Bolivar Petit Corona DIC 06 Vs Bolivar Tubos 2 Mar 07

[Colt45]

I love the "deep tan" wrapper exhibited by the BPC. Too bad it didn't measure up this time around.

Thanks for the head to head review.

[56Tweed]

Nice comparison! I've gone through many boxes and cabs of the PC but have never purchased the Tubos. I might have to change that. :-P

[Rogers72]

Not trying to nuzzle at all but great review. You are a pioneer.

[stever]

Rob:

Thanks for doing this comparison and addressing the notion of a quality difference between the BOT2 and the BOPC. May have to direct those posting such erroneous info to this review.

» THe BOT2 was medium bodied . . . with occassional spurts to Medium full. Very good balance for a cigar so

» young.

» BOT2: Just a superior cigar in every way. Not one part

» of the spectrum dominates the other and the end result is balance and poise.

» The BOT2 was exceptional as I have come to find them. Within any given box

» their wrapper shade may vary greatly but they are consistenly fine rich

» cigars and true Bolivar Petit Corona's.

Exactly the balance and richness I found in the '06 BOT2 I recently smoked and reviewed.

» With a little better Seco in the blend it

» would have been pretty close to a mirror image of the BOT2.....as it

» should.....given they are the same cigar.

Seco, not Ligero? Curious, why one and not the other in this case? What helps you to determine how the mix should be rebalanced? May need to reread your classic posts on the Yasmel Mareva.

[Ziggy]

Great review, as always Rob.

[El Presidente]

» Seco, not Ligero? Curious, why one and not the other in this case? What

» helps you to determine how the mix should be rebalanced? May need to

» reread your classic posts on the Yasmel Mareva.

Remember the Cava reference ...pepper/muddy water. I feel the cigar had enough Ligero but what let it down was the lack of mid palate roundness. The cigar had a hole in its flavour spectrum which it could not recover from. Where was the leather/earth core? From the Yasmel experiments I found it to be in Seco.

I suspect this BOPC just lacked that additional Seco or perhaps the quality of the Seco was simply not there.

[stever]

» Remember the Cava reference ...pepper/muddy water. I feel the cigar had

» enough Ligero but what let it down was the lack of mid palate roundness.

» The cigar had a hole in its flavour spectrum which it could not recover

» from. Where was the leather/earth core? From the Yasmel experiments I

» found it to be in Seco.

»

» I suspect this BOPC just lacked that additional Seco or perhaps the

» quality of the Seco was simply not there.

Great info. Definitely need to reread the Yasmel Chronicles!

[Sandman]

Thanks for the comparison. Very interesting.

[El Presidente]

There was a discussion on the forum earlier this week on blend theories behind satndard Bolivar Petit Corona and Bolivar Tubos No 2.

Both are Petit Coronas but over the years I have heard whispers in the cigar community that Bolivar Tubos receives inferior leaf. I have never experienced a significant difference in taste between the two and have had equal quantities of exceptional and woeful examples of both.

I have done my best to get two examples from close production dates. Bolivar Petit Corona DIC 06 Vs Bolivar Tubos 2 Mar 07.

BPC V BT2

Appearance

BPC

Is the significantly lighter wrappered of the two examples. It is also boxpressed. I prefer the wrapper on the BPC as opposed to the BT2 only because of its higher level of oil which can only be detected by touch. Te darker BT2 wrapper looks better cosmetically but it is dry and lacks oil.

Aroma at Cold

The BPC aroma is an unusual mix of tepid swamp and tobacco. It is young...smells young and is proud of it. BOT2 has a cleaner aroma. good straight tobacco aroma with a woody note no doubt a result of the cedar sleeve.

Construction

Both cigars have propper weight in the hand. They look a little like patchwork quilts but the fill is properly bunched giving the right amount of spring.

BPC

BOT2

Pre Light Draw

Pre light draw on both cigars was perfect. Both had a sweet element from the dry draw no doubt from the respective wrappers. The BPC tasted a litlle greener.

First Third

The BOPC was medium full in body almost from the opening. It had an eathy quality and a slight sweet black coffee edge. Unfortunately there was also a dirty note to the flavour core. For those that have tasted the Fijian drink "Cava" (tastes like a mix of muddy watter and white pepper) then the opening of this BOPC is close. There is a thinness to the BOPC flavour spectrum which is disappointing.

THe BOT2 was medium bodied with a well constructed offence of dark coffee, burn't sugar on the outside flavour spectrum and a earth/leather core. It is a quintessential Bolivar Petiti Corona the way it should be. Medium with occassional spurts to Medium full. Very good balance for a cigar so young.

Second Third.

BOPC: After a ragged unconvincing start the BOPC finds somehow to fill the mid palate with a little dark coffee. Works much better by providing balance and contrast to the more peppery elements. It cannot hide the fact however that it still tastes a little dirty and muddy. I wouldn't be thrilled if I was ageing this particular box. I could be surprised but there is a thinness and simplicity to the flavour spectrum which worries me for longterm honours.

BOT2: Just a superior cigar in every way. Coffee, consistent hints of caramelized sugar, loads of earth and leather. Medium bodied. Not one part of the spectrum dominates the other and the end result is balance and poise.

Summary

The final third of both cigars was very much a continuation of the second. Overall the BOPC was disappointing. Just an average example of a very good cigar. It was just missing that 15% of something to get it into the game.

The BOT2 was exceptional as I have come to find them. Within any given box their wrapper shade may vary greatly but they are consistenly fine rich cigars and true Bolivar Petit Corona's.

The two cigars compared here had plenty in common and it was a shame that the BOPC was not at its best. With a little better Seco in the blend it would have been pretty close to a mirror image of the BOT2.....as it should.....given they are the same cigar.