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Bolivar Gold Medal (LCDH)
Size - 165 x 42
Smoke Time - 1 Hour 30 mins (taking my time)
Date - September 2009
Appearance: This being the first cigar out of the box of 10 dated Sep 09, was tucked into a shiny gold sleeve, with a Bolivar and Lcdh band wrapped around it. It had a light chocolate brown coloured wrapper with a slight green patch towards the foot of the cigar. It also had a few light veins and some which looked like the wrapper had been stitched back together, with a semi smooth finish which looked superb.
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Construction: Flawless, not hard or too spongy and slight give when compressed, perfectly humidified and rolled and built with pure quality. Excellent draw from start to finish, not easy nor too tight. Burn was good and almost perfect, it went uneven at one point but self corrected and burnt even for the rest of the stick. The cigar produced lots of thick pure white creamy smoke, and never once burnt too hot or cold.
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Flavour: Pre-draw i got some woody flavours, earth and slight touches of spice (nutmeg) and leather and a hint of cocoa sweetness.
The first third started off very smooth, with subtle spice and sweetness with a little power behind it. A touch of honey and strong tobacco was noted which soon disappeared and was replaced with earth and strong cocoa notes on exhale. The delivery of smoke was nice and smooth for what i would say was an almost full bodied cigar, with no bitterness detected at all so far. Not overly spicy, but rich and great depth of flavours, it had a slightly different flavour profile to a typical Bolivar, but was bold and powerful all the same with hints of sweet wood, leather and earth coming through nice and smooth. With earth still present at the end of the first it started to develop some nice creamy chocolate and expresso notes, with a slight beany undertone and lots of leathery overtones, it was an excellent way to finish the first third, going into the second.
The second third continued as in the first lot's of earthy flavours coming through, with undertones of caramel and light spice here and there. Flavours were soon to change again, with lots more leather prominent now, coming through strong but smooth with hints of light pepper on exhale. The constant interchange of flavours was superb and now well into the second it shifted again to smooth and creamy caramel notes topped with huge amounts of cocoa with a fair amount of coffee on exhale. This remained constant throughout the third, however i would get the odd note of dried fruity berries or earth and leather creeping through taking over the stick now and then which added to the complexity of the stick. This third reminded me of eating a smooth creamy bar of caramel filled chocolate which left a deep rich flavour of dark cocoa in your mouth, it was a perfectly sweet end to the second.
The final third remained creamy and sweet with lots of chocolate and leather now coming through, i was taken back on how there was no bitterness or harshness to this stick at all so far, it was very settled imo. Remaining consistent on the draw and burn with leather and chocolate mostly coming through i was tasting some mild caramel and coffee again in the background, with the odd draw producing a slight tingle of spice here and there too. Lots more cocoa and caramel well into the third, this really was sweet smooth and delicious indeed. Coming towards the end of the stick, some slight beany notes and coffee tones noted again with a nice sweetness caught on the draw. Right at the end of the stick now and almost at the nub it gives one last kick of earth and spice with a hint of leather on exhale, an excellent end to the Gold Medal.
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Overall: This cigar was flawless from beginning to end, it felt great in the hand from the first draw to the last. It was consistently rolled, the draw was perfect and it produced lots of flavours and pure white smooth and creamy smoke too. It burnt unevenly once, which was nothing really as it self corrected within a few short draws, and held a solid grey/white ash throughout. I would rate this smoke as medium to full bodied, but towards the stronger end of the scale, and it was very complex from start to finish. This cigar was pure pleasure to smoke and has become one of my firm favourites, hence the reason i bought two more boxes after smoking this one, it's a must have in the humidor and is up there with the best of cigars. I just hope you get the opportunity to try one or even get hold of a box as you won't be disappointed, this certainly is a treat, and the best LCDH cigar released yet imo...
Size - 165 x 42
Smoke Time - 1 Hour 30 mins (taking my time)
Date - September 2009
Appearance: This being the first cigar out of the box of 10 dated Sep 09, was tucked into a shiny gold sleeve, with a Bolivar and Lcdh band wrapped around it. It had a light chocolate brown coloured wrapper with a slight green patch towards the foot of the cigar. It also had a few light veins and some which looked like the wrapper had been stitched back together, with a semi smooth finish which looked superb.
IMAG0752.jpg
Construction: Flawless, not hard or too spongy and slight give when compressed, perfectly humidified and rolled and built with pure quality. Excellent draw from start to finish, not easy nor too tight. Burn was good and almost perfect, it went uneven at one point but self corrected and burnt even for the rest of the stick. The cigar produced lots of thick pure white creamy smoke, and never once burnt too hot or cold.
IMAG0754.jpg
Flavour: Pre-draw i got some woody flavours, earth and slight touches of spice (nutmeg) and leather and a hint of cocoa sweetness.
The first third started off very smooth, with subtle spice and sweetness with a little power behind it. A touch of honey and strong tobacco was noted which soon disappeared and was replaced with earth and strong cocoa notes on exhale. The delivery of smoke was nice and smooth for what i would say was an almost full bodied cigar, with no bitterness detected at all so far. Not overly spicy, but rich and great depth of flavours, it had a slightly different flavour profile to a typical Bolivar, but was bold and powerful all the same with hints of sweet wood, leather and earth coming through nice and smooth. With earth still present at the end of the first it started to develop some nice creamy chocolate and expresso notes, with a slight beany undertone and lots of leathery overtones, it was an excellent way to finish the first third, going into the second.
The second third continued as in the first lot's of earthy flavours coming through, with undertones of caramel and light spice here and there. Flavours were soon to change again, with lots more leather prominent now, coming through strong but smooth with hints of light pepper on exhale. The constant interchange of flavours was superb and now well into the second it shifted again to smooth and creamy caramel notes topped with huge amounts of cocoa with a fair amount of coffee on exhale. This remained constant throughout the third, however i would get the odd note of dried fruity berries or earth and leather creeping through taking over the stick now and then which added to the complexity of the stick. This third reminded me of eating a smooth creamy bar of caramel filled chocolate which left a deep rich flavour of dark cocoa in your mouth, it was a perfectly sweet end to the second.
The final third remained creamy and sweet with lots of chocolate and leather now coming through, i was taken back on how there was no bitterness or harshness to this stick at all so far, it was very settled imo. Remaining consistent on the draw and burn with leather and chocolate mostly coming through i was tasting some mild caramel and coffee again in the background, with the odd draw producing a slight tingle of spice here and there too. Lots more cocoa and caramel well into the third, this really was sweet smooth and delicious indeed. Coming towards the end of the stick, some slight beany notes and coffee tones noted again with a nice sweetness caught on the draw. Right at the end of the stick now and almost at the nub it gives one last kick of earth and spice with a hint of leather on exhale, an excellent end to the Gold Medal.
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Overall: This cigar was flawless from beginning to end, it felt great in the hand from the first draw to the last. It was consistently rolled, the draw was perfect and it produced lots of flavours and pure white smooth and creamy smoke too. It burnt unevenly once, which was nothing really as it self corrected within a few short draws, and held a solid grey/white ash throughout. I would rate this smoke as medium to full bodied, but towards the stronger end of the scale, and it was very complex from start to finish. This cigar was pure pleasure to smoke and has become one of my firm favourites, hence the reason i bought two more boxes after smoking this one, it's a must have in the humidor and is up there with the best of cigars. I just hope you get the opportunity to try one or even get hold of a box as you won't be disappointed, this certainly is a treat, and the best LCDH cigar released yet imo...
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