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Old 04-28-2008, 06:02 AM   #1
Nekotaku
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Posts: 220
Private Stock panatella , 6+ years age

It takes some things to turn you into a believer. Some folks might love cigars in general from the very first try, but more likely it takes a couple of sticks before you get that "click" and start to comprehend them. I wasn't convinced Dominicans could get anywhere near Cuban quality until I tried a Fuente. This cigar proved to be another such experience... it taught me the value of aging.
Buying cigars as singles since I lack a humidor, aging is an aspect I'm not familiar with. On occasions I had a cigar that had spent quite a few years at a shop, but always did they prove quite bland and had lost power rather than gained complexity. Today I picked up a PS panatella on a whim, for some distraction whilst studying in a park. The brand is a favourite of mine during the spring season. Since the price on the tax band was in Belgian franks rather than euros, it had to be at least 6 years old, so I wasn't expecting too much. How wrong that proved to be. It wouldn't be long before the formulas in my book lost my focus.
The wrapper was slightly darker than usual, and had a matte, velvety structure. Whether that's the result of aging or due to the tobacco used at the time of production is hard to tell, but it was pleasant on the eyes and touch. An unlit taste quickly convinced me this stick wouldn't lack power. Upon lighting, five seconds was all I needed to realise that this thing had only improved with age. PS cigars usually have a typical Dominican flavour of dry hay with caramel resulting from the Connecticut wrapper. Only here the caramel had gone from something uncomplicated to a deep flavour of mature sweetness, with a touch of cream. The hay wasn't the sort that had just been cut and laid to dry in the sun but profound and complex, barley ripened to perfection for the production of a great beer, an aroma of the finest mocha being the result. All through this were some faint hints of leather.
Initially I had been worried about the humidity level, but lately I've come to realise that Dominican cigars benefit from a much lower humidity than Cubans. It was perfect, as was the draw and burn. The usual acidity of the young Private Stock was gone, replaced with a strength that tingled in the nose rather than burn the throat or tongue. The smoke had a pleasant, somewhat raspy texture. It's hard to put to words, although you'll probably understand what I mean when you imagine raspberries... I've come across it in red wine and a Belicoso Fino as well.
Fleeing from oncoming rain I finished this in my room. Impossible to put down, it was smoked to the nub. Past the halfway point the flavours from the first half had all fused into one, making for a great balance. Rather than increasing in power, it only became smoother and never reached a turning point. With a good 50 minutes this was one of the most satisfying smokes I've had in weeks.

Sometimes one starts to doubt his own observations or cigar smoking in general... Are you really tasting what others described? Does aging make for such a huge difference? That last question has been answered affirmatively for me now. There's some more at the shop, proving that people don't seem very interested in these. All the better for me, because I'm gonna smoke every last one of them. Private Stock is a humble brand, but the reliable construction and cheerful price lift it several levels higher. I doubt no more: aging a couple of years can turn a reasonable cigar into a little treasure. Now I just need to see what it does for an Avo XO or Fuente.
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"I drink, I smoke one cigar after the other and I sleep very little. That's why I'm always 200% in shape."
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