Bolivar Corona Gigante (OSU OCT02)

[shrink]

This Churchill came from a cabinet of 50, and it has all the virtues of a cabinet-aged cigar. The aroma was simply breathtaking: fertile loam, lots of tanned leather, and hints of fermenting fruit. The wrapper was like hand-rubbed mahogany, dark and glowing with oils. It was, of course, perfectly round… nice for rolling between the thumb and fingers.

My middle-aged Julieta was heavy in the hand, dense and uniformly firm along its length. Were it a young cigar, I might have anticipated a firm draw, but it turned out to have just the correct resistance. Once lit, it demanded long, slow draws and rewarded my efforts with clouds of aromatic smoke.

The initial draughts were of rich, earthy tobacco, in the classic Bolivar style. The years had massaged the tannins into a chewy, leathery goodness, and it had well-fermented citrus undertones which, combined with a touch of habanero pepper, gave it a sharp, effervescent “zesty” finish. I would describe the overall profile as being on the strong side of medium-bodied.

As the Gigante entered its second third, the earthiness and “zest” were joined by a medly of fermented fruits. When I held the smoke in my mouth, and expelled it through my nose, I was reminded of a red wine and fresh citrus punch. At times, I detected orange peel, perhaps apricot nectar, and there was even a tart lime-like note. The smoke was quite aromatic and floral in its nature. At this stage, I was captivated by the depth and complexity of the cigar, and just sat on the deck in the waning afternoon sun, patiently savoring the experience.

In the final third, the fruity qualities were progressively overshadowed by the leathery and spicy elements, which gave my Bolivar a musky quality, somewhat like the stock derived from simmering game with spices and vegetables. It didn’t play well against the fruit nuances, and I acknowledged that the cigar had passed its zenith. It grew stronger and more musky until I snubbed it out with a couple of inches remaining. Still, it had served me well.

This particular cigar illustrates why I believe the Corona Gigante to have the greatest potential depth and complexity of all Bolivars. It also demonstrates why they should be aged for at least a few years. In my opinion, the 2006 and 2007 Bolivar CG’s have the blend and strength to eventually match, or even surpass, this 2002 example.

[havanaclub7]

Interesting review! I had a more recent BCG the other day and noticed the zesty finish and interesting spices too. My cigar had less fruit and floral notes and more coffee/milk and caramel flavors. I will be curious to see if the recent stock will develop any of the complex flavors you experienced in the '02s.

[greenpimp]

Very nice review Bob. I love the Gigante. My favorite churchill and maybe my favorite cigar.

[Colt45]

» Very nice review Bob. I love the Gigante. My favorite churchill and maybe

» my favorite cigar.

My sentiments exactly. The king of churchills.

[El Presidente]

Great review Shrink. Depth, complexity, substance. There is a certain "presence" in the smoking experience of the BCG which just oozes class and character. The 2006/07's are crackers.

[olotti]

Nice review Shrink. I have some from the same year and the last one I smoked exhibited to me an almost floral quality but now that I think about it "zesty" could be another way of describing it. This review definitely makes me want to fire one up.