Partagas (Cuba) 8-9-8 Varnished

A good cigar from the get go, they get vastly better with age. Great burn, great flavor, beautiful to look at and smoke.

A great smoke all the way to the nub.

A well made cigar. Will improve with age.

I have had one or two with a bad draw, resulting in the lower rating for burn & ash, the good ones are solid 9

I have been smoking these for the past 15 years and it is a classic. Consistent and satisfying - needs to be aged at least 5 years. Very enjoyable...

Great smoke!The construction was superb. The burn and draw was excellent. The flavor was divine.

smoked one today from a box code GAS Mar08 after letting them sit for a few weeks. Not as strong flavor as a PSD4 or a Short which I find to be a bit intense. Really did enjoyed this one and I will bury these for a few years and see what will become of them.

This is one that I feel is a must for any humidor. Beautiful presentation & construction, (though with any longer hand made Cuban you run the risk of getting a tight draw now & again), smokes with a spicey earthy goodness that is the epitomy of Partagas. One of my all time favorites, this is definitely one to get lost in & it only gets better with age!

Like all Cubans these days, there is variability in construction. But a well-built 8-9-8 packs remarkably deep and earthy power into a lonsdale frame. It's an intoxicating smoke that keeps performing down to the nub. The burn is even, the smoke is dense and fragrant. Too strong to be an every day smoke, IMHO.

SVF DIC05 first try of these and they are very nice, spicy yet smooth with excellent draw and an hour long smoke. I'd call these refined, not over powering but with nice flavors. Would gladly be gifted with more anytime!

The reason I smoke cigars, every so often you come across a stick that you just get lost in, was gifted one from 98 and simply loved it. Enough to buy a box. 05's were not quite as good but the potential is definately there. Much better than the non-varnished IMO.

this is the epitome of a Cuban cigar. strong flavors throughout without any harshness. woody tastes throughout and some spice in there also. this is a fabulous cigar. highly recommend it. burn was great and the aroma !!! even my wife likes it and shes hates most cigars I smoke.

This is a step up from the Dominican Partagas. maybe 2 steps up. Like some of the other reviews, I had a slightly tight draw but it did not infringe on the amount smoke I got. I also tasted the musty wood at the start which was followed by toasted nutty flavor. then came the spice. The last third was very spicy. So much it will make your lips tingle. This is the epitomy of a Cuban cigar. Highly recommend you try one!!!! Price I paid may seem a little high but the cigars came from England .

I purchased a 10 count varnished box and upon opening was immediately hit with a mouth watering aroma. The presentation is beautiful- wrapped in a silk bow within wax paper. I almost wanted to put the bundle of cigars in a glass case humidor and never smoke them, they looked so nice. These had a box date from December '05 exactly one year from this month. After a few days in the humidor I couldn't wait and had to light one up. Since these had a year of aging on them they were actually just right.

It was more complex then I had expected for the ring size that this was. A comfortably firm draw, and some nutty, and even creamy flavors. The only down side was I had some uneven burn issues, but this could have been my fault for not letting them rest in my humidor for longer. This is a new favorite of mine!

I received this cigar as part of the monthly selection from The Canadian Cigar Club, several months ago. I finally decided to light this one and was greatly pleased. The construction was very good, with a slightly tight draw that did not prevent large amounts of smoke. The burn was sharp and the ash held for well over an inch. The flavor was a combination of spice and woods, with a very small amount of leather. Overall, this was a highly enjoyable cigar.

An excellent smoke. This particular stick from '99 (TDC CCUG) appeared to be wrapped with milk chocolate with a mild toothiness, to boot. Almost no noticeable veins and the traditional triple cap. Good construction without soft spots. Easy light. Slightly firm draw. Uneven burn in the first third that required one correction, but then evened out throughout the remainder of the stick. Gray-black ash. Started with musty wood, which eased its way into honeyed tobacco, mild spice, mild peppercorn, worn leather, and cream in the first third. The middle third brought notes of oak, chestnut, leather, and a slight tannic quality which betrayed its age. There was also a noticeable increase in flavor at this point. In the last third, toast, spice, and mild earth were painted on a woodsy backdrop. I had thought I also tasted seared flesh, but soon realized that I was done with the cigar and, indeed, it was my fingers. 😉 All in all, this one hour 15 minute medium-bodied, smooth, complex smoke was very enjoyable. Aside from the burn issues in the first third that detracted somewhat from the experience, the remainder of the cigar was a delight. Paired well with Ron Matusalem rum.

Tried a 2000 tonight, a good smoke with a razor sharp burn, lush smoke filled draw, and the Partagas flavor profile. Just hard to live up to the 1998 I smoked last month, but still a winner.

1998 8-9-8 was about the smoothest, most flavorful Cuban I have smoked to date. A richness and complexity seldom seen. I hope the more recent vintage age this nicely.

Recent ptoduction, not at all plugged, if anything underfilled. Burn required some work in first third but was tamed. Nice Partagas flavors, black ash, good draw but became quite soft when it warmed up. Loved the flavor.

PURCHASED BOX OF VARNISHED 898'S AND LONSDALES..SAME SMOKE LUCKILY SAME PRICE....TIGHT WRAP BUT THE SMOOTH TASTY SMOKE ONLY PARTAGAS SMOKERS WILL ALWAY REMEMBER.........NEEDS TIME IN HUMIDOR......

A dalia, this cigar always needs plenty of aging. If you can afford them, and then pack away for a year or two, you will discover a deeply rich leathery and well-balanced Partagas. Some are too tightly rolled.

Good Partagas flavor but construction spoiled the experience. Slightly uneven burn and tight draw.

An excellent earthy medium bodied cigar. I've smoked from three boxes - all 1998's. Every one has been tasty, but I've preferred the lighter colored claro wrappers. The only problem was a few with tight draws.

This one came from May 2001. What a bummer! Great looking cigar with a nice oily sheen wrapper, enticingly smelling pre lit tobacco, but then I lit it up and God damn it! Firm draw all the way through - vein popper.
Though had a great taste and flavor reminiscent of Series D#4, but the draw killed all the fun.

A great flavour but terrible construction - only one out of the box so far has smoked with anything like a decent draw. Shame, a lovely cigar in every other way.

Great tasting inexpensive cigar. Burned well and left a pleasant aftertaste. Medium to full bodied strength.

Wonderful cigar. Not a bad one in the box I bought.