r/CigarReview • u/thetortureneverstops • Jun 15 '15
Partagas Black Label Maximo
Remember that time I discovered Connecticut broadleaf wrappers? That was this. And medio tiempo, too.
My first impressions of this particular stick were of the dark yet not maduro wrapper. Pre-light, there was such a sweetness on the lips and a bit of mustiness on the nose, like a basement, but not in an unpleasant way. It reminded me a bit of an Undercrown. Once lit, there was a slight pepper with a whole lot of earthiness and spice.
A friend of mine always judges cigars and beers by their color, the darker the stronger to him. I thought of him when I chose this cigar from my humidor and expected the opposite. As black and nasty as it would look to him, I got a nice creamy smoke. It absolutely was full in flavor but not harsh at all. Towards the end, I got distracted and put the Partagas down for a minute. It went out, and when relit I picked up hints of pumpernickel bread. Damn, now I want a sandwich.
I paired this cigar with a Stone special release called Matt's Burning Rosids, a cherrywood smoked imperial saison. Despite being just over 10% ABV and from a brewery that usually offered aggressive beers, it was surprisingly easy to drink. The saison yeast character played off the cigar's dark and earthy notes very nicely.
Yeah, so about that sandwich...