Bolivar Gold Medal AGO 09 ... review

[frenchkiwi]

Time to celebrate my baby boy's first blood nose, displaced front tooth, and swollen upper lip. Enough blood to get the ref to stop the fight and declare a TKO. No it wasn't me... he tripped and hit the concrete floor head first at the hardware store whilst clutching a rock in his hands. At least his mother's new outfit was on hand to absorb most of the claret. Cunning plan to get dad to shell out for a cuddly tiger ;-)

Anyways, i light it up in time to watch the first exchanges of a Crusaders - Waratahs game in which many deaths from many disasters are being avenged. My condolences to the 'Tahs. This dark, thick, oily wrappered Gold Medal gets straight into its stride with screeds of honey, cinnamon, and light earth. There is a touch of light peachiness. Smooth, smooth, smooth, with perhaps just a hint of capsicum round the edges. The slight earthiness is the only Bolivar hallmark present. Very much on the light side of medium body. I was expecting much heavier. There is no spice at all, even on the retrohale.

It quickly gets peachier and peachier... almost as peachy as Fruean's 360 pirouette intercept try. The honey sweet stonefruit reminds me of a Ramon Allones but approaches peach schnapps intensity. My only complaint is that there is not much depth, richness, or complexity of flavour. All the hallmarks of a young cigar. You can suck on it with the same greed as an all blacks prop eyeing up Al Baxter before scrumdown... no fear of reprisals.

The draw is almost too loose... the smoke flowing like an icelandic ash cloud. Hey ya Fulla you're cool. The wrapper leaf is doing a lot of the work flavourwise. I'm not sure if the blend has the required richness to grow with age... maybe. Capsicum and wood come in a bit in the last third, by which point it's almost a welcome relief.

Overall this was a very pleasant, easygoing, enjoyable cigar, that keeps on giving. Did I mention the peach? Remarkably smooth, huge flavour, without any great depth or intrigue. Disappointing if you're expecting big spice and/or heavy earth, PC or Belicoso Fino style. Early days but with uncertain potential I would smoke them now before they turn to pure capsicum. No drinks required, but if you do indulge, it might pay to make it crisp to offset the sweetness (e.g. champagne or martini bianco?).

p.s. all the boys in my cigar tasting club smoked these soon after this review and agreed - big honey peachy flavours, not particularly bolivaresque, and surprisingly enjoyable considering its immaturity.

[CaptainQuintero]

Very nice review!

I've mostly avoided Bolivar becase I'm not overly keen on strong leather so this is a nice change, might have to pick some up to try!

[adriftpanda]

One of the few Bolis I care for.

[MrGlass]

Nice review. To date I haven't been a huge fan of nearly all of the Bolivar's I've tried, but this actually sounds quite appealing. You've encouraged me to give it a chance at least.

[nick17]

Nice revew

i love the gold medal its strong but not like a kick in the face and yet smooth it has the classical bolivar taste but more its hard to explain what but you know what im talking about if you have smoked on i think i might have to smoke one of these this weekend I'll have to see what i feel like when i get to LCDH on saturday

[#2 man]

Thanks for that great review

[bassman]

I normally love Bolivars, but the Gold Medals so far have been nothing more than an average cigar for me. Much rather smoke an Inmensa or Corona Gigante for a larger sized Bolivar.

[Orion21]

Great review!

My experience with the 2009 BRC's is that there is a lot of sweetness, but much more depth and spice than you outlined here. I think the 2009 Bolivars are epic cigars.