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Bolivar Inmensas
Size: 170 x 43 ? Dalia
Smoke time: 1hour 45mins
Box date: OSU-VC-3 Source: CGars.
Appearance: Solid, beautifully rolled and slightly squared-in-th-box. The oily wrapper was nicely toothed and in shades which varied from attractive dark brown through to honey tones carrying a few light veins and start of some crystalisation. Standard band ?A? (Discontinued 2002). To my mind this was one of the better looking Lonsdales and credit has to go to CGars for the condition.
Construction: The cigar felt firmly packed yet sufficiently yielding from the foot to the perfectly applied triple cap. The cold draw was resistive and the smoking draw perfection from start to finish. The burn was immaculate and the ash crisp and compact throughout the smoke. No re-lights, no corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was rich fresh hay (almost horse stable). The lighting up flavour was totally unexpected, like Devon cream. This very quickly took on a deliciously sharp and acidic taste not unlike rhubarb, and so for the first quarter of the third the was not unlike rhubarb and custard. Into the third and soft lemon citric notes began to arrive and were occasionally joined by something sweeter and raw carrot like. The citric flavours veered between lemon and sweeter grapefruit, but always subtle with almost a gentle quality and perfectly balanced over light wood. The tastes were delicious and then just got better. Halfway through the third, though sadly only for a puff or two, I picked up a flavour like creamed rice. As the first third moved towards its end the citric tastes without any loss of sweetness began to sour slightly and the wood taste became slightly dryer. At the end of the third and into the second the sweetness took on a light caramelised aspect the effect of which had me thinking I was smoking a Creme Brulee. In my notes I wrote down the words ?Balance, Balance?. I?m sticking to them, the flavours were mouth-watering, some strong others not so, but always in perfect harmony, the cigar was I thought amazing. Approaching the halfway and bang, Oxford marmalade on brown toast and as that died away some berrylike fruit tastes began to arrive and as they disappeared the lemon/wood tastes of the first third returned although now with the woods as the main medium. The smoke in the mouth I will mention later, but at rest and although light as one would expect from 43 ring Cuban, the smoke aroma was aromatic wood tinged with ferns or bracken. The final third was I think the most enjoyable last third ever I?ve smoked on any cigar. As the wood flavour strength gathered a delicious chocolate arrived, at first darkly plain and then orange tinged as citric sweetness began suddenly returning into the smoke, and then as the citrus dissipated taking on a sweet chocolate ?brownie? taste only for the sweetness to in turn die away leaving the initial chocolate taste. Fantastic. The smoke in the mouth: Each and every third was the same. Smooth, crisp and without an loss of refreshment at any point.
Overall: The name says all, this was one immense cigar. Beautiful flavours, perfect delivery. It?s a gentleman?s cigar one to be enjoyed and savoured. It?s not as effervescent as the Partagas 898 being a little more stately paced, a reminder almost of a bygone age, of gaslit chandeliers, deep leather armchairs and after dinner chat on events at the furthest corners of a red coloured globe. The big power hit I had expected, and had fortified myself with a full English this morning in anticipation didn?t arrive possible due to the cigars age. But do I care? No! Do I like this cigar? Absolutely, IMHO it?s top drawer, one I will certainly be buying again and without any reservation would recommend all BOTL to try.
Marks. Like asking which of Vivaldi?s Four Seasons I prefer. If the Partagas 898 is the Summer then the Inmensas is Autum, to be honest it?s so close they would be interchangeable depending on my mood. But I?m giving the Boli today a 7.8 so the Partagas shades it and stays ahead. Just!
Next up. Por Larranaga Encantos 2010 RE Asia Pacific
Size: 170 x 43 ? Dalia
Smoke time: 1hour 45mins
Box date: OSU-VC-3 Source: CGars.
Appearance: Solid, beautifully rolled and slightly squared-in-th-box. The oily wrapper was nicely toothed and in shades which varied from attractive dark brown through to honey tones carrying a few light veins and start of some crystalisation. Standard band ?A? (Discontinued 2002). To my mind this was one of the better looking Lonsdales and credit has to go to CGars for the condition.
Construction: The cigar felt firmly packed yet sufficiently yielding from the foot to the perfectly applied triple cap. The cold draw was resistive and the smoking draw perfection from start to finish. The burn was immaculate and the ash crisp and compact throughout the smoke. No re-lights, no corrections.
Flavour: The pre-light aroma was rich fresh hay (almost horse stable). The lighting up flavour was totally unexpected, like Devon cream. This very quickly took on a deliciously sharp and acidic taste not unlike rhubarb, and so for the first quarter of the third the was not unlike rhubarb and custard. Into the third and soft lemon citric notes began to arrive and were occasionally joined by something sweeter and raw carrot like. The citric flavours veered between lemon and sweeter grapefruit, but always subtle with almost a gentle quality and perfectly balanced over light wood. The tastes were delicious and then just got better. Halfway through the third, though sadly only for a puff or two, I picked up a flavour like creamed rice. As the first third moved towards its end the citric tastes without any loss of sweetness began to sour slightly and the wood taste became slightly dryer. At the end of the third and into the second the sweetness took on a light caramelised aspect the effect of which had me thinking I was smoking a Creme Brulee. In my notes I wrote down the words ?Balance, Balance?. I?m sticking to them, the flavours were mouth-watering, some strong others not so, but always in perfect harmony, the cigar was I thought amazing. Approaching the halfway and bang, Oxford marmalade on brown toast and as that died away some berrylike fruit tastes began to arrive and as they disappeared the lemon/wood tastes of the first third returned although now with the woods as the main medium. The smoke in the mouth I will mention later, but at rest and although light as one would expect from 43 ring Cuban, the smoke aroma was aromatic wood tinged with ferns or bracken. The final third was I think the most enjoyable last third ever I?ve smoked on any cigar. As the wood flavour strength gathered a delicious chocolate arrived, at first darkly plain and then orange tinged as citric sweetness began suddenly returning into the smoke, and then as the citrus dissipated taking on a sweet chocolate ?brownie? taste only for the sweetness to in turn die away leaving the initial chocolate taste. Fantastic. The smoke in the mouth: Each and every third was the same. Smooth, crisp and without an loss of refreshment at any point.
Overall: The name says all, this was one immense cigar. Beautiful flavours, perfect delivery. It?s a gentleman?s cigar one to be enjoyed and savoured. It?s not as effervescent as the Partagas 898 being a little more stately paced, a reminder almost of a bygone age, of gaslit chandeliers, deep leather armchairs and after dinner chat on events at the furthest corners of a red coloured globe. The big power hit I had expected, and had fortified myself with a full English this morning in anticipation didn?t arrive possible due to the cigars age. But do I care? No! Do I like this cigar? Absolutely, IMHO it?s top drawer, one I will certainly be buying again and without any reservation would recommend all BOTL to try.
Marks. Like asking which of Vivaldi?s Four Seasons I prefer. If the Partagas 898 is the Summer then the Inmensas is Autum, to be honest it?s so close they would be interchangeable depending on my mood. But I?m giving the Boli today a 7.8 so the Partagas shades it and stays ahead. Just!
Next up. Por Larranaga Encantos 2010 RE Asia Pacific
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