What is the lightest Bolivar?

[Montezüma]

I tried a Bolivar many years ago and ended up with a slap in the face and a mild headache. I feel like its the Lagavulin of Habanos, not for the faint-hearted. But is there such a thing as a lighter Bolivar? Both in strength and intensity but perhaps more focused on lesser strength than the latter because I don't usually mind full flavour. Its the only marca that I really struggle with, one that I always avoid when choosing. I think the strongest cigar I have ever had was a Padron 1926, one that I enjoyed throughout although it was overwhelming. I remember having a Cohiba Maduro 5 that also had me light-headed but it was a marvellous cigar that I was able to finish.

What was the strongest cigar you have had? How does it compare to a Bolivar? 

Maybe there is a lighter Bolivar that exists in RE or LCDH?

[sbsbsb1]

I've always enjoyed the BRC. I notice no uptick in strength vs other CC Robustos.

[Islandboy]

Not light in size, but I find Libertador has a very creamy profile compared to other Bolivars.

[Lucas Buck]

I will echo the BRC as a milder Boli. The Tubos from "09 I’ve been smoking are stunning and I am not a Bolivar fan in general. 

[SCgarman]

Bolivar Royal Coronas, and Bolivar Petit Coronas are mild/medium with several years of age on them. Apparently the Bolivar of old "powerhouse" is a thing of the past. None have the strength compared to a 1926 Padron.

[BlueWS]

I have a 2023 box of BBFs, not strong at all. I dislike powerhouse cigars and can't ever smoke a full maduro. BBFs are lovely. I like the format and I like how simple they are. Maybe they get more complex as they age? As others have said in prior posts, Bolivar changed the blend pre-Covid or thereabouts. The only Cuban to give me a buzz was a 6 month old Monte Petit Edmundo. I'm not overly sensitive, but that sucker was strong for Cubans out of the 40 different blends I've recently tried. I can't even get 5min in on a My Father 1922 Le Bijou by comparison. That cigar put me on my ass and gave me the sweats 😰

[Darco]

Bolivar is not meant to be smoked fresh, it evolves to something else after few years. Some people like the roughness of a young Bolivar (or any other marca for that matter).

Of the regular production, I think Royal Corona is the lightest. I have tried the new EL 2021 and found it the lightest Bolivar I have ever tried. 

[batwick]

In the whole line up, Royal Coronas seems the mildest to me but still strong enough. 

[El Presidente]

Charles? 

 

Chas_Alpha is the expert in this realm. 

 

BRC for me. Light-medium but rich. 

[tbabes]

I’ll echo the BRC…when I first began dabbling in Cuban cigars, I expected it to be more along the lines of the BBF, and was quite surprised!

[Luca]

The "lightest" Bolivar I have every had was a Bolivar Tubos No.1 if I remember correctly. @JohnS kindly gave me this cigar. 

To best honest I had to do a double take when I smoked it. It was beautiful. Light and complex. Lovely floral notes and rosewater. It was fantastic. Thanks again @JohnS 

[gormag38]

6 hours ago, Luca said:

Bolivar Tubos no.1

Certainly a vitola that jumped to my mind. Albeit the examples I've had were all about 10 years old, so they could have been a bit muted in their strength but certainly not a 'powerhouse' in anyway. 

Of Boli that is still current, BRC and Libertators would be the choice.

[BrightonCorgi]

Bolivar Lonsdales are light, but not so easy to find today.  

None of the current Bolivars have the power known to make a Bolivar a Bolivar.  That ship sailed at least decade ago.

[SCgarman]

39 minutes ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Bolivar Lonsdales are light, but not so easy to find today.  

None of the current Bolivars have the power known to make a Bolivar a Bolivar.  That ship sailed at least decade ago.

Even longer. When I started dipping into Cuban cigars the first box I ordered was a TEB08 box of Royal Coronas. CA magazine had just recently rated the Royal Corona the cigar of the year. While the cigar was flavorful, it was in no means a "powerhouse" at all. And this was 2008.

[Gnosis13]

I'm currently working through a cab of '21 BBF's and they just started to hit their stride in the last month. Took a big step back in strength from last year (when I smoked my first from the cab) with an amplified creaminess. I'll only smoke a couple this year because they are just starting to get good and I know they will be great as time passes. People have told me that they mellowed the blend in recent years but I'm no expert.

[BrightonCorgi]

2 hours ago, SCgarman said:

Even longer. When I started dipping into Cuban cigars the first box I ordered was a TEB08 box of Royal Coronas. CA magazine had just recently rated the Royal Corona the cigar of the year. While the cigar was flavorful, it was in no means a "powerhouse" at all. And this was 2008.

I bought a box of Royal Corona's from Hajenius around '95 that were brutes. Powerful cigars.

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, Luca said:

The "lightest" Bolivar I have every had was a Bolivar Tubos No.1 if I remember correctly. @JohnS kindly gave me this cigar. 

To best honest I had to do a double take when I smoked it. It was beautiful. Light and complex. Lovely floral notes and rosewater. It was fantastic. Thanks again @JohnS 

 

6 hours ago, gormag38 said:

Certainly a vitola that jumped to my mind. Albeit the examples I've had were all about 10 years old, so they could have been a bit muted in their strength but certainly not a 'powerhouse' in anyway. 

Of Boli that is still current, BRC and Libertators would be the choice.

Indeed. This example of a Bolivar Tubos No.1 was from around mid-2015, so it was aged a good 7 to 8 years by this point and I didn't "crack" open the box for some time.

[Havanaaddict]

Another BRC vote! For me one of the strongest cigars I have smoked were some custom rolled 6X60 with extra Ligero I had rolled back in 2012. After smoking a few min, you would break out into a cold sweat!😂

Another that is burned into my memory was a 80's BBF at 8am whole body sweats 😂 I have always called this as 'Havana day dreaming" 😓

[Montezüma]

Bolivar Royal Coronas

Upon FOH recommendation, I finally found the courage to give this one a try and was pleasantly surprised to find a Bolivar with light-medium strength. As always, FOH did not disappoint. It was to be my only second Bolivar ever and this one fortunately posed no threat to my state of consciousness. It is a puzzling one though, as it is certainly a full bodied Habanos filled with intensity of flavour. So I feel that it fits a certain following for those who seek such a combination. An uncompromising cigar but without the discomfort of overwhelming nicotine. The profile remains a conservative one, dominated with salt and sour, rich tobacco. Two cigars did come to mind, the JL No 2 and VR Famosos. But this cigar with its lighter strength, sheds an interesting alternative. Although not really my cup of tea, I was happy to finally try another Bolivar after a decade and perhaps also worth to note, the cigar develops complexity after the second half. Now I am curious of the BBF, I feel it would be worthwhile to try such a classic. Would appreciate it if anyone would care to draw some experience for comparisons. Cheers!

[Jimmy2]

Gold Medals are the lightest to me. But all Bolivars are rich in flavor layer after layer. The RC that I have smoked from 22/23 have been Medium to just under full, much stronger than mid 2000’s.

[BlueWS]

If you tried a BBF a decade ago and got slapped in the face you're not going to experience that cigar today. I haven't had a Bolivar that isn't current production, but I've had several 2023 BBFs and the Petite Corona (I have not had a Royal sorry). They're medium at best. Not strong. To my taste buds the current BBF has a single consistent bready note all the way through. I find them to be very similar to Mag 54s, but with less baking spice. If the BBF was a powerhouse before it's nothing like that today. The first 3rd of a 2021 Diplo 2 was way stronger. I haven't had any current production Cuban cigars that are strong or give me a nicotine buzz. I'm very sensitive to new world Maduros and I can't smoke most of them... too strong. The closest I got to a nicotine buzz was a young Monte Petit Robusto on a hot day when I was dehydrated. I love BBFs. If I could only have 5 Cuban cigars BBFs or Mag 54s would be top 3 for me.