The Tale of the Transition: Bolivar Corona Gigantes.

[El Presidente]

I noticed that Ravi has put up a 2003 vintage box of Bolivar Corona Gigantes on Bond Roberts. I have some available in a few weeks that are from 2015. 

We were the discussing aged Bolivar Corona Gigantes on FOHZOOM last week.  This is a cigar that many of you enjoy/have enjoyed/have a good understanding of. 

I will run this thread on various cigars over the coming months as we see interesting examples come up.

The The Tale of the Transition seeks to explore from your experience how this cigar ages. 

Let's start on the Bolivar Corona Gigantes. 

 

• How would you describe the Bolivar Corona Gigantes when they were young?
• How do they age? What flavour transition did you experience? Provide a loose timeline if it is relevant. 
• Your best guess, what would you expect flavour wise from a vintage box (15 years +) today?

 

All detailed responses go into the draw for a couple of aged/specialty cigars. Hell smoke and do a full review of this cigar and get three tickets in the draw.  Drawn on Friday 

 

 

 

[Habana Mike]

Firing one up tomorrow though I am running low....

[prodigy]

I only have 1, from a box pass, but I think a review is in order. It is a 2016 i believe, so probably one of the last produced?

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[stogieluver]

@Elpresidente I posted last weekend in the “If not now, when?” post from Habana Mike that I had saved a 2013 BCG (one of the first FOH boxes I purchase from your fine establishment) for a special occasion.

I figured reaching age 65, which was really a surprise to me, was just such an occasion.

 
I’m old. Okay?  My olfactory sense faded long ago along with other rather important “senses”. 
All I know is, that cigar was one enjoyable cigar while it lasted. I smoked it with a few Cuba Libre drinks mixed with a very nice HC smuggled out of the Motherland by Mike and Dana.  I can’t tell you if there were notes of pepper or spices or dried fruit. It was just a damned nice smoking experience. 

[Astar20]

Will these be on 24:24?

[prodigy]

Will these be on 24:24?

Is this a joke? They've been discontinued for years now.... they are going up on bond roberts, to be auctioned off the highest bidder...

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[Astar20]

5 minutes ago, prodigy said:

Is this a joke? They've been discontinued for years now.... they are going up on bond roberts, to be auctioned off the highest bidder...

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Right figured that they would be on bond roberts but the picture looks like a 24:24 picture that's why I inquired. 

[prodigy]

Right figured that they would be on bond roberts but the picture looks like a 24:24 picture that's why I inquired. 

Notice it says PE Jan 17, so over 3 years ago.

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[dimi68]

Had a box back in 2014. They were 13's

First one out of box was thick chewy caramel for whole first half Wow.

Not one of next 24 showed anything like that and were Meh boring 85points at best.

[El Hoze]

Tobacco changes throughout the years clearly and storage conditions vary. I love BCG. However, for me and in my experience I have not found BCG to age well. Inside of 10 years for sure.

[MPS]

I am currently smoking through a cabinet of POS 2006's. Incredible cigars and I have the feeling when I smoke them that I am killing babies. Bolivars age incredibly well. To me they develop a sweetness and depth that doesn't show up until after 10-12 years. One of the best cigars I ever smoked was an 80's Bolivar a friend sent me to try. That cigar also felt like it had decades more left in it. Ill make sure to smoke another vintage of this cigar soon to compare as it is really one of my favorites. Why they discontinued such a classic is beyond me, 

[Habana Mike]

10 minutes ago, miamipadronsmoker said:

I am currently smoking through a cabinet of POS 2006's. Incredible cigars and I have the feeling when I smoke them that I am killing babies. Bolivars age incredibly well. To me they develop a sweetness and depth that doesn't show up until after 10-12 years. One of the best cigars I ever smoked was an 80's Bolivar a friend sent me to try. That cigar also felt like it had decades more left in it. Ill make sure to smoke another vintage of this cigar soon to compare as it is really one of my favorites. Why they discontinued such a classic is beyond me, 

Completely agree. This is one I'll miss dearly.

[hoyopr]

These were a few notes I posted some years back, on a box of 02's. I think I also had a box of 03's but don't have any notes on those. 

Review #68: APR 02 Great cigar same box I reviewed from 2 years back. Shared with a fellow habanos brother these still have all the fullness and Bolivar depth I love. We both commented how you would often expect a larger ring cigar to be milder, bit not the case with these. - Submitted by randallp on June 8, 2009

I don't care to smoke BCG until they have some time down (min 5 years) I have always found them full and great depth of flavors, which as mention by miamipadronsmoker

most times I find sweetness, cream and for myself the distinct earthiness I associate with Bolivar. I have on occasion had hints of anise which I would sometimes find in the Inmensas.

I have an unopened box ESO Feb 14, I'll try one in the coming days and post some thoughts, (probably be a brute at this age though)

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, Astar20 said:

Will these be on 24:24?

Always a chance but it is not the point of this thread 

[havanaclub]

I have the exact box code as the ones Rob and Ken reviewed on foh YouTube. ESO JUL 15. Outstanding cigars. I think I did a review on here I will try to search.
I was actually going to pull one out today but will try later this week and post it.


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[Colt45]

These are a fave of mine - I still have some '03s. It's been a few years since I've had one, but I recall thinking that they might be starting to slide past peak. For me part of their greatness is / was that they were always great - first one out of the box after receipt and every one in succession. Consistent in every way - one of the few cigars where when I grabbed one, I knew what I was in for. Will have to smoke one soon.

[TBird55]

A cigar I smoked weekly, until they were discontinued. Only have one box left (16), haven't delved into it yet. For whatever reason, when I come to my last box of a discontinued cigar, I have an extremely difficult time smoking the first out of that box.

[joeypots]

I had a 50 cab, probably '06. I probably put them down for about 5 years before I paid attention to them. It wasn't a well constructed batch of cigars there were a few that I chucked because they were plugged and a few with a very wonky burn.  I remember giving a handful of them to a friend who took the cigars on a mens camping weekend. He raved about the cigars.  Over time I remember they were rough and strong when I started smoking them. As time wore on the Bolivar leather, earth, and tobacco came to the fore, and as the supply diminished they became brilliant, probably around 2014 or 15. Once a box I have is 'on' I tend to smoke through it. I remember the last two were smoked with a buddy on Sunday after noon. I know I got a pretty good nicotine buzz  and  at the halfway point I remarked that I couldn't believe I gave away the last cigar in the cab. They were that good. It'll be interesting to see how the last years production do at auction.

[BrightonCorgi]

I have a cab from late 90's and they have mellowed some with a great clean after taste.  Not a powerhouse Bolivar at this point, but a great cigar.

[Notsocleaver]

Smoked one of my last ones from 08 last night and took some notes.

This BCG has a bog standard claro wrapper, foot shows fairly good bunching and weight feels right in the hand. On the cold draw I get papery notes with a little clay and hay. Paper is a bad sign generally in my experience. Draw is a little tighter than I like, but still well within an acceptable range. Tonight it is paired with a Ballast Point's Barrel Aged Victory at Sea, one of my favorite beers. They recently started selling these in 12 z bottles, which is great because at 12% abv, the old 22 oz bottles were a little much for me.

This cigar opens with some heavy floral notes, with the signature bolivar 'earth' flavor faint in the background. I don't know what it is, but all of the aged Cuban Churchills that I have smoked have floral notes to them, regardless of blend. The cigar is pretty mild, and paired with a flavor bomb of a beer, it seems at risk of being overwhelmed.

Fortunately, the cigar wakes up a bit after this first third. The floral notes disappear, replaced by cream and clove. There are some mineral notes, but not the kind of unpleasant pencil shavings type ones. A bit of forest floor or peat moss dance in and out as well.

As we get to the last third, it opens up a little more into a more medium flavored cigar. Some sweeter notes come in and it finally tastes like a cigar that is distinctly a bolivar. Towards the end it needed a touch up, but for the most part in performed fine through and through. A pleasant, mild, but complex cigar.  Give it an 88. So to answer the questions:

How would you describe the Bolivar Corona Gigantes when they were young?

Going from memory, I feel like they were truer to what you expect the Bolivar blend to be. Still mild compared to the smaller bolis.

How do they age? What flavour transition did you experience? Provide a loose timeline if it is relevant.

I would say that they get more complex with age, but taste less like I would expect a Bolivar to taste like

Your best guess, what would you expect flavour wise from a vintage box (15 years +) today?

Something close to what I had last night. If you had a particularly strong batch it might have longer legs but I feel like this box is past it's peak. I'd rather buy a fresher box, especially if it was cheaper.

[RicoIsHere]

These are on my “Bucket List”. I’ll definitely go for one or two!

[NSXCIGAR]

I recall smoking several of these (may have been a cab) in the early 2000s and big time meh. Almost as bad as an 05 cab of BPC I unfortunately bought that was so bad I'll never forget it. 

I believe BCG did perform well in the 07-08 era where some great cigars were being made but BCG was never a great cigar post-98 IMO until that last incredible run in 15-16.

Personally, I wouldn't touch that 03 box on auction based on personal experience. I think one is much more likely to get duds than gems. Not to mention it seems quite a few cigars from the early 2000s seem to be losing quite a bit of steam. Remember, this is when Tabacuba was really getting into experimenting with higher fermentation temps and this may have resulted in age peaks changing. 

[BrightonCorgi]

10 hours ago, Notsocleaver said:

This BCG has a bog standard claro wrapper, foot shows fairly good bunching and weight feels right in the hand. On the cold draw I get papery notes with a little clay and hay. Paper is a bad sign generally in my experience.

 

My cab from the late 90's has some papery profile to it.  Not to the point there is nothing left, but you certainly know you're smoking an older cigar.

[cigaraholic]

My oldest box of BCG is PLO DIC10, I can’t comment on the transition this box has gone thru because I just opened it last month. Knowing me as I do, if I’d have checked on this box earlier it wouldn’t be around today? This will be the 4th cigar I’ve smoked, the other 3 we’re all very good.

 Very smooth colorado maduro wrapper with plenty of oil splotches. It’s decently filled @ 14.1g Draw is fine. Very lovely cold aroma, a perfumed sweet cedar and mahogany. First puff is milk chocolate, then some cinnamon and sweet cedar....not a bad start?

 Just over an inch in I get some earthiness, I’m kind of shocked it took this long for that flavor to show up. The cigar is right at medium bodied, I’m sure 10 years has brought the body down to this level. End of 1/3 brings coffee with the chocolate, cinnamon and cedar. I’m surprised how little earth flavor there is in this cigar. Blind I would guess I was smoking a Montecristo. Halfway the flavor gets richer but the body stays at medium. For me this is a beautiful after dinner cigar with coffee and a chocolate dessert, then some 20 year old tawny port. Starting the last 1/3 the cigar hits another gear, body jumps up to medium full. Big earthy flavor with dark coffee, bittersweet chocolate, woody and baking spices.....hello Bolivar. The last 1/3 has plenty of gas in the tank.

A lovely 90 minute ride, first hour I was on a cruise ship, last half hour on a power boat. I would expect the 03’s to be all cruise ship.

95+

 

[helix]

Was one of the first boxes I purchased . Powerhouse cigar.