If that headline has you confused, I can assure you that the Partagas Valle Verde Robusto I smoked this weekend was “green” in name, band color, and boxes only. This full-production line actually marks the first Partagas cigar to wear a Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The four vitola selection is named for the “Green Valley” region in Mexico where the cooler climate, longer rainy season, and nutrient-rich volcanic soil make for some tasty wrapper tobacco. The wrapper also has three years of aging on it as do the Mexican and Nicaraguan filler leaves. And because a Partagas just ain’t a Partagas without its traditional Cameroon leaf, they used a 2015-vintage Cameroon binder to keep the legacy alive.
Factory: H.A.T.S.A. – Danlí, Honduras
Size: 5”x 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés (v.2020)
Binder: Sungrown Cameroon (v.2015)
Filler: Mexican San Andrés, Nicaraguan Jalapa Esteli (v.2020)
Presented in boxes of 20
This Robusto was very well-made with a darkish wrapper that’s slightly mottled in color, a bit oily and a little toothy. The rolling and cap were textbook and the cigar had a nice firmness. After cutting, the draw was just right and offered a mostly nutty and mellow flavor.
Once lit, this robusto began with a mellow creaminess and a slightly nutty taste. A hint of hazelnut and a trace of pepper followed. As the cigar settled-in the flavors brightened-up and each puff was well-balanced. Transitioning to medium-plus further along, the flavors became more vivid, underscored by some natural sweetness, while retrohales were mild and peppery.
Baking spices, nutmeg, and a hint of clove take a bow at the midpoint. A darker character emerged as the body shifted to medium-full. Mild sweetness was met with a note of leather. Retrohales then had charred woody notes and milder pepper.
In the final inches body and strength were running on full, but the smoke remained smooth and flavorful to just under an inch for me.
This Partagas Valle Verde Robusto really delivered the goods for me. It had everything going for it: fullness of flavor, great balance, and complexity. I didn’t expect it to be full-bodied, but it was full in the best possible sense; ultra smooth, understated at times, and vividly flavorful. Moreover, it lives up to the Partagas tradition of rich, top-flight blends. It could be a little challenging for newer cigar smokers, but if you’re into more refined blends with some cojones this one’s for you and I’m ready for another. Overall, I think Partagas has a real hit here, but only time will tell.
If you’ve had a session with this cigar, please share your thoughts with a comment.
Executive Editor
Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.
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