Bolivar Royal Corona July 06 Review

[Colt45]

Thanks for the review - good, bad, or indifferent, they are all helpful. The RC is

one Bolivar I've never really fallen for.

I love the CG, the PC is a stalwart, the BF - great, enjoy the Immensas, etc.

(still have to try the CE)

But the RC, to date hasn't done much for me. What is a bit worrisome is your

take on lack of vitola differential. Another member recently stated they felt this way

about recent production Bolivar. I only hope this is not the case.

[jadawin]

I got a box of these from you guys a few months back. I have loved every stick out of it (ive flown through half the box, haha) I must have gotten a good box or something.

[shrink]

What a shame! The Royal Coronas from early this year are nothing less than stellar. Thanks for your candor, Rob. It's refreshing.

[Tampa1257]

Still in search of a WOW box, maybe one day you will find another, then the trigger can be pulled, but I am in no hurry, the WOW factor is the most important issue for me personally.

[El Presidente]

I think it is important to call it as I see it. I am always delirious to be able to give bouqets but it is just as important to give brickbats when they are deserved.

I just had the worst cigar of 2006 this afternoon. Will review it on Monday. It is ashame as I am sitting on a hell of alot of boxes

Enjoying an 05 Lancero right now. The world is back in balance ;-)

[gersonmorelli]

I had a similar experience with my 06 Bolivar RC. I tasted much like putting a coark in your mouth. Found some earthiness on it as well but the coark (maybe balsawood) was not helping. I was really dissapointed...

[Freefallguy]

You know, I bought a box of the RC’s based on Rob’s review and an extraordinary rating in CA (I don’t subscribe, only leaf through at Border’s, really) and also purchased a box of the BBF’s at the same time.

I sampled one of each and found both somewhat disappointing. I tucked them away thinking my taste buds must be insensitive (much like I’m told I can be) and that maybe aging will help.

I am somewhat heartened to find I’m not alone in my assessment and can only hope that time will help.

[Bolivariano]

I've had a few of these this year and they have been good.

Nice sweet aroma and taste. Can't really say it's honey but definitely sweet.

Draw wise, very good and consistent. They remind me of the PAM's.

Not the taste but the look and feel of the cigar. I have one more left in my humidor.

I guess I have been lucky.

[Fatshotbud]

Thanks for your review.

[josie67]

I had a 3/05 BBF 2 nights ago, and although it's not the RC (don't mean to hijack the thread), it just didn't do anything for me. It had a bready, soft flavor, and was just a bit bland with a short finish. Mind you it wasn't bad, and the draw was perfect, but lately, the BBF's (and RC's) just seem to have lost their WOW factor. What a shame since Bolivar has always been one of my favorite brands.

[pnutbutrsangwich]

The 06 Boli CJs that I have been smoking have been fabulous up until the last one I had (but it was like 40F out when I was smoking:-( ), so not all the 06 Bolis are smoking poorly. Thanks for the review, Prez. All of the 06 commentary has been gleaming. It's refreshing to know that not every review is going to result in "high potential!", "Smoking GREAT RIGHT NOW!", "Tons of depth and richness", etc. :-P

[El Presidente]

I fell in love earlier in the year with a February 06 Bolivar Royal Corona. The cigar fulfilled my every fantasy...voluptuous, rich, complex with cream, coffee, raisins. The cigar was a Monroe...a superstar now with the world at its feet. I kept none for myself as I new there would be plenty more in 2006.

And so it was that I selected the Bolivar Royal Corona (July 06) to enjoy a few weeks back. Oh wat a joy! look at her...oily wrapper, perfect construction, slight hay and sweet spice smell at cold. If ever a cigar was to rock my world then this girl was it.

I Cuban clipped the end and found a nice draw. Slightly on the easy side but many would regard it as being perfect. No discernable pre-light flavour.

Gently torched the foot to find some nice woody flavour...some white pepper spice through the nose, not a great deal more at this stage so I let it go a little longer before puting on the hard word.

Having given her sufficient time to reveal the first of her undoubted virtues, I concentrated for a few minutes to realy discern the flavours she had to offer. Medium in body, balsawood and paper, some dirty earth. My Bolivar Royal Corona was surely teasing? I mean only 6 weeks earlier I had sampled one of the best cigars of the year in a Feb 06 BRC? Maybe this was a shy one...one that needed a little more time....maybe I was smoking to fast...pushing too hard? I would slow the whole process down and give it a little longer.

I smoked the next 2 1/2 inches like I was handling precious china. A man could not be more patient, more gentle, more attentive. And what I got in return....was SFA. Yes, my Monroe was turning out to be mutton dressed up as lamb. Sure...medium body but that pathetic, dirty balsawood taste that I hate was prevalent. The smoke was plenty but thin at the same time, some earth, a touch of sweet paprika spice here and there...but she just wouldn't put out.

I had (and have reviewed) a recent Bolivar Belicoso Fino which tasted much the same. In fact if you were doing a blind tasting you would think that they were the same cigar excluding the obvious vitola differentials.

Very disappointing cigar. Potential...possibly. Would I buy the remainder of this box? ...No.

I harp on this repeatedly but Habanos s.a's biggest problem is inconsistency of blend in these bread and butter cigars.