Bolivar Petit Belicoso EL 2009

[Colt45]

Construction: Good weight in the hand. Very firm - foot and clipped head show it to be fully packed and tightly rolled.

Wrapper: Colorado maduro in color, very rustic, rough to the touch, with random splotches of oil.

Pre-light Characteristics: Aroma of sweet barnyard and light cocoa. Firm draw tasting lightly of tobacco and cocoa.

Draw / Burn / Smoke: Very firm draw, good burn, adequate smoke volume.

Taste: Initial draws of lightly sweet tobacco and salty spice, with light cocoa overtones. The spice element quickly subsides, leaving cocoa as

the predominant flavor. Brief showing of damp earth on the finish which quickly dissipates as well. On the light side of medium in body, smooth and

even from front palate to finish, showing minimal differentiation.

Though I've clipped as far as I dare, a very firm draw, though smoke volume is acceptable. At this point I note the wrapper is rather thick. Well into

the first half, it maintains a smooth cocoa profile along with intermittent hints of green chilis and just the suggestion of fruit - though neither last

past a few draws.

The draw continues to become firmer and I risk another clip. No unraveling, but the draw remains the same. Draw aside, I'm finding it a smooth,

pleasant, easy to smoke cigar. I find myself wondering if a more open draw would hinder or enhance the smooth cocoa profile. Flavor delivery is

not overly rich, but nor is it thin - it has good depth with no real flat spots. Past mid point, there is a bit more earth and some white pepper spice,

but overall the change is minimal.

With just under a third to go, I remove the wrapper - I'd clipped again past unravel point. Surprisingly enough, there is little or no change. I do

pick up some amaretto notes, But I've no way of knowing if I'd have done the same had I not removed the wrapper. Overall, a smooth, fairly well

balanced, not overly complex cigar - perhaps somewhat homogenized. This might be one some members would consider a good morning coffee

accompaniment.

Score: I removed the wrapper, so I don't think a score applies - not that the number really matters anyway.

Comments: Personally, I find this cigar an odd duck - it's size, that it does little to distinguish itself, and to my taste that it isn't really

representative of the marque - how many ELs really are? But in and of itself, I thought it a nice little cigar, though were I looking for something

with this type of profile, I'd probably look to more of an "every day" cigar.

[CIGARHead]

Nice review Ross....I'll take a SLB of some Bolivar Belicoso Finos over these ANY day.

[android]

Nice review Ross....I'll take a SLB of some Bolivar Belicoso Finos over these ANY day.

Ditto!

[Colt45]

Yeah guys, I agree (I understand this is but one cigar), especially if one is seeking the Bolivar flavor profile. And rather than this size, I could see it

as a petit corona, corona extra, hermoso no.4 or something along those lines. And I still don't know that I have a firm grasp of the EL concept.....

Are they simply supposed to be a size not normally represented in a marque but representative of the marque? Just a unique size that isn't necessarily

intended to represent the marque? Shiny fluff intended to part me from my money? Seriously, I don't smoke many ELs, but the more I've smoked

them, the less I understand them. And it's not a knock or a slam - I really don't understand why these are banded by marque.

[melies]

I am having one at this moment (second third)and it's quite impressive. I have to agree with all the cocoa in there and the hint's of chilli.

In the first third it had lots uf nuts and cream also

Love this cigar

[Dbone]

Thanks for sharing your time spent with this cigar Colt.

I have a box and I just can't get them to give it up. Mostly it taste like a bland VR Unicos. I have no idea what HSA was trying to achieve here.