Review: Bolivar Poderosos (Belux RE)

[Puros Y Vino]

Review: Bolívar Poderosos - 2013

Release: Regional Edition - Belux 2013

Vitola: 54RG * 180mm (7.1 inches) aka “Rodolfo” aka “Double Pyramid”

Production: 2000 boxes of 25 cigars made. (50,000 cigars)

Box Code: MUR SEP 13

http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=Bol|ivar#377_Edici|on_Regional_Belux

Date: Sunday June 1, 2014

Start Time: 8:42PM EST

Reviewers' Notes:

My style of cigar reviewing is “open”. I try to jot down what I’m experiencing with every draw. When you see a “/” consider that a break in between puffs. What I leave out in fancy prose is made up with observation. Consider each segment a play by play. This style works for me. I hope you enjoy it.

Pre-light notes

Visual: nice colorado wrapper, smooth, light veins, spongy foot, firm roll, seems ready to go

Aromas: sweet wrapper/ bready/ baking spice. Light earthy notes too.

A nice clean cut at the head/ draw is firm but good. shouldnt have any problems.

Easy to light with cedar spill. Perfect!

1st Third

very smooth/ hints of cinnamon / cedary finish / tangy tobacco / draw is perfect / decent amount of smoke coming off the foot / burn is solid thus far/ slight tannic notes on draw leading to cedar finish/ some spice and dry nuttiness appears / woodsy / toasty tobacco / more cedary notes on subsequent draws / slight hits of coffee grounds, the cigar also gives me a taste of spice / wow, some coffee with sugar!? on two draws / cocoa,slightly sweet profile develops / loads of smoke, but slow burn on the cigar, perfect scenario / nice tangy tobacco finish to a coffee hit / burn askew / coffee bomb again, mocha I’d say / really enjoying this right now / more coffee and toasty tobacco exchanges / hint of baking spice / glorious rich hit of coffee grounds / my luck these days when smoking, ash falls off a second before I think about doing something about it / still smoking great though, solidly lit , performing like a champ / back to some tannic notes and cedar

2nd Third

toasty tobacco opens up this third / cigar has been steadily getting richer in flavour, that spice bomb i was predicting has not materialized and I'm fine with that, the flavours have been great thus far / toasty tobacco notes with a slight cocoa finish / mocha coffee lingers on the palate on the next handful of draws / baking spice / cedar / earthy notes followed by nuttiness / salt and pepper ash, odd flakes here and there, cigar is well lit, 2 touchups at most / interesting, slightly salty, mineraly notes emerge on a few draws / earthy again, great baking spice finish going on / flavours are becoming earthy and “meaty” / slight ammonia and some tannins / back to some cedar and cocoa / medium bodied cigar, i do admit, the brain is “swimming” a bit / meaty notes return, very interesting / not a boring cigar / settling into a earthy cigar these past 10 draws, still a whole 3rd to go, so im not too worried / some nutmeg appears /

3rd Third

sure enough, beans make things interesting , good change up / earthy notes / tannins, followed by cedar notes / earthy notes , nuttiness / coffee and sweetness all but gone, dry nutty and earthy flavours trading off / cigar needed a touch up, going out, concave cone on the ash / nutty / meaty notes again / more beaniness returns, nice smoky finish too , cigar is definitely getting strong on this final third / earthy notes take over / slight ammonia, not a concern as the finish is earthy / more nutty flavours, dry almonds I’d say / good meaty flavours / tons of smoke on this final third, / cigar goes out again / all is good again / beany notes / cigar snuck up on me all this time, very strong, head it swimming, still have some ways to go / more earthy notes / lots of smoke / some anise like flavours / head swimming in the clouds, too much trouble staying lit at this point / last few puffs were earthy and strong /

Done @ 10:46 EST

Conclusions

This is a monster cigar. The first time I encountered this vitola was smoking the Ramon Allones “Super Ramon”. Which was a 2011 Canadian RE. The Poderoso is an impressive looking stick. Being an RE, it will be difficult to source for many Habanos lovers. I was fortunate enough to grab one from a friend who managed to snag a box.

As for the performance of the cigar. It was along the lines of what I hope for when I light up. That its’ flavour profile be vast and varied. That I won’t taste the same thing from foot to head. I enjoy when flavours weave in and out at various points. This cigar did just that. Each third gave way to new flavours and allowed for some old ones to reappear. One thing I did not count on was it’s “strength” By the time I was halfway into the final third, the cigar had snuck up on me. The only other cigar that did that to me the first time I smoked it was the La Escepcion Selectos Finos. Nothing in this cigar prepares you for “buzz”. No really harsh tobacco notes at all to give you some warning. This cigar had some finesse behind it. Only time will tell how these will age. Being such a large cigar, it should have many years of life ahead of it. As a relatively young cigar. It performed beautifully. So good, I didn’t bother to light up a follow up cigar.

Score 92

[Skyfall]

Thanks for the review Frank. Poderosos is an absolutely horrible name! It sounds like terrifying exotic skin irritation that only a few expert dermatologists know how to treat.

[investandprosper]

Thanks for the review Frank! I was wondering how these were, and if they're worth the $40 a stick.

[Maplepie]

Darn, Frank! Would've loved to smoke mine to do the review with you....

Next time

In the meanwhile, i'm generally flabbergasted at what you can detect in that! Very great review there! Looking forward to the next one!!

[Rye]

Great review! I am anxious to try one of these soon!

[ChanceSchmerr]

Love it, great review Frank!

I'll need to get some of these, methinks!

[Trimming]

Nice review, sounds enjoyable.

[cottierm]

Thank for this fascinating review Frank! I'll try to find at least one of them when I am in Belgium this summer.

Best,

Michel

[Optic101]

Thanks for the great review. Sounds like Beauty and Beast.

[CigarEnthusiast]

Thanks for the review Frank. Poderosos is an absolutely horrible name! It sounds like terrifying exotic skin irritation that only a few expert dermatologists know how to treat.

On the contrary the name is genius. Probably done to show homage to Che's bike. La Poderosa, which means The Mighty One.

[Hoepssa]

It's more expensive than Bolivar 2014 LE, IMO it's a fantastic stick with aging potential and already taste well now. Bolivar Oryx (REs for Qatar in 2011) has something similar taste, they are all so nice.

[JamesNYC]

I just got a box and can't wait to try one.

My favorite marca too!