Aniversario 20 de la Casa del Habano Partagás

These were passed out at the 20th anniversary of the Partagas dinner in Cuba last year. There were two sizes. The rumor is that these were Cohiba Behikes. The one pictured is the larger of the two.

I got my hands on a couple of them and even smoked one during this past Super Bowl. Though it was definitely a premium cigar (construction and aroma were wonderful), it somehow did not measure up to the officially branded Behikes. Oh well.

Link: La Casa del Habano

Encuentro XV Amigos de Partagas – Nov. 2007 – Salomónes

Custom rolled Salomónes cigar made for the 15th Partagas (November 2007) Dinner in Cuba.

A buddy attended the 20th Anniversary dinner in 2012 and brought a bunch of these back. I had the pleasure to acquire a couple for personal consumption. I found it to be a very pleasurable experience – earthy and woody, and pretty refreshing (like a Cohiba Siglo VI almost). Curiously, no spice.

Cohiba Behike 52 – The Best Cigar in the World

Smoked this on New Year’s Eve in the Marina.

A buddy had brought a box of these over from Cuba some years ago. We were having a fantastic night ringing in the new year, and decided to cap it with this legendary cigar. It was wonderful.

For a great review on this, check out Cigar Inspector.

Partagás Serie D No. 4 – Classic Cuban

In production since the 1930s, Partagás Serie D No. 4 is hailed around the world, as one of the finest, if not the best robusto-sized cigar. In fact, it is one of my favorite smokes. Depending on my mood, I like to alternate between this and the Hoyo de Monterey Epicure No. 2.

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Montecristo # 4 – Che’s smoke

This is Cuban, and is vastly superior to the copycat put out by Altadis USA. The Montecristo No. 4 is a Mareva and is 5 ” in length and has a 42 ring gauge. It’s light, earthy cocoa sweet smoke makes it a very popular cigar. In fact, it’s the most sold from Habanos. And according to wikipedia, it was the preferred smoke of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

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Bolívar Gold Medal

Bolívar is one of the cigar brands that I keep stocked in my humidor; it is one of the stronger and more full bodied Cubans (great with coffee). They are, afterall, constructed at Partagas factory.

The brand itself was named after Simón Bolívar, whose claim to fame was liberating South America from Spanish rule.

These particular cigars, the Gold Medal, are La Casa del Habano exclusives and are such a treat to puff on (very earthy yet creamy). Having been discontinued in 1992, made exclusive to Germany in 2004, then reinstated in 2007, and again being discontinued in 2011, they fall into the “collectible” category.

After being gifted a cigar from a 2007 box to smoke during our own Independence Day, I was fortunate to acquire a couple of boxes.

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Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 cigars are my current, favorite smoke, hands down. Though acquiring them is a bit tricky (because they’re Cuban), my humidor is always stocked with them. These cigars are robustos, measuring 4.8 inches in length, and have a 50 ring gauge.

Every time I hold one, I spend a considerable amount of time admiring the construction and pre-light aroma. I’m hooked on the sweet, milk chocolate smell. It takes some self-restraint to not just eat them! Of course, they are always a pleasure to light, presenting additional sweetness, cool cedar notes, slight vanilla, and some nuttiness. The smoke is thick, yet very creamy and oily. Good for sunny days.

Cheers!

Cohiba Lancero

I was fortunate to acquire a box of one of the most elegant cigars in the world, Cohiba Lancero.

Long (7.6″) and skinny (38), these guys are famed for starting life as Fidel Castro’s personal smokes. Produced in 1964 and named in 1969. Up until the early 1980s, they were exclusively given as diplomatic gifts. It was not until 1984 when they were made available for public consumption.

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Partagas Serie D No. 4 Reserva

My GHR friend generously gave me this Cuban Partagas Serie D No. 4 Reserva. What makes this so special (from the already outstanding Serie D No. 4) is that the tobacco leaves were all harvested in 2000, and then aged for 3 years before being rolled and released in 2005. Doing the math, this guy sat and aged in my friend’s humidor for 7 years!

Limited to 5,000 boxes of 20 cigars, the street price in 2005 was $400 a box. A couple of years ago, at auction, a box went for $1410!

At about $70 a cigar, it was, needless to say, an AMAZING smoke.

Hanging Out.

Drinking port, puffing on cigars, and plotting the new world order.