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Cigar: Bolivar Gold Medal
Size: 165 mm x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1 hour 27 mins
Cigar box age: Gifted by Deano ? P8S Jul 07. Reinstated Standard Production.
First appearance: Striking. The branding obscures two thirds of the cigar beginning with the distinctive gold foil wrap held in place by the Standard Bolivar band ?B? and the Standard LCdH band below. Second appearance: Elegant. Rich red/brown finely grained wrapper with one or two defined veins running counter to the wrap spiral.
Construction: The cigar felt solid with a nice yield and was well balanced ?in the hand?, in fact just rolling and looking at delayed my start by some 15 minutes. On removing the cap, and studying the end section at both ends I did notice that the filler is constructed with a liberal amount of green-leafed tobacco, which I?m assuming is the norm for the vitola and one of the secrets of the blend. The pre-light draw worried me a little in that it was quite tight. The smoking draw was also tight but loosened gradually and acceptably as the smoke progressed. The burn wavered a tad off-line at times but required no remedial attention. The ash remained compacted and well behaved throughout the smoke. Four tap offs. No re-lights.
Flavour: Pre-light aroma. Earthy tobacco with a vegetal edge. The smoke started with what can only be described as the delight of this cigar, it?s base flavour, which is fresh, light citrus with a creamy smooth honey caramel quality balanced over light earth. The base flavour is constant in diminishing degree throughout almost the entirety of the smoke until it disappears somewhere into the last half of the final third. If that sounds disappointing, don?t worry it isn?t, because the tempo of change if offset by the balance of arriving flavours, which are fantastic. At two thirds the earthiness in the base reseeded and was gradually replaced by a more leatherlike tone which slowly increased in flavour depth without overwhelming the dry/sweet underlying base. Into the last third and the leather tone became richer and deeper ? until reaching the point where the base flavour had vanished ? where it was supported by delicious notes of chocolate and light spice. I ended the smoke with my lips simultaneously numb and tingling. Fantastic.
Overall: Sold. Smooth, medium to full flavour quality and exceptional balance. The Gold Medal starts with promise and simply builds and builds on it. Straight into my top ten. A must have.
Thanks Deano!
Note: I didn?t find the tobacco strength too taxing as it creeps up almost interceptively and isn?t really noticeable until almost the end of the smoke.
Size: 165 mm x 42 ? Cervantes
Smoke time: 1 hour 27 mins
Cigar box age: Gifted by Deano ? P8S Jul 07. Reinstated Standard Production.
First appearance: Striking. The branding obscures two thirds of the cigar beginning with the distinctive gold foil wrap held in place by the Standard Bolivar band ?B? and the Standard LCdH band below. Second appearance: Elegant. Rich red/brown finely grained wrapper with one or two defined veins running counter to the wrap spiral.
Construction: The cigar felt solid with a nice yield and was well balanced ?in the hand?, in fact just rolling and looking at delayed my start by some 15 minutes. On removing the cap, and studying the end section at both ends I did notice that the filler is constructed with a liberal amount of green-leafed tobacco, which I?m assuming is the norm for the vitola and one of the secrets of the blend. The pre-light draw worried me a little in that it was quite tight. The smoking draw was also tight but loosened gradually and acceptably as the smoke progressed. The burn wavered a tad off-line at times but required no remedial attention. The ash remained compacted and well behaved throughout the smoke. Four tap offs. No re-lights.
Flavour: Pre-light aroma. Earthy tobacco with a vegetal edge. The smoke started with what can only be described as the delight of this cigar, it?s base flavour, which is fresh, light citrus with a creamy smooth honey caramel quality balanced over light earth. The base flavour is constant in diminishing degree throughout almost the entirety of the smoke until it disappears somewhere into the last half of the final third. If that sounds disappointing, don?t worry it isn?t, because the tempo of change if offset by the balance of arriving flavours, which are fantastic. At two thirds the earthiness in the base reseeded and was gradually replaced by a more leatherlike tone which slowly increased in flavour depth without overwhelming the dry/sweet underlying base. Into the last third and the leather tone became richer and deeper ? until reaching the point where the base flavour had vanished ? where it was supported by delicious notes of chocolate and light spice. I ended the smoke with my lips simultaneously numb and tingling. Fantastic.
Overall: Sold. Smooth, medium to full flavour quality and exceptional balance. The Gold Medal starts with promise and simply builds and builds on it. Straight into my top ten. A must have.
Thanks Deano!
Note: I didn?t find the tobacco strength too taxing as it creeps up almost interceptively and isn?t really noticeable until almost the end of the smoke.
don TJ and the 
Coros
gotta start getting them in.........
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