Theme Week 21 = Partagás
I have always liked Partagás cigars, particularly the Partagás Black Label, which originally had a very oily Oscuro (totally black) wrapper, yet was as smooth a cigar as any I have ever enjoyed. I still have thirteen of these that are well over 12 years old. This has been a smoke I enjoy on special occasions.

Most of my Partagás pre-date the label change that occurred some years ago, yet I am sure the modern versions of these cigars are equally delightful. I have noticed that the Heritage cigars are very similar to the original Serie D, and although they are not exactly the same, they are quite tasty as well.

History
For those who may be interested in honest history, and to show proper respect for the original family that poured their lives for over 90 years into creating the Partagás brand before it was stolen: In 1831, Jaime Partagás arrived in Cuba at age 14 from Arenys de Mar, Spain, with dreams of making his fortune and fourteen years later opened the Real Fabricas de Tobaco Partagas, or Partagás Royal Tobacco Factory, with his wife. Then in 1868, Jaime Partagás died mysteriously on one of his tobacco plantations, while his family continued the business. A few years later in 1871, Jose Partagás introduced a patented design and trademark for the cigar boxes to prevent counterfeit cigars, a very early example of the need for brand protection measures. Then in 1900, Ramón Cifuentes took ownership of the company with another partner.

Unfortunately in 1960, the Cuban Communists stole everything and nationalized the factory. The real owners' 92 years of blood, sweat, and tears poured into building such a fine company was suddenly totally confiscated by the murderous communist thieves who then suggested Cifuentes run "their" operations of what used to be his property and company with all the profit going to the murderous thieves, but he refused and fled Cuba.

The real Partagás company remained defunct until 1978, when Ramón Cifuentes Toriello relaunched the real Partagás company as a non-Cuban brand with the assistance of the General Cigar Company. Since then, there have been both the pretend Cuban company versions and the real company (originally Jamaican, then moving to the Dominican Republic) Partagás cigars. The Cuban version is produced under a pretended label of Partagás for the Communist entity that controls Cuba's confiscated properties, Habanos SA, while the legitimate company's Dominican version is now produced under the umbrella of the General Cigar Company.

NOTE TO ANYONE WANTING TO 'BITCH' ABOUT THIS POST: While I know some have blatantly expressed total disregard for what happened to so many families that poured their lives into building a multi-generational business, I personally always want to recognize those who conceive and create something successful after decades of hard work, and I want to honor them for building something amazing for their progeny and sympathize when they have it all stolen by evil murderous thieves. To anyone who will bitch about my truthfully recounting the history of Partagás, I hope you will simply be thankful you live in a country that is still free enough today for you to callously belittle the tragedies other families have suffered at the hands of murderers and thieves, and maybe even be thankful you have not had to endure the torture and murder of your families nor the theft of everything you worked your whole life to achieve.