or re-lights.

Draw

The draw was a bit tighter than I prefer, but didn’t feel like it effected the smoking experience.

Overall

This cigar didn’t really ever get off the ground for me. The start brought some general wood, transitioning between char and young greenness and then the second third was overtaken by bitterness. Things settled down in the final third and showed a bit more complexity. If the cigar would have started the way it finished and then grew from there, I would have had a much better experience. Strength stayed around medium the whole way, but with some unpleasant flavors at the mid-point, I’m hoping revisiting this with some more resting time provides a better balanced cigar.

Draw

A slightly almost immaterial tight draw led to a notch below perfect draw. No real complaints here.

Overall

This is another standard and typical offering from General Cigar. It’s nothing to rave about nor be disappointed about. The flavor by itself was average to good, but the paper note did not meld well with the other notes. Further, at almost $9 for a Rothschild, it’s a bit steep for the flavors provided. I say if you want to try this cigar, perhaps purchase it at a discount.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.00

Cost/Point

$1.70

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.54

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Partagas Heritage Rothschild