Some Cuban cigars are so popular they become almost ubiquitous, and the Partagas D4 is one of them. The brand are found wherever Cuban cigars are sold, and the robusto vitola is true aficionado’s favourite. The current incarnation, with the individual Serie D No. 4 band, was released in 1975, but the format itself was already popular among Partagas devotees, having been available from the 1930s to the late 1960s. Most of today’s aficionados will list this among their top 5 cigars, many will have enjoyed it as their first Cuban smoke.
The 50 ring gauge by 4 ⅞″ robusto employed by the D4, and so many of its peers, will usually smoke for around 40-45 minutes. As Partagas is a full-strength brand, I will often keep it for later in the day, but that’s personal preference – this is a cigar that can be enjoyed anytime, as the vast majority of connoisseurs will attest.
Construction: 8/10
- The wrapper was neither slick nor oily, with a few prominent veins. The fill felt even all along, with no overly soft or hard patches.
Draw: 10/10
- Perfect draw, from start to finish.
Combustion: 10/10
- As with the draw, the combustion was flawless all the way through.
Ash: 4/5
- Not quite perfect, but very good. Fairly solid clumps of ash, and a patchy grey in colour.
- Rich, voluminous and fragrant. Beautiful aromatic clouds for the duration of the stick.
Flavour: 21/25
- Partagas is known for its richness and power, and this example delivered both. The progression from start to finish of a Partagas D4 is always a varied journey, delivering a fairly wide range of flavours, which plays a significant role in its popularity.
Overall: 31/35
- The Partagas D4 wasn’t my first cigar, but it certainly came early on in my smoking journey and was probably the first one I bought a full box of. I will admit that, these days, I am guilty of overlooking them when choosing what to smoke, purely as a result of having gone through so many in the past. I have fallen victim to my own curiosity about the unknown, and this review reminded me why I have always loved these regular production sticks so much. It’s time to go back to my go-to.
Final Score: 89/100
- There’s always something surprising to me about the way a D4 starts with so much sweetness. Everything about this cigar, even the matt-black-and-red tubos it is occasionally found in, appears rich and spicy, but the initial puffs bring with them notes of freshly mown hay. In a very short time these mature, first into gentle hints of fresh, warm bread, then a deeper earthiness, backed up by medium-roast espresso. This is all packed into just the first third; as I approach the middle of the cigar the richness builds even further. Leather aromas are now to the fore, and a gentle hint of black pepper creeps into the aftertaste. Spice replaces leather as the stick enters its final third, cinnamon and nutmeg as I draw the smoke and more warm black pepper lingering on the palette as I exhale it. These flavours are the prevailing memories, and I can’t wait for the next time I am to be surprised by that freshness at the beginning.