Bolivar Tubos No. 3 - July '19 no box code (BRW)

[The Squiggler]

The Bolivar Tubo No. 3. (slim panatella) - July 2019 (no box code available)

4 7/8 x 34rg

I picked a few of these up on 24:24 a while back... figured the BRW was a good excuse to take one for a test drive.

The first thing I noticed when cracking the tube was the mildness of the aroma that greeted me.  At cold I detected a touch of lemongrass, hay, and light leather, but all were so mild that they barely hinted at themselves, making the contrivance of their association somewhat difficult.  The cigar is nicely constructed with a beautiful sheen and a slight rosado hue.

First light produced a strong taste of leather and hay accompanied with a somewhat acrid ammonia flavor.  Bitter black pepper was also prominent in the first few puffs, and I decided not to retrohale unless the cigar agreed to calm down a bit.  After the first half inch or so, a bit of nutmeg seemed to creep in.  Leather and hay continued to predominate through the first third, and the bitter/ammoniated flavor finally gave way to something like bitter lime rind toward the beginning of the second third.  Burn is sharp and consistent.  Strength is medium.  Body is mild.

Into the second third the black pepper has all but receded and a bit of butteriness appears.  This is a welcome addition to the profile, which has been pretty lackluster up to this point.  The buttery notes go quite nicely with the leather and hay, which remain predominant throughout.  This cigar tastes young or as though it hasn't been rested for quite long enough. 

In the final third hints of bitter mint arise along with some spicy notes that reminisce of mild chiles.  The leather is still the only note with a strong presence on the front end, but the acrid flavors have all but disappeared (thank god).  Craving more buttery flavor, but there is none to be had. 

All in all, I'd say these cigars need a little (or a lot) more time.  That said, this experience could have been a lot worse.  I love the size of these little cigars, and definitely look forward to revisiting them in the future.  Overall score: 85/100

[Chucko8]

Thanks for the review. Great pictures also.

[The Squiggler]

3 minutes ago, Chucko8 said:

Thanks for the review. Great pictures also.

Thanks!  Just got a new DSLR camera so I've been experimenting.