Initial Thoughts
According to Cigar World (General Cigar’s website that encompasses all their cigars) this Partagas 1845 Crystal is “the culmination of 167 years of expert cigar making.” If you’ve been around cigars at all for the past year or so then you’ve probably seen this cigar around. It had a huge marketing push in the middle of last year. I think Partagas launched this cigar at the IPCPR show in July. I have been wanting to try it for quite a long time and I figured why not kick off Partagas Review Week with it! So that’s exactly what we’re doing.
This cigar was blended by cigar expert Benji Menendez. It was created using proprietary and each was aged in Dominican rum barrels. Couldn’t be more perfect for a cigar and spirits website! I’m eager to hop into this cigar and get it smoking. I’ve been waiting a long time. So lets get to it!
Looks
I think this is one of the best packaging efforts the cigar industry has seen in a long time. I know the release is a couple of years old, but I’m still impressed with it. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the box that these cigars come in then you’re missing out.
First off, the band is was created to lay horizontal across the barrel of the cigar. This is something unique that I haven’t seen done in the industry yet. The band is quite detailed and has a black and gold eagle as the main focal point. The 1845 is prominently displayed below the eagle in an oval shape. Above and below the eagle there are 4 circled medallions that are too small to make out the detail of what they are. I’m sure it’s an homage to the past of the brand though.
I referenced the box of the Partagas 1845 Crystal earlier. To me, it’s marvelous. I love the horizontal layout of the box. It looks to hold 24 cigars in 2, 12 cigar rows. The top of the box is actually an etched plastic piece that has a clear row at the top so that the bands of the cigars are visible. Below that there is a clear etched section that displays the Partagas 1845 logo. For me this is a nice innovative take on packaging. Everytime I see it I’m blown away. I’m a big fan of the classic packaging, but lets face it, sometimes it can get old and boring. I like how Partagas is stepping up their game here.
The Ecuadoran wrapper on this Partagas 1845 Crystal is gorgeous as well. It’s a deep rich chocolate color with even darker veins running the length of the stick. The veins protrude a bit from the wrapper and give it a nice rustic looking texture, but offer a nice velvety touch to compliment it very well.
Because I’m smoking the Crystal, I think I have to mention that this cigar also comes in a glass tubo. Personally, I’m not a fan of the glass tubo. I think it adds some extra cost to the cigar and I would rather just have it in cello, but it does class it up a little bit I suppose. So I’m fine with it, just not personal choice for packaging. I think I’ve covered every aspect of the look of this cigar. Let’s get into some of the nuts and bolts.
Function
Looking up and down the barrel of this Ecuadoran wrapper I can see the veins rather easily as I mentioned above. However, I find it pretty difficult to find the seams. The foot of this Partagas 1845 Crystal appears to be nicely packed and ready to be set aflame.
Once I nipped the cap on this cigar I was testing the dry draw and it was fairly open. It wasn’t wide open which was good, but I had a feeling it would open up quite a bit once I got it lit and smoking. As I was testing the dry draw I used my other hand to feel for soft spots in the barrel. I couldn’t find any and I figured it was good to put the torch to it and get off to the races.
Smoking
I used the ole Xikar Stratosphere to make sure this cigar got a nice and toasted foot. I had one little problem area with the foot, but I got it straightened out rather quickly. For some reason one little piece just didn’t want to burn but I kept hitting it with the flame and it finally gave it like I knew it would.
The Partagas 1845 Crystal smoked wonderfully all the way through the first third. The burn line was nearly perfect and the ash was holding on for just about an inch. It had a wonderful burn lip to it and was leaving a beautiful ash in the wake. The great burn continued through the rest of the cigar. I didn’t have any problems until the final third. I was starting to get some tarry build up in the barrel and I had to purge the cigar. The air flow was also becoming slightly restrictive, however once I purged it everything was back to good and burning and drawing perfectly. It was a wonderful smoking experience from start to finish.
Flavor
I’m excited to really dive in and see what all these flavors have to offer on this Partagas 1845 Crystal. I’m interested if I can pick up on the rum barrel aging or if it’s just a novelty for the production of the cigar. During the pre light of the cigar I instantly pick up on some strong sweetness on the foot. It’s that nice sweet tobacco and molasses note that you get with pipe tobacco. It’s followed up by some hints of earth. I ran the barrel under my nose and the difference in aromas was undeniable. I picked up quickly on a nice cocoa note that was very dark and completely different from the original sweetness of the foot.
The first third was very mild once it got lit. The nutty earthy notes were prevalent and they were followed up those same cocoa notes I picked up on the wrapper. It ended with a nice dose of spice as well to really round out the flavor profile. The second third didn’t change too much. The spice began to pick up in the retrohale. It was a softer spice and not a hot spice, similar to a black pepper.
The final third carried on the tradition of the first two. Not much changed in terms of flavors of this cigar, but to be honest, I was never bored with it. I love consistency of flavors, but I don’t want to be bored by them. So this Partagas 1845 Crystal hit that right on the head. The same notes were prevalent throughout and to me that made it even more enjoyable.
Would I Buy It Again?
Absolutely.
Is It an Every Day Smoke?
I think it could be.
Would I Buy a Box?
Definitely. I’m not a box buying kind of guy, but this one could definitely occupy some space in my humi.
Conclusion
I was glad I waited on this Partagas 1845 Crystal, because I really enjoyed it and I think it lived up to its hype. I really enjoyed the balance this cigar offered, alongside the complexity. To me it was a really solid cigar that I could smoke over and over again. I know exactly what I’m going to get each time and it’ll never let me down.
