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Bolivar Gold Medal
Size: 165 mm x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1 hour (Terminated)
Box date: 2008. (Reinstated Standard Production) Source: Rab (Lionhound)
First appearance: Distinctive. The branding obscures two thirds of the cigar, from the handsome gold foil wrap fixed by the Bolivar Standard band ?B? to the red LCdH band below. Second appearance: Metro elegant. Slightly rusticated, ochre green tinged wrapper with an almost invisible spiral carrying several prominent veins within a tracery of lighter veins and topped by a neatly applied triple cap.
Construction: The cigar was nicely packed with a reasonable yield and felt well balanced and good to hold ?in the hand?. The cold draw was reassuringly lightly resistive and the smoking draw was perfect. The burn for the most part was straight although I did have to make one small correction. The ash was solidly compacted and well behaved throughout the smoke. No re-lights required.
Flavour: Pre-light aroma was light barnyard with a vegetal/aniseed edge. The start was very good, earthy and decidedly salty. The expected vegetal/fruit flavours when they arrived were however very faint. Into the cigar and the fruit tastes strengthened a little but were sour, lacking in any sweetness whatsoever. The familiar Cuban citric ?twang? was detectable, but subterranean and buried buy the general woody earthiness of the smoke. The taste which the smoke was leaving in my mouth although sour was not at this point unrefreshing. Retro-hale (which I?m not a master of) did improve things a little in that the citrus seemed sharper and I could also pick out some spice notes. I had realised something wasn?t quite right before the end of the first third and on reaching the second the experience became steadily worse. The cigar was by now smoking ?flat?, just tobacco with a chemical acridity that made flavour identification impossible, and the taste left in my mouth had become greasy and not particularly pleasant. I smoked to about half way hoping things might get better, but this cigar I know and love well and the disappointment was to much to bare. The last picture is where I left it to die in the ashtray.
Overall: One huge upset. I?ve smoked Boli GMs on numerous occasions ? they are one of my favourite cigars ? this however was nothing like any I have previously smoked from the set I got from Rab (all of which have been excellent), and can only conclude that the example I picked on today was undergoing a classic sick period. What little muted flavour interest there was in cigar was all in the front third anything else was just burning greasy tobacco.
Marks. Today I?m not giving the Boli GM any mark. The Partagas 898 is still the undisputed leader.
Next Lonsdales .... Por Larranaga ER Germany 2006.
Size: 165 mm x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1 hour (Terminated)
Box date: 2008. (Reinstated Standard Production) Source: Rab (Lionhound)
First appearance: Distinctive. The branding obscures two thirds of the cigar, from the handsome gold foil wrap fixed by the Bolivar Standard band ?B? to the red LCdH band below. Second appearance: Metro elegant. Slightly rusticated, ochre green tinged wrapper with an almost invisible spiral carrying several prominent veins within a tracery of lighter veins and topped by a neatly applied triple cap.
Construction: The cigar was nicely packed with a reasonable yield and felt well balanced and good to hold ?in the hand?. The cold draw was reassuringly lightly resistive and the smoking draw was perfect. The burn for the most part was straight although I did have to make one small correction. The ash was solidly compacted and well behaved throughout the smoke. No re-lights required.
Flavour: Pre-light aroma was light barnyard with a vegetal/aniseed edge. The start was very good, earthy and decidedly salty. The expected vegetal/fruit flavours when they arrived were however very faint. Into the cigar and the fruit tastes strengthened a little but were sour, lacking in any sweetness whatsoever. The familiar Cuban citric ?twang? was detectable, but subterranean and buried buy the general woody earthiness of the smoke. The taste which the smoke was leaving in my mouth although sour was not at this point unrefreshing. Retro-hale (which I?m not a master of) did improve things a little in that the citrus seemed sharper and I could also pick out some spice notes. I had realised something wasn?t quite right before the end of the first third and on reaching the second the experience became steadily worse. The cigar was by now smoking ?flat?, just tobacco with a chemical acridity that made flavour identification impossible, and the taste left in my mouth had become greasy and not particularly pleasant. I smoked to about half way hoping things might get better, but this cigar I know and love well and the disappointment was to much to bare. The last picture is where I left it to die in the ashtray.
Overall: One huge upset. I?ve smoked Boli GMs on numerous occasions ? they are one of my favourite cigars ? this however was nothing like any I have previously smoked from the set I got from Rab (all of which have been excellent), and can only conclude that the example I picked on today was undergoing a classic sick period. What little muted flavour interest there was in cigar was all in the front third anything else was just burning greasy tobacco.
Marks. Today I?m not giving the Boli GM any mark. The Partagas 898 is still the undisputed leader.
Next Lonsdales .... Por Larranaga ER Germany 2006.
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