Bolívar Tubos No.3 MSU ENE 20 (DDRW)

[Bijan]

My first time smoking the discontinued Placeras vitola.

Cigar is well over the official weight of 5.27g, weighing in at 6.8g. I use a 7mm punch cut and then some moderate use of perfecdraw to get a better draw.

This cigar was interesting in that the first half was very pungent and the second half was quite mild. I find it's often the case that the pungent pepper dials back as the cigar progresses but usually it doesn't keep getting milder as you near the end.

Cold draw of mustiness and moss that you sometimes get with tubos.

First third: lights up with earthy flavour and cayenne pepper on the retrohale. More cayenne on the draw. Very pungent on the retrohale. A lot of punch. Oddly at the end of the first third it gets a bit of sweetness and vanilla with the spiciness. A foreshadowing of things to come.

Second third: starts out with spicy cinnamon and some light baking spices. Cinnamon and some cloves on the retrohale. Light nutmeg and cloves. Some leather at times. By the middle of the second third, the pungent flavours go away and it is tea, and then tea and mint. Some vanilla comes back quite distinctly as vanilla.

Final third: vanilla and then sweet flan, with mint. Continues like this until the end.

38 minute smoke time (and I wasn't taking my time).

[sho671]

What makes you think these were discontinued? They’re up for sale on today’s 24:24 with a MAR20 date.

[Bijan]

4 minutes ago, sho671 said:

What makes you think these were discontinued? They’re up for sale on today’s 24:24 with a MAR20 date.

Good point! They were officially discontinued last year in 2019:

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/bolivar#bolivar-tubos-no3

But there are at least two other discontinued cigars that are still produced (or were produced for years after they were officially discontinued).

Fonseca No. 1 and Cuaba Tradicionales. It is yet to be seen if the Bolivar Tubos No. 3 will be like those or if it is slowly dying. Based on prices and availability I would think it's going away, but the 2020 box codes make it seem like it's here to stay. Time will tell!

[sho671]

6 minutes ago, Bijan said:

Good point! They were officially discontinued last year in 2019:

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/bolivar#bolivar-tubos-no3

But there are at least two other discontinued cigars that are still produced (or were produced for years after they were officially discontinued).

Fonseca No. 1 and Cuaba Tradicionales. It is yet to be seen if the Bolivar Tubos No. 3 will be like those or if it is slowly dying. Based on prices and availability I would think it's going away, but the 2020 box codes make it seem like it's here to stay. Time will tell!

Interesting. Discontinued but still in current production.

[Fugu]

11 hours ago, Bijan said:

This cigar was interesting in that the first half was very pungent and the second half was quite mild. I find it's often the case that the pungent pepper dials back as the cigar progresses but usually it doesn't keep getting milder as you near the end.

That’s probably because you broached out part of the Ligero, head-end. ?

Now, nailing review and I think you captured nicely the complex nature of that cigar. Though yours seem to be missing that damp forest floor aspect (moss perhaps, which you describe for the cold draw) which I am digging in these. But I’d be very careful with using a poker in cigars of such slender girth.

[Bijan]

4 hours ago, Fugu said:

That’s probably because you broached out part of the Ligero, head-end. ?

Now, nailing review and I think you captured nicely the complex nature of that cigar. Though yours seem to be missing that damp forest floor aspect (moss perhaps, which you describe for the cold draw) which I am digging in these. But I’d be very careful with using a poker in cigars of such slender girth.

Hahaha! Makes sense now.

I've actually used the perfecdraw as far as it will go on a PLMC with no ill effect but that's not a complex cigar. 

On an entreactos I'll only use it half an inch in to fix tightness at the foot.

So far I was mainly worried about the tool going in at a slight angle and poking through the wrapper.

[Nino]

@Bijan Thanks for this excellent review - I have smoked these and was always satisfied, so today it just so happened that my local LCDH had some aged boxes on sale from 2015 and I was quick enough to get one.

Happy camper ?

[Bijan]

@Fugu I smoked another one today without defiling it with the perfecdraw and the pungent cayenne was there longer. It wasn't as strong at any point and didn't really come in until 5-6 minutes into the cigar. Got mainly earth and some sweet flavour in the first 5-6 minutes. And I did get the same tea flavour in the middle, but along with spiciness. You're right that I must have dug out the ligero on the bottom half of the cigar with the perfecdraw the first time around.

[NSXCIGAR]

I'm seeing these as late as MAR 20, so 50/50 at this point whether they'll be cut. 

I've said this before--if the BT3 were cheaper I'd buy them all the time. I wish they came in 25s. Great, unique little cigar.

[Fugu]

4 hours ago, Bijan said:

@Fugu I smoked another one today without defiling it with the perfecdraw

Haha, good on you, Bijan! ??

One also has to be aware of the circumstance that these slim formats are often meant to draw that way, in particular initially when young. They may losen up a bit with age. Also don‘t let yourself be fooled by the cold draw of these things. Often enough the draw turns out to be fine after lighting up. Always better to adjust the smoking technique than trying to “fix” the draw in these formats, if you ask me.

All that being said, the Boli T3 is a great small smoke, a personal favourite, which I particularly like for its usually snugger draw making for a cool, extended smoke. For me, there is value, a little gem in a tubo.

Those are very young samples for a Boli T3 that you smoked there. These tend to be moister when taken fresh from the tubo. So what may also aid in a more open draw if you prefer that, is keeping them out of the tube for a few days prior to smoking and perhaps dryboxing them as well. Also aids in dissipating any accumulated ammonia in a stick of that age.

[NSXCIGAR]

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

perhaps dryboxing them as well.

Definitely. These are no doubt all seco and even though HSA claims no ligero in <38 RG the BT3 might be the exception. Point is, hygroscopic leaf. 

[Fugu]

9 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Definitely. These are no doubt all seco and even though HSA claims no ligero in <38 RG the BT3 might be the exception. Point is, hygroscopic leaf. 

Yep, agree. While not sure about the Ligero statement (but who could ?) and if what’s used in the T3 would strictly classify. But most certainly some higher-up / higher-fortaleza leaf.

[GVan]

I have not been paying attention and didn't know these are being discontinued.  Generally, love all things Boli - got to get some before they are gone.

[BuzzArd]

On 11/22/2020 at 7:05 PM, GVan said:

I have not been paying attention and didn't know these are being discontinued.  Generally, love all things Boli - got to get some before they are gone.

 

7 hours ago, VKUTT said:

About a year ago I was fortunate enough to grab a 10er of No. 1 Tubos from 2015, and they were exceptional. Never had 2s or 3s...may have to check them out. 

CHEERS?

While the T1’s and T3’s used to be everywhere they’re almost non existent now.  Since T3 was D/C more recently they do pop up. Rob had some T3 up last week I think, but the prices indicate the stocks are low or supply dwindling.  Used to pick both up frequently and fortunately have a supply of each, but sure miss seeing them with a high degree of regularity. 
 

A buddy came over last weekend and we each had a 2015 T1 and both remarked it was probably as close to a perfect cigar as either of us has ever had.   I’d planned a D/C cigar review but don’t recall getting around tuit ??‍♂️