Bolivar Gold Medal TEB JUL 07 (BWRC)

[leafdream54]

 

Pre-light - perfect draw, tastes of light cedar & earthiness

1/3  - the cigar opens up with the first few puffs very non-descript (uh-oh?), but then transitions quickly into hints of earth and cocoa, and then transitions quickly again into a delicious deep earthiness/cocoa, with ample amounts of smoke.

2/3 -  the earthiness is dominant in forefront for a few puffs, then slowly becomes very blended and balanced with the cocoa with the addition of toasty note. I find myself wanting the earthiness to come back to the forefront, as it's such a great Bolivar flavor characteristic that I love in this marca.  The ash takes on a look like a stack of dimes, which is interesting as I don't notice it as much in a lot of recent cigars that I've smoked.  The good flavors become very gentle and fleeting, and I'm trying to smoke this as slowly as possible.   I find that if I puff this cigar even a little too quickly, it becomes quickly bitter, almost acrid..it's demanding that I smoke it slowly - lol.

3/3 - the last third is still has very blended flavors with sporadic hints of the nice earthiness still gently coming forward and a very light hint of dark honey shows up..and then I have a brief flavor epiphony - I've never been able to put my finger on the very best examples of Bolivar flavors that i have liked so much over the years - it's the earthiness, coffee, toast and a hint of dark honey (which blends those other flavors so well together and takes it over the top.).  The dark honey is soon gone back into the blend, and for one brief puff I actually taste a caramel note.  As quickly as that came, it was gone, and the cigar slowly became stronger, darker and more muted.

Conclusion - this was an excellent smoke.  I would rate it 9/10 - 93-94.  If hindsight is 20/20, I should have gone very deep on these when they were released. 

Total smoking time 90 mins.

[aphexafx]

Great review!  ?  Such an awesome cigar.  Wish I had grabbed a couple boxes when I could have as well.  ?

[JoeyBones777]

Nice review. I've never had one of these but love both Bolivar and lonsdales.

[JGD]

Man, I love the GM’s. I wish I had loaded up on them a few years back. What were they? $100 for a box of 10? I’ve seen them go for $500 a box on the secondary market now...

[Zigatoh]

They were available for as little as £45 though the exchange rate was better so probably $65-70. I bought a few. 

[yannis]

indeed they were great smokes! I had a box from 07, last one was smoked a couple of months ago, the evolution was fantastic, from all the box this last one -12 years matured- hits perfection, it was a 96+ cigar

 

[leafdream54]

I double checked the price I paid back in 2007 - they were $130 for a box of ten.

[Derboesekoenig]

27 minutes ago, leafdream54 said:

I double checked the price I paid back in 2007 - they were $130 for a box of ten.

CUC price in 2012 was 54

[leafdream54]

3 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

CUC price in 2012 was 54

I need to get to Cuba soon! 

[Derboesekoenig]

5 minutes ago, leafdream54 said:

I need to get to Cuba soon! 

LCDH are some of the best deals on the island. Though your choices are slim at the moment. Can get Libertador and some RAS. Maybe some Elegantes or Salomones but those seem to be slim pickings.