Boli Petit Corona ULA AGO 14; Libertador MSU SEP 18 (BOLIRW)

[slowsmoke]

Started the morning with a Boli PC, while getting the pellet smoker ready for a few racks of ribs.

Wrapper was quite pale, smelled like rawhide leather.  The draw was tight, but I was too lazy to go find the perfecdraw tool.

First puffs were Guinness, as Pres calls it.  A sort of wet ashy flavor, which sounds gross, but it includes some cream, some wet leather, and it is excellent.  Then just all Bolivar, black coffee, meaty and manly.  Halfway some great savory char that carried through to the end.  The last third brought a strong, bitter, nutty walnut flavor.  The retrohale was remarkably smooth the whole way.

Despite the tight draw, this thing had one of the straightest burn lines I’ve had on a cuban in months, if not ever.  And pretty white ash.  Of course as I was getting ready to take a gratuitous long ash photo, it dropped in my lap.

On the scale of Crap-Decent-Good-Very Good-Excellent, this cigar was downright Excellent.  Nothing fancy or complex, but exactly what I want in a Bolivar.

Ribs turned out spectacular, Singapore F1 was a good watch, and the weather was beautiful, so I decided to go big and break into a box of Libtertador that just turned 12 months.  Never had one before, so was kinda excited.

The thing was huge.  Wrapper smelled of leather, much like the petit corona.  The draw was snug, but good.  The cold draw was an incredible yeasty bready flavor, with some nutmeg, a little gingerbread, maybe even a tiny bit of cinnamon.  Now I was really excited.

First puffs were pure Bolivar, but also a little sour.  Into the first third, I immediately notice a lack cream that the PC had.  And quite a bit more bite.  Then some bitter espresso.  Second third is dominated by a dry woody flavor, not great, but not terrible.  Around halfway, a tiny bit of savory flavors, and some char, but it’s starting to get a bit boring and I’m looking at this thing like wow I have a long way to go.

Kids interrupted me as I was nearing the final third, and I wasn’t exactly heart broken to put it down.  Came back an hour later, gave it another go, was surprised to find it hadn’t really suffered much at all.  But still nothing to write home about.

Overall, I’m rating the Libertador a Good.  Glad to have the box, but probably won’t be revisiting them again for a long time.  The Donkey Dong size is still a bit much for me.