Partagas Salomones

Lighting this cigar requires patience because of the tapered foot. You have to toast that small nipple carefully to avoid scorching the wrapper. The initial draw feels tight, which is normal for this shape, and the smoke output starts thin. You immediately get a concentrated blast of cedar and a very specific sourdough note that Partagas fans hunt for. It is not aggressive yet, but you can taste the strength lurking behind the woodiness. As the burn line moves past the tapered foot and into the bulb, the draw suddenly opens up. The smoke volume triples. You get your first hit of heavy black pepper and raw leather.

Now that the cigar has reached its widest point at ring gauge 57, the blend is firing on all cylinders. The temperature of the smoke cools down significantly, allowing you to pick up dense earthy flavors. It tastes like damp soil and old wood. There is a meaty quality here, almost like charred steak fat or savory umami, that coats the entire palate. The pepper from the start settles down into a dull roar, sitting at the back of the throat while the earthiness takes center stage. This is a full-bodied smoke, and you start to feel the nicotine settling in your chest.

The taper begins again towards the head, and this physical change concentrates the flavors once more. The intensity ramps up to a level that might make a novice smoker dizzy. You get dark roasted espresso beans and a return of that sharp spice, now resembling cayenne or paprika. The earthiness turns drier, more like minerals or graphite. Despite the narrowing shape, the cigar usually stays cool if you pace yourself. It finishes with a long, heavy aftertaste of tobacco and leather that sticks around for hours after you put the nub down.

Don Jaime Partagas founded this brand in 1845, and he was as intense as the cigars that bear his name. He spent years buying up the best plantations in the Vuelta Abajo region because he knew that great tobacco starts in the ground, not the factory. The brand is legendary for its "Partagas funk," a distinct earthy quality that no other Cuban house seems to replicate perfectly. This specific Salomones vitola is an exclusive release for La Casa del Habano franchises. It resurrects a 19th-century shape that was largely abandoned because it is incredibly difficult to roll. Only the highest-grade rollers in the factory are allowed to touch the Salomones molds.

This is strictly for the experienced enthusiast who wants to dedicate an entire evening to a cigar. It is too strong and too complex for a morning smoke or a quick break. Light this up after a heavy steak dinner when you have two hours to sit still and pay attention to how the changing ring gauge alters the flavor.