I was fortunate enough to taste a few of these at this year’s RTDA in Las Vegas. Long story short, it blew me away. In my mind, it was the best release at the show, and I’ve been waiting to receive our shipment ever since, ready to make an employee purchase. It finally hit the docks about 3 weeks ago - the card was swiped, and I was puffing away by 5PM that same night.

I’ve never been a big fan of Partagas. To be honest, the only one I’ve ever truly enjoyed has been the Serie D #4. Because of this, I was hoping the official release of the Cifuentes Seasonal Blends would be as good as those tasty samplers. Let me tell you, they are. Actually, I think they might be better. Loaded with rich, spicy flavors and backed by a punch that’ll knock you out cold if you’re not ready for it. This is my kind of smoke. A slightly pressed, densely packed cigar that’s dark, bulky, and burns like a dream. It’s too strong to become part of my ‘every day list’, but I can easily find time to smoke one once a week, preferably after a tough day or a big meal. I’d like to thank Daniel Nunez and Benji Menendez for creating a legal Partagas that’s right up my alley!

note: this Staff Review was written in November of 2005, when the Partagas Cifuentes was originally released.