Bolivar Gold Medal - PBS JUL 08 (S46RW)

[Sir Diggamus]

This cigar is a beautiful Lonsdale that has the aroma of cedar and a little barnyard before lighting. Construction on this cigar is close to flawless. The dry draw seems a little loose but not in wind tunnel territory. Here we go! 

After I light the cigar the first few puffs are that rustic spice you get with aged Havana cigars and a little creamy note. It it very pleasant, but very one note. Close to an inch in and I begin to wonder if this one has gone around the bend because the same spice persists with no change. Slowly a coffee note joins in about an inch and a half into the cigar. 

Entering into the 2/3 a cocoa note begins to appear now making the profile like a mocha latte with about half the cream. The spice notes are still present on the retrohale and finish. The draw is better than I initially anticipated, producing a good amount of smoke with little effort. This allows me to "sip" the cigar and take my time. Finally a little of the Bolivar earthiness appears and brings a little oomph with it. The cigar was mild in body until now but moves more into the medium territory. The earthy note becomes much more central, by the end of the 2/3 coating my tongue rich earth and leaving a cooca and coffee finish at the edges. 

The last third goes on much like the end of the 2/3 but with a black cherry/blackberry note mixing into the finish with the coffee and cocoa. 

This was a great cigar! The opening and mildness make me think it may be time to smoke the last couple I have, it seems these could be receding. The last couple of these I enjoyed had the rich earthiness throughout that seemed to take some time to awaken with this particular cigar. 

93 Points