Bolivar Inmensas OSU FEB 03: Discontinued Cigar Review Weekend

[Fugu]

Looking from today's perspective, you'd wonder why someone would come up with the foolhardy idea to name a 43-gauge cigar an "Inmensa". Well, quite fitting with our overarching theme of discontinued vitolas.... Back in the day - not so long ago actually - and much to the regret of so many - the perspective obviously had been quite a different one. A time, when Dalias had even been trivially addressed as "Churchills" by some merchants. Today, the name appears a bit bragging, but which it isn't really. And, as if that wouldn't be enough "oddness", the 'virile' Bolivar Inmensas had been assigned with the grammatical gender inflection of the feminine. Why this would be escapes me. Perhaps because it's a Dalia? This stick has but surely never been a 'feminine' cigar!

Officially discontinued in 2009, I am currently smoking from a '03 and a '08 box of this cigar. When checking both boxes in order to decide on what to choose today, the '03 offered the aroma of a well matured cigar, while the '08 - having been left untouched for quite a while - gave off a distinct scent of ammonia - still! So I went with the older box in order to get away without the need for some prior airing.

I simply grabbed the first stick to follow next in the top row, while not bothering for construction. Never had any issues here. Cigar looking clean and lean, an unspectacular beauty with the usual fair boxpress. Exactly what I love so much about the Inmensas - a solid, unpretentious and absolutely honest cigar that always delivers. On cutting, perfect cold draw with the typical clean tobacco taste including earthy and bready untertones.

Starting off slightly under-medium in body with the familiar more earthy than woody profile you'd expect - no, you'd want from Bolivar. An initial clear note of capsicum appears to indicate some greenishness of an underfermented bit of tobacco. Previous sticks of that box didn't show that AFAIR. About an inch in and that note dissappeared, leaving me with the satisfying blend of great Bolívar flavours: toasted tobacco coming with damp forest floor, exotic woods, a bit of espresso and hints of nutmeg tuning in and out. Over the course of the smoke, which is not a dry, but also not a particularly sweet smoke, the cigar shows a nice evolution. As good as you could expect from a lonsdale-format cigar. Intensifying from inch to inch and gaining in aromatic complexity with added layers of roast nuts and a very slight hint of what appears like caramel or some faint fruity note coming into play. Body very nicely evolving from start to finish over medium, medium-full to an almost full-bodied smoke in the final puffs. Smokers looking for spicy, floral, honeyish or sweet chocolaty notes - this is not for you! This is not a playful cigar. With a final bit of bitterness kicking in, I lay it down with a bit less than two inch left. Just a perfect, pleasing and highly satisfying, sincere smoke. Smoke volume always been lush and, quite like the flavour, nicely intensifying during the smoke. Thou shalt show me the one who sais he needs more caliber!

Smoking time, a highly enjoyable 1:40 h.
Final third paired with a cup of 'milky' Sidamo.

 

[saintsmokealot]

Class "A" review Sir.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Lovely!  You hit it on the nail with "Damp Forest Floor" - Thats what I always associated both the Inmensa and the Diplo No.1 with.  Such a great honest smoke. Thanks mate!

[TheMonk]

Nice job, and good pics!

[BuzzArd]

That cigar looks just about what I consider an ideal size (after looking the vitola up online).  Nice review.  Well said of the Boli flavors.  Some of the same lurked in my BCG last night, but I lack the experience to fit that into the description.  Might have to try another....  

[PigFish]

Great review my friend and a nice read.

Bravo! -R

[MooseAMuffin]

Great review! Fun read.

[Fugu]

Thanks gents!

20 hours ago, ChanceSchmerr said:

Lovely!  You hit it on the nail with "Damp Forest Floor" - Thats what I always associated both the Inmensa and the Diplo No.1 with.  Such a great honest smoke. Thanks mate!

Yes, creating an image of a walk through the autumnal forest, the best ones...

6 hours ago, BuzzArd said:

Well said of the Boli flavors.  Some of the same lurked in my BCG last night, but I lack the experience to fit that into the description.  Might have to try another....  

Yep, they quite clearly share the same family-DNA, while the CG for me is the more suave, slightly more sophisticated (and larger of course) version of the Inmensas... 

[Philc2001]

Superb review! Thanks for sharing. 

23 hours ago, Fugu said:

Smokers looking for spicy, floral, honeyish or sweet chocolaty notes - this is not for you! This is not a playful cigar

Absolutely spot on!