Herfing with Simon Bolivar

[Simon Bolivar]

I have 3 boxes and one incoming (of 5) and an aged one from 2004. I gifted @gojira the box, so it?s just lying there waiting for the right time. How long should I expect the smoking time to be?
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Hi Mike, Sorry missed your question. I smoked this one with hardly putting the cigar down & towards the end felt a little time pressure. It also turned a little bitter above the band, previously I have smoked them right to the nub. So I'd say from 2hrs 45 to 3hrs+. First rules should be, ensure you have 4hrs! Then there will be no rush. & have sufficient drinks close at hand so you don't have to get up & keep ordering. I'll try to smoke another this summer & report back.

[Simon Bolivar]

Here's some other cigars smoked last leave: An ERDM DT in the church garden. ERDM.DT.2019.04.07.DSC_1900.1.jpgWife bought a new car (Juke) & we went to put some KM on it to run it in. My wife chose Maastrict, which was nice - as I know the owner of the LCDH there. We droppe din before lunch but turns out my friend wasn't there so I had a poke around & picked up a Hoyo LCDH, to smoke later. Hoyo.LCDH..2019.04.02.DSC_0091.1.jpgHerf.LCDH.Maastrict.2019.04.02.DSC_0094.1.jpg A UK Clear Havana down the caf?CH.AM.2019.04.06.DSC_1896.1.jpg & finally a rather well aged & wonderful tasting Mag 46, gifted from my herfing pal - MJ.H.Upmann.Mag46.2019.04.11.DSC_1945.1.jpgH.Upmann.Mag46.2019.04.11.DSC_1948.1.jpg

[puff o'wind]

Hi Simon. Loooong time no talk. I count ten years if the forum dates are right. How are you?

David

[Simon Bolivar]

Hi Simon. Loooong time no talk. I count ten years if the forum dates are right. How are you?

David

Hi David, Ten yrs? Could be, sounds a long time. Whattcha been up too?

[Simon Bolivar]

May Leave Part One.

So another leave passed & a few more excellent Havana's sacrificed. Started when I hit the beach in Aberdeen after my last trip offshore. My first trip this year when I actually got off on time. So I met up with my herfing buddies McDee & Wigan at CASC & enjoyed a QdO panatela 2009, from Tippex. QdO.Pan.2019.05.02.DSC_1969a.1.jpgThese are discontinued but if you can find them anywhere, they are certainly worth the market price, light but tasty & best enjoyed smoking slowly & to be honest, in a warmer environment that that evening! QdO.Pan.2019.05.02.DSC_1971.1.jpgMy first smoke at home, was visiting my friend Rony in his nursing home St Anna's. This place allows smoking inside, in designated smoking room, with just an open window for ventilation. But if the weather is better the residents & their guests can buy a beer at their in house caf? & smoke in the garden. I wonder if there's any similar arrangements at any nursing home in the UK these days?Cuaba.Divinos.2019.05.09.DSC_1998a.1.jpg These are great wee, tasty 'eye openers' for a morning smoke, with a strong coffee, since they used mould, I personally haven't had any construction issues - with the exception of one recent one that I ended up cutting a larger slice from the foot than normal.Cuaba.Divinos.2019.08.09.DSC_1999.1.jpg After a long daily walk around my local town, I rested with this PL Picadore, gifted by an American BOTL, Mike A. These are rather excellent smokes, that don't seem to need much aging but for me don't have the PL taste profile, certainly wouldn't guess it was a PL in a blind tasting. PL.Picadore.2019.05.13.DSC_2030.1.jpgPL.Picadore.2019.10.13.DSC_2031a.1.jpgAfter another walk, I stopped at a rather smart caf? in Merksem, as it had started to drizzle. luckily they have a covered area & so I took my Palm & coffee out there & lit up this Italian PL ER2013 PL.ER2013.2019.05.10.DSC_2009.1.jpgFive yrs has aged this nicely & I could taste the PL profile in this very attractive stick.PL.ER2013.2019.05.17.DSC_2043.a.1.jpg.

[Simon Bolivar]

May Leave Part 2

May Leave Part 2own in Bournemouth & a morning smoke with coffee, works well as a cocktail stick as well of course: 2002 Punch Margaritas.Punch.Marg.2019.05.18.DSC_2048.1.jpgPunch.Marg.2019.05.17.DSC_2050a.1.jpg Afternoon Smoke H.Upmann LCDHH.Upmann.LCDH.2019.05.20.DSC_2063.1.jpgH.Upmann.LCDH.2019.05.20.DSC_2067.1.jpg. Back in Antwerp a La Esecpcion SFLaEscep.ER2010.SF.201905.08.DSC_1989.1.jpgLaEscep.ER2010.SF.2019.05.08.DSC_1993.1.jpgLaEscep.ER2010.SF.2019.05.08.DSC_1997.1.jpgLaEscep.ER2010.SF.2019.05.08.DSC_1987.1.jpgSplendid model, sleek, tasty, smooth performance, some say it's glamour has faded with age but I think it still delivers. The E Type I spotted that morning on my walk was rather dashing too! And on a trip to the Antwerp Piano Bar, to collect a complete box of Boli' DT's 2000 from MJ, I chose to celebrate with this fine looking stick, generously gifted by Mike G. Seemed the only appropriate place to smoke it after I noticed these are ?120+ on our sponser's site!H.Upmann.GR.2019.05.10.DSC_2015.1.jpgH.Upmann.GR.2019.05.10.DSC_2020.1.jpg Well this is a GR Sir Winnie & to be fair I find these too light for my tastes, I know they are supposed to be the CA's cigar of choice but not for this one. However with all the hype & current pricing of this Havana, I expected something extra special (well wouldn't you?). On the positive side it was perfectly constructed, the wrapper was smooth & of the finest quality, it certainly looked the part. I started with a coffee & that was a good choice as the begining was very mild. By the time I finished the first quarter I was on to the Corsendonk Angus & perhaps that was a mistake, lovely Belgian beer but perhaps a bit too strong for this cigar. Anyway to my tastes & limited experience of Sir Win's (only smoked half a dozen), this was no different to one aged a few yrs. I enjoyed it & it matched the evening & the venue but no Wow! factor. I thank Mike for allowing me to try it & I have sent him one of my very limited stock of Boli 109's & I look fwd to hearing his review of that. I think this cigar would justify the ?30 price range (which I assume was the release price) but unless you're a Sir Win' fanatic with a large bonus to blow, I couldn't recommend paying the current crazy asking price in the UK.

[gojira]

May Leave Part 2own in Bournemouth & a morning smoke with coffee, works well as a cocktail stick as well of course: 2002 Punch Margaritas.[ATTACH=CONFIG]34088[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34089[/ATTACH] Afternoon Smoke H.Upmann LCDH[ATTACH=CONFIG]34098[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34099[/ATTACH]. Back in Antwerp a La Esecpcion SF[ATTACH=CONFIG]34090[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34095[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34093[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34094[/ATTACH]Splendid model, sleek, tasty, smooth performance, some say it's glamour has faded with age but I think it still delivers. The E Type I spotted that morning on my walk was rather dashing too! And on a trip to the Antwerp Piano Bar, to collect a complete box of Boli' DT's 2000 from MJ, I chose to celebrate with this fine looking stick, generously gifted by Mike G. Seemed the only appropriate place to smoke it after I noticed these are ?120+ on our sponser's site![ATTACH=CONFIG]34096[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34097[/ATTACH] Well this is a GR Sir Winnie & to be fair I find these too light for my tastes, I know they are supposed to be the CA's cigar of choice but not for this one. However with all the hype & current pricing of this Havana, I expected something extra special (well wouldn't you?). On the positive side it was perfectly constructed, the wrapper was smooth & of the finest quality, it certainly looked the part. I started with a coffee & that was a good choice as the begining was very mild. By the time I finished the first quarter I was on to the Corsendonk Angus & perhaps that was a mistake, lovely Belgian beer but perhaps a bit too strong for this cigar. Anyway to my tastes & limited experience of Sir Win's (only smoked half a dozen), this was no different to one aged a few yrs. I enjoyed it & it matched the evening & the venue but no Wow! factor. I thank Mike for allowing me to try it & I have sent him one of my very limited stock of Boli 109's & I look fwd to hearing his review of that. I think this cigar would justify the ?30 price range (which I assume was the release price) but unless you're a Sir Win' fanatic with a large bonus to blow, I couldn't recommend paying the current crazy asking price in the UK.

Interesting to read your thoughts on the Sir Winnie GR. They were a little more expensive though, €65 a pop!

I will definitely write up my thoughts once I had the Boli 109! Many thanks for it again!

[Simon Bolivar]

Interesting to read your thoughts on the Sir Winnie GR. They were a little more expensive though, ?65 a pop!

I will definitely write up my thoughts once I had the Boli 109! Many thanks for it again!

Just my opinion of course Mike, bearing in mind I am not a fan of Sir Winnie's but I think you'd agree, you'd expect a noticeable difference to a standard production version with 5yrs on it, for that money?

[gojira]

Just my opinion of course Mike, bearing in mind I am not a fan of Sir Winnie's but I think you'd agree, you'd expect a noticeable difference to a standard production version with 5yrs on it, for that money?

I definitely agree with you. I will sample one in the future and judge for myself but I've read a few times now that they smoke just like regular production.

The Hoyo Reserva is supposed to be a good cigar though. Haven't sampled them yet.

[Simon Bolivar]

I definitely agree with you. I will sample one in the future and judge for myself but I've read a few times now that they smoke just like regular production.

The Hoyo Reserva is supposed to be a good cigar though. Haven't sampled them yet.

I look fwd to reading your review of the Sir Win' Mike, as well as the Boli' 109. I won't be buying even a single Hoyo to try as I just can't imagine it will be any better than my stock, which is over a decade old & therefore not worth paying the extra for a pretty label.

[Stevieboy]

Mike ..the 109 is a fine cigar but not as strong as you'd expect from Bolivar. Not be smoked after a strong curry or a heavy meal..... Kind of like the Poderosos if you've had one of them

[gojira]

Mike ..the 109 is a fine cigar but not as strong as you'd expect from Bolivar. Not be smoked after a strong curry or a heavy meal..... Kind of like the Poderosos if you've had one of them

I'll keep that in mind Steve, I'm much more of an afternoon smoker anyways. I have a Poderoso but didn't smoke it yet.

[Simon Bolivar]

May leave Part 3:

[puff o'wind]

Enjoy Simon.

[Simon Bolivar]

August - Quick Update: They changed our computers at work & now I can't even compress my pic's here So I thought I'd just give you a taster of the more interesting smokes I have enjoyed since my last post in June. Here's the first:

07/07 A fine ERDM Choix Supreme from a 2006 cab. For those members who have yet to try this light to med Hermosa No4, let me just say, it's worth seeking out. I don't know if you would find these in singles in local B&M in the UK but I am sure our sponsor & others sell them. They really do benefit from a little age so ask the vendor to send the oldest he's got; many Havana's are now arriving on our shores with barely 3-6months age. The light aromas from this finely constructed cigar are a delight, especially of light sunny mornings, shielded from the breeze. I always start with coffee & indeed, I can manage this stick with just two coffees but if it's nearer lunch, I'd probably follow up with a Belgian beer. On this occasion I was on the rig & so coffee it was. Smoking with just coffee, really allows the more delicate flav's to be enjoyed that can be overwhelmed by strong beer or spirits. Experts of course, only have water to accompany during a tasting but although I have tried it, I get no pleasure from it.

https://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/rey-del-m...e-p-32703.html Orchant seleccion are aged boxes that suitably impressed our sponsor enough to put his name to them; this one being from Feb 2018. At only a quid more than the fresh stick, I would suggest trying this one to give you an idea of the potential of this fine viola.

You might think that 13yrs is too long for such a light weight cigar to continue to improve & I would say this has reached it's peak but it's stayed there for some time now & certainly isn't fading away. The ERDM Demi Tasse are amazing at 20yrs+, & Martyn & I enjoyed several boxes back in the day, when Gesto's must have corned the market in them!

I'd be interested to hear's others views on this rather unsung cigar.