Bolivar Belicosos Finos POS JUL 06

[zuma]

Dave, nice review mate... it sounds like it was a bloody decent and entertaining smoke, though seems it did not have the works thrown in as in the aged BCE of you earlier kitchen bench style review ;-)

[El Presidente]

Great work Dave

July 06 BBF are but babes in the wood.....nice work polishing off the best part of a box :-D

From your review there does not appear too many rough edges left to work out.

I have tried the 07 and the similarities to your review are spot on.

[brooklyn]

Nice review. One of my favorite cigars.

I am a beer man and love mine with a Black and Tan or crisp Pacifico.

I liked the run down on humidity,dry boxing, and texture.:-)

[jeht]

» Nice review. One of my favorite cigars.

» I am a beer man and love mine with a Black and Tan or crisp Pacifico.

» I liked the run down on humidity,dry boxing, and texture.:-)

I have the same cab and have only smoked two so far. Will try another in a few months. Good review

[anacostiakat]

Good work Brother!

[toasterhead]

Bolivar Belicosos Finos

POS JUL 06

And now back to our regular program…

A summery, perfect 80 degree day with a light breeze.

BBF is one of my favorites and this is the second to last one from a cab of 25. When they first arrived there was noticeable ammonia each time I “tried” them. This finally subsided about 9 months ago, and I have been nipping away at them ever since. They have been very reliable and delicious, and I have gifted several always with good reviews (“Senior Bolivar, muy deliscioso”).

I paired this one with a Sierra Blanca Pale Ale (from New Mexico). The cigar was stored at my usual 62 deg/65% humidity; 1 day dry boxed in an unhumidified desktop 25 count humidor with a nice crisp cedar smell; ambient humidity around 20%.

The wrapper was on the medium-light side of colorado, and was just plain/not glamourous. The cigar felt perfectly balanced like a good piece of cutlery. I always gently feel for hard or soft spots; none here, just a solid fill. (Once at LCDH Vancouver I watched the salesman palpate a cigar with such force I thought it was going to pop; if he could have, I think he would have donned gloves and performed a rectal exam on the cigar; but I digress).

The pre-light aroma is classic, clean habanos (what makes that smell?). It is mixed with tobacco and leather, but has a distinct sweet presence. I wish I had a fabric softener that smelled like that.

The draw is perfectly resistive with definite tea flavors and light cake spice. The BBF fires up well and the initial flavor and smell has the classic “I don’t know what” Bolivar profile. Delicious tobacco, smooth and integrated, with a slight roughness/tannic quality on the tongue, like tea. A slight background sour cream on a baked potato flavor appears. Maybe the ammonia influence is hanging on even though it cannot be smelled.

There is plenty of smoke with a good mouthfeel; a whiff of pinion campfire is noticeable now and then. So far the experience is similar to BGM but with more “there” there. A nice ash forms, more white than grey with good combustion.

The middle third could be called "middle earth", with wave after wave of solid tobacco core and the usual earthiness. A little bite rears up occasionally. Mainly I am getting smooth and delicious flavors, more sweet than spicy.

The last third builds up deep, rich, satisfying coffee notes, with a little sugar/no cream. Some power is building also, and I have to slow down a bit and drink some water.

There were no burn problems at all. Overall, an enjoyable journey. Not a consciousness-raising experience but very nice and highly recommended.

Score now 92.

Cheers,

Dave