So here is the first instalment if the Bolly now and then review. Thanks to Simon for making the 70's version available to me and to MySmokingShop for the great service and condition of this 2007 cigar.
Bolivar Corona Extra 2007
Ring gauge: 44
Length: 5.6 inches
Body advertised as: Full
This cigar is an attractive shape and size with a high standard of build quality. The wrapper is medium do dark in colour and has a toothy finish with some medium to fine veining. The smell is rich and sweet. The cap is well constructed and I chose to punch cut it which yielded this little inverted tail/plugImageUploadedByTapatalk1406103611.581444.jpgcold draw is free flowing but with enough resistance to give me confidence in the draw to come. Taste on cold draw is interesting indeed, sweetness and pure Cuban cigar ness is joined with (dare I say it) a slight mint background. Ok here goes.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406103879.988638.jpg
Lighting is easy with soft flame and immediately even burnImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104082.273119.jpg
Tastes are slightly leaning towards sweet but not in a bad way, there's some caramel and biscuit along with a creamy (taste not smoke). The smoke is both creamy and hazy blue. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104369.393572.jpgand the ash shows clearly the fossilised remains of those teeth ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104451.303673.jpg
An inch in and my initial feelings are that this is a very pleasant cigar which is beautiful in a quite unique way for me. I've had lots if cigars that have had this very rich smoke but this one has a slight subtlety to it that is hard to pinpoint. The cold draw mint has just appeared but there is a clean vegetation it too, not cut grass but maybe a subtle herby taste. There is some spice in there too.
I'm at nearly a third in and the burn has started to go a tad uneven, I won't correct it as I want to see where it goes.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104887.421260.jpg
I'm pairing this with a chilled Latte drink which is actually pretty good with the cigar, if I had the same again (which I will) I would have water or black coffee.
The burn is still on the wonk but smoke production isn't affected yet. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105093.071715.jpgas the ash is still holding in there I may knock it off soon and see if burn evens up naturally. As for the flavour, it is still giving a herby/vegetation taste with a salty hint coming in, a savoury turn on the way maybe.
Darn it went out! Time to lose the ash and relight. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105307.173240.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105320.424547.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105341.493050.jpg the ash left a dished pit in the foot, relighting brings forth lots of blue smoke with less herb and more savoury oily spicy smoke. I'm even getting a subtle liquorice taste but very subtle. No one could accuse this cigar of being one dimensional.
Half wayImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105834.251560.jpg
The cigar is becoming rather interesting (or rather more interesting) at this stage, I have a peppery taste with a nice savoury hit. I know this will sound bonkers but I'm getting a meaty taste which reminds me of charcuterie! Not in a bad way at all, it's there but more of a profile that would work with charcuterie. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106283.389356.jpg
Well past half way now the cigar gets woody, its a lot to take in but the profile changes are frequent and exciting.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106510.458538.jpg
The burn has been tricky and continues to cause problems, I'm going to correct it now as I want the cigar to go one in order to see it through to the end.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106603.149928.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106636.536108.jpg
Burn corrected and I have the pepper coming to the forth. I'm at the stage where the oils have built up enough to have a truly full strength cigar. I just took a call so am now at the end of the cigar. Here's the last shotImageUploadedByTapatalk1406107496.395441.jpg
I was going to give the points now but have to dash so will edit score in later. A lovely smoke.
Bolivar Corona Extra 2007
Ring gauge: 44
Length: 5.6 inches
Body advertised as: Full
This cigar is an attractive shape and size with a high standard of build quality. The wrapper is medium do dark in colour and has a toothy finish with some medium to fine veining. The smell is rich and sweet. The cap is well constructed and I chose to punch cut it which yielded this little inverted tail/plugImageUploadedByTapatalk1406103611.581444.jpgcold draw is free flowing but with enough resistance to give me confidence in the draw to come. Taste on cold draw is interesting indeed, sweetness and pure Cuban cigar ness is joined with (dare I say it) a slight mint background. Ok here goes.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406103879.988638.jpg
Lighting is easy with soft flame and immediately even burnImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104082.273119.jpg
Tastes are slightly leaning towards sweet but not in a bad way, there's some caramel and biscuit along with a creamy (taste not smoke). The smoke is both creamy and hazy blue. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104369.393572.jpgand the ash shows clearly the fossilised remains of those teeth ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104451.303673.jpg
An inch in and my initial feelings are that this is a very pleasant cigar which is beautiful in a quite unique way for me. I've had lots if cigars that have had this very rich smoke but this one has a slight subtlety to it that is hard to pinpoint. The cold draw mint has just appeared but there is a clean vegetation it too, not cut grass but maybe a subtle herby taste. There is some spice in there too.
I'm at nearly a third in and the burn has started to go a tad uneven, I won't correct it as I want to see where it goes.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406104887.421260.jpg
I'm pairing this with a chilled Latte drink which is actually pretty good with the cigar, if I had the same again (which I will) I would have water or black coffee.
The burn is still on the wonk but smoke production isn't affected yet. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105093.071715.jpgas the ash is still holding in there I may knock it off soon and see if burn evens up naturally. As for the flavour, it is still giving a herby/vegetation taste with a salty hint coming in, a savoury turn on the way maybe.
Darn it went out! Time to lose the ash and relight. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105307.173240.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105320.424547.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105341.493050.jpg the ash left a dished pit in the foot, relighting brings forth lots of blue smoke with less herb and more savoury oily spicy smoke. I'm even getting a subtle liquorice taste but very subtle. No one could accuse this cigar of being one dimensional.
Half wayImageUploadedByTapatalk1406105834.251560.jpg
The cigar is becoming rather interesting (or rather more interesting) at this stage, I have a peppery taste with a nice savoury hit. I know this will sound bonkers but I'm getting a meaty taste which reminds me of charcuterie! Not in a bad way at all, it's there but more of a profile that would work with charcuterie. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106283.389356.jpg
Well past half way now the cigar gets woody, its a lot to take in but the profile changes are frequent and exciting.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106510.458538.jpg
The burn has been tricky and continues to cause problems, I'm going to correct it now as I want the cigar to go one in order to see it through to the end.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106603.149928.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1406106636.536108.jpg
Burn corrected and I have the pepper coming to the forth. I'm at the stage where the oils have built up enough to have a truly full strength cigar. I just took a call so am now at the end of the cigar. Here's the last shotImageUploadedByTapatalk1406107496.395441.jpg
I was going to give the points now but have to dash so will edit score in later. A lovely smoke.
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