Bolivar Inmensas 1999 - The Redemption

[crusse]

Bolivar Inmensas 1999

Size: 6 3/4 x 43 (Lonsdale/ Dalia)

Age: 1999 (H&F aged stock)

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes

Source: www.mysmokingshop.co.uk>>

Drink: Black coffee



inmensas.jpg

I was inspired by Arf’s excellent Lonsdale review series to smoke my last Bolivar Inmensas this afternoon. To be honest, it will be hard for me to write an unbiased review of the Inmensas because I’m already quite prejudiced against them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of the Bolivar brand: the Petit Coronas, Royal Coronas, Gold Medals and Bonitas have all been part of my regular rotation. I’ve only smoked a couple of the Belicosos Finos but I was also very impressed with them.

My opinion of the Inmensas is much less favourable. I bought five of these aged sticks a few months ago and three of them were either plugged or had uncomfortably tight draws. Admittedly the fourth one was a decent smoke, but three dodgy sticks out of four isn’t a good track record. My bad luck with these cigars even got me worried about how I was storing them. But since they were kept in the same tupperdor as my GM’s and I’ve never had a plugged or tight GM, I concluded that Inmensas were the GM’s badly behaved brothers; the black sheep of an otherwise respectable family. It was only Arf’s glowing review that persuaded me to grudgingly give them another try.

So I’m feeling a bit fatalistic about smoking this cigar. In fact, I’m approaching it with the attitude of a burnt-out social worker charged with looking after a teenage reprobate: I’m fairly convinced that this stick will be another complete failure, but as a reviewer I’m obliged to give it a second chance.

On the plus side, this cigar has a toothy wrapper shining with oils and a perfect triple cap. Unfortunately there are a couple of prominent veins and the cigar is very hard to the touch. This worries me so much that I recite a little prayer in my head: ‘Oh mighty stogie god, please spare me from another plugged monstrosity!’ The pre-light draw reveals a barnyard aroma coupled with bitter coffee. Will this stick behave itself or will it be another annoying brat?

Upon lighting up I’m relieved to discover that the draw is perfect – neither too tight nor too loose. There’s an uneven burn for the first inch or so but this soon corrects itself. The smoke is chewy, leathery and earthy. It coats my mouth in a thick cloud but its richness is cut through with a sharp tartness not unlike freshly squeezed lemon juice. It feels as if my palate is cleansed after each puff by this refreshing acidity. I detect cocoa tinged with black pepper in retrohale.

A salty nuttiness with hints of cedar begins to creep in half way through the first third. The cedar becomes progressively stronger and the saltiness is mixed with sweetness – a bit like salted caramel. There are constant undertones of lemon and occasional bursts of pepper. As the strength begins to develop from medium to full it becomes apparent that this cigar still packs a nicotine punch, although age has softened it a little. The flavours are rich, hearty and rustic.

In the second third the flavours start alternating between wood and salted caramel. The cocoa in the background becomes gradually more pronounced but then the citric twang begins to dominate. The flavours remain consistently well-balanced, if not exactly subtle. As this third progresses the smoke loses its thick chewy texture, becoming thinner and crisper. The cigar burns unevenly for a couple of minutes but no touch-ups are required to fix it.

The final third is a powerful blast of coffee and cocoa coupled with intense citrus acidity. I’m thoroughly enjoying the boldness of these bitter-sweet flavours, which perfectly compliment the black coffee I’m drinking. Hints of dried fruit and molasses are accompanied by the odd reminder of the second half’s woodiness. Towards the nub these rich flavours recede into musty earth and leather with a very long and satisfying finish.

Looking back, this particular stick seemed significantly more complex than the previous one I smoked, though still not as complex as the GM. The difference between the GM and the Inmensas reminds me of the difference between going to an expensive restaurant and having a good home-cooked meal. I really enjoy occasionally going to a smart restaurant and being served tiny portions of exquisite food, but sometimes nothing beats a hearty home-made steak and ale pie. When the Inmensas isn’t plagued with construction issues, it is satisfying in the same way as your favourite comfort food. And while it lacks the smoothness and sophistication of the GM, it compensates with bags of good old-fashioned Bolivar flavour.

In conclusion, I think I can safely say that the prodigal son has returned to the fold and is once again a valued member of the family. He’s proven that he deserved his second chance and his redemption is all the more joyful for being unexpected. We can forgive him for being a bit rough around the edges and less refined than his better behaved brothers because he’s still a proud Bolivar at heart.

Based purely on how it smoked today, I give the aged Inmensas a well-deserved score of 88 – just two points short of ‘classic’ status. When it’s on form this is a very good cigar indeed and a must for every Bolivar lover.

[AdamK]

Great review Crusse!

I'm glad you got a good one in the end!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[kevree]

I love these cigars......and that was a great review.

I've got 6 of these left from a '97 box.......and the review has made me want to dig one out.

Thanks for taking the time to put fingers to keyboard.

[cigarsam]

Fantastic review, already put my order in for a single!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

[tippexx]

Great review Crusse!

I'm glad you got a good one in the end!

+1. Excellent piece of writing.

[smokin_e2011]

Cracking review pal....

[monkey66]

Great review, many thanks.

Welcome to the 1999-2002 lottery. When they are good they are great but the risk can be high.

[crusse]

Welcome to the 1999-2002 lottery. When they are good they are great but the risk can be high.

I've heard about the 'sad, bad years' but never had a problem with cigars from this period until I had a run of bad luck with the Inmensas.

[Motormadj]

Great review.

Thanks.

[Simon Bolivar]

Nice & honest review crusse, I had a 2005 version at that smoked like a dream & I gave it 93pts! Very high score for me, putting it in my top twenty smokes. Infact when I went in my notes to check, I was expecting it to be around the 88 mark like yourself. However I guess I got lucky on my first example & didn't have previous experiences of plugged stix.Boli.Inmemsas.2011.02.03. 140.jpg
As you can see, for me a Lonsdale is a pint & a half cigar. How many cups of coffee did you drink? Boli.Inmensas.2011.02.03. 139.jpg

[crusse]

How many cups of coffee did you drink?

I think I had three....I need to cut back on coffee but I often find myself drinking a lot of it when I'm smoking.