It's All In The Wrapper
One of our favorite cigars—which we sadly didn't get to review before being discontinued—is the CAO Osa Sol. It was the first CAO line fully conceptualized by the General Cigar team following their takeover, and a lot was riding on it. Luckily, it turned out to be one of the best cigars ever released under the brand. Six or so years later, we’re still enchanted by its ability to deliver big flavor and subtle nuance, while remaining remarkably mild in terms of strength.
The new Partagas Heritage is also under the General Cigar umbrella, and it also sports a wrapper grown in the Olancho, San Agustin (OSA, get it?) valley of Honduras. And we’ll be damned if the experience isn’t different, but very similar. If you’re one of those who believe the wrapper accounts for the majority of a cigar’s flavor and aroma, here’s more proof.
The Partagas comes right out of the gate with lots of flavor: earthiness and wood, balanced by bakery sweets. There’s plentiful smooth, mouth-filling smoke but precious little excess strength. While it lacks the delicacy of some of the CAO Osa’s tea and floral character, it’s still an appealing smoke.
Appearance-wise, it’s a bit of a bruiser: a thick, chunky log of a cigar that’s not notably elegant (especially the cap) but manages to convey a rustic charm thanks in part to its handsome wrapper color. Prices are in the $8-$10 range, which puts it right around average. All in all, an ideal midday smoke for those who want something more than a Macanudo but not so heady as to make for a dizzy afternoon back at the office.
We hope General Cigar continues to find more uses for Olancho wrapper, because it’s clearly special stuff.
The Partagas comes right out of the gate with lots of flavor: earthiness and wood, balanced by bakery sweets. There’s plentiful smooth, mouth-filling smoke but precious little excess strength. While it lacks the delicacy of some of the CAO Osa’s tea and floral character, it’s still an appealing smoke.
Appearance-wise, it’s a bit of a bruiser: a thick, chunky log of a cigar that’s not notably elegant (especially the cap) but manages to convey a rustic charm thanks in part to its handsome wrapper color. Prices are in the $8-$10 range, which puts it right around average. All in all, an ideal midday smoke for those who want something more than a Macanudo but not so heady as to make for a dizzy afternoon back at the office.
We hope General Cigar continues to find more uses for Olancho wrapper, because it’s clearly special stuff.
THE DETAILS | THE VERDICT |
| 5.5" x 52 Dominican Republic W: Honduras B: CT Broadleaf Maduro F: Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico $8.99 | CLASSIC EXCELLENT VERY GOOD GOOD ---------------------- SMOKE/HOLD |
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