Bolivar Petit Corona NISC VC3 (1997)

[stever]

This petit corona comes from a dress box, is noticeably box-pressed, and has a dark tan wrapper that is slightly rumpled. Overall, the construction is good, but it is very hard around the band. Pre-light nose is slightly sweet, slightly minty, with a hint of musty, toasted tobacco. The draw at cold is pretty firm, with flavors of sweet toasted tobacco and just a hint of mustiness.

Upon lighting, the first draw reveals flavors of light coffee, earth, rich toasted tobacco, and a treacle or molasses-like round sweetness. The body from the get-go is medium, but smoke production, while adequate, is not as full as I have experienced from other examples from the box. However, running an unfolded paper clip skewer through the hard spots around the band solved the problem in quick order. Overall, the burn is even and razor sharp. There was a brief period in the first stage where there was a bit of tunneling, but this self-corrected in short order. The ash is dark grey, and noticeably striated.

The flavor from the onset is excellent and really has quite a bit of depth. It is surprisingly rich and hearty, with the first third also exhibiting some nasal-clearing pepper notes. There’s plenty of light coffee, earth, toasted tobacco, leather, sweet wood and molasses. At 1” inch, I detect a light mushroom flavor, followed by cedar and mint notes that mellow out the wood flavors. The smoke has a lush, round mouth feel. The cigar really hits its stride at about the 2” mark with stronger sweet molasses flavors balancing out rich earth and toasted tobacco flavors. The finish is long, with a sweet, lip smacking, hearty tobacco and leather finish. The body has also become stronger, perhaps more medium-full, than medium.

In the last third, the black pepper flavor I experienced in the first third returns for a brief period. I also pick up a slight sweet nuttiness, but not much. Previous examples have displayed more of this flavor, but it has been over a year since I smoked one of these. In the last stage, the smoke is becoming more rounded and mellow, but always exhibiting a rich, sweet, toasted tobacco finish. There’s a nice balance between the wood, earth, leather, and tobacco flavors. Near the end, spicy cardamom-like flavors gradually become more prominent, and balance very nicely with the molasses and leather flavors. Needless to say, this cigar maintains its richness and hearty flavor down to the nub.

Overall, I’d have to say that this is one of the more satisfying BPCs that I’ve smoked in quite some time, despite a construction issue. I must admit, however, that I was surprised by the rich molasses-like sweetness and the strength that this particular example exhibited, and I’m wondering if this is an atypical example from the box. Perhaps it contains more Ligero than the previous ones I’ve smoked. I’ll try to smoke another within a month or so, and provide an update. I am, of course, hoping that this was not a one-off smoke! :-D

[brian1]

Thanks for that review. You cant go wrong with a 10 year old BPC!

[Jay Hemingway]

i happen to have a box of these as well. box NNSC VC3 (1997). these are the best smoking cigar i have in my lot right now. they are simply amazing! 10 years is the perfect aging time for bolivar IMO. what's even more amazing is the box was given to me as a gift in this past "secret santa" on the cigar aficionado forum! i almost fainted when i opened the package and seen an almost full box of bolivar petite coronas(21of25). than i almost soiled my pants when i relized it was a 10 year old vintage box of vc3's!!

i consider myself very lucky to have this box, unfortunatly i only have 8 sticks left.:-(