Cigar Review: Partagas Black Maximo

Image provided by Stogie Fresh

I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of General cigars. There’s just something about their cigars that don’t sit right with me. I’ve got a few that I like though and one of them that’s been pretty consistent for me is the Partagas Black line of cigars. I’m a big fan of the Clasico size and just happened to have the 6×50 Maximo, so I thought I’d give it a try.

Appearance: Okay, these things are dark and oily. The only problem I have is that I suspect their painted. Now, I don’t know how, but I just don’t think these things get this dark naturally. I’ve had problems in the past with the color coming off on my fingers while holding them, which luckily, didn’t happen this time. And talk about veins. You’d think this thing just juiced up and came from the gym the way the veins were sticking out. Overall, though, this was still a pretty good looking cigar that had me amped up.

Taste: And then I smoked it. Eh, well, it was tobacco. There was some hint of the regular coffee and cocoa that I usually get with the Black line, but it was diminished. It was also hidden by a bitter aftertaste that stayed throughout the smoke. Most of all, though, it tasted like straight tobacco. Which may or may not be a bad thing depending on your likes.

Aroma: This is where the cigar started me out so great. Talk about chocolatey smells! It was almost like holding a Hershey bar. Definitely a pungent, but not unpleasant, aroma that had me salivating to light it up. The smoke was light and pleasant too.

Construction: I don’t hold much hope for General cigars when it comes to construction. This one was no different. The roll was inconsistent when squeezed and looking at the foot you could see an uneven bunch. The ragged burn and inability to stay lit for long periods of time confirmed my suspicions. Definite thumbs down here.

Overall: Well, it definitely didn’t live up to my expectations, but I can’t say that it was a dud either. I’ll say it’s less than average though. Again, I never hold high hopes for General cigars and except for some never think they’re worth the money. Add in the fact that there are rumors (confirmed by people I know in the industry) that General unnaturally speeds up the aging process of the leaf, and, well… it’s to be expected that their sticks just don’t hold up to my expectations. Take that for what it’s worth…

Cigar Rating:

Note: I’d just like to take a moment to thank my friend, Doc Stogie, at Stogie Fresh for providing these awesome digital images of cigar bands. If you’ve noticed how great they look, check them out at Doc’s site. He provides them for your use and allows you to download them. Stop by and let him know you were there.

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1. 

   Matt says:

   May 30, 2008 at 8:29 pm

   I’ve only smoked a few Partagas Blacks, but my experience has always been similar to yours or worse. I’ve given up on them at this point. I’ve given up on pretty much all of the NC Partagas at this point. Good review even given the subpar performance of the cigar. I look forward to seeing the results of the remodel. I’m glad to see you pback and actively posting again.

   -Matt
   Matt’s Cigar Journal