Bolivar Royal Corona

1. 28th September, 2020 The Bolivar has a distinctive rich, complex, flavour. It is similar to the Padron series that I smoked a few nights before, but with much more body and much longer finish. This is a full bodied cigar. The Padron is mild to medium. But surprisingly, the Bolivar is not as strong as the Padron.

The long finish allowed for a slower pace of smoking. Unlike the Padron, the flavour of which was gone almost almost immediately, the Bolivar flavour lingered on the palate.  Although not quite five inches, the Bolivar was a much more leisurely smoke and lasted a full hour. The Padron 3000 was barely 50 minutes.

Draw was easy. Burn not so even, which was probably due to my impetuosity: they probably need a little more time in the humidor. (Note: one year later, with perfect humidity, burn was still erratic. See September 24th, 2021, below.)

The date on the bottom of the box is October 2018. They have therefore aged almost two years and the complexity shows. So they will probably be ready to smoke once humidity is consistent. I'll follow up in another week or three.

2. October, 2020: Two weeks later in Sukhothai, at the Sriwilai hotel, room service on the balcony of a room with an unimpeded view of rice fields stretching kilometers unto the horizon. I tried a second member of the box. It was a very oily number with a long finish. I could still taste the oils for a couple of days. Smoking time one hour.

The Sriwilai Hotel in Sukhothai

3. A third sample from the box was a little drier, but strength and flavour built nicely, reminiscent of some of the best examples of the Vegeuros Entretiempo. It was medium-full bodied and very satisfying - as evidenced by taking the nub to the last centimeter.


4. November 15th 2020: The fourth member of the box was not as delectable as the one I raved about in the previous review. It was not as oily. Flavour tended to come and go. There were bursts of rich flavour and then, meh... OK, smokeable. Finish was short. With the previous stick I could still taste the oils a couple of days later. With this one, there was very little lingering after taste. It lasted 55 minutes, which is passable for a robusto. But the verdict: not satisfying.


5. November 20th, 2020: I wasn't planning to smoke a cigar this evening, but after a very satisfying three course dinner prepared by Mrs. B, it was difficult to resist.


The meal
Leek soup
Sea Bass Meuniere
Banoffee Cake.

The occasion of the meal was small, semi-private concert with only one work on the program, Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. The Diabellis form a  colossal piece of music and require a colossal technique. Our guest pianist handled the work admirably. We were an audience of whom five stayed for dinner.

After dinner, I went to Humidor A and selected a Bolivar Royal Corona. This particular cigar felt quite heavy in the palm. Wrapper was nice and oily, albeit rough and veiny. The role was a little irregular. It seemed to be a bit wider at the foot than the head. It also seemed quite dry. 

Heavy in the hand, much rougher than other members of the box and much rougher looking. But one of the best so far in terms of strength and finish.

Flavour upon lighting was impeccable, reminiscent of the glorious Bolivar stogies of yesteryear, but not quite as rich. There was a bit of strength, which came and went (or was it me that came and went?). Aroma was superb throughout. Finish was long.

Burn was totally irregular. I couldn't keep it straight. Numerous touch ups required. Ambient humidity was high. But I doubt that this was an issue with burn issues. By the time I reached the nub, I could see that the cigar was burning inward; there was a cocoon of hard heat that extended inside the cigar a centimeter from the burn line to the head. I forfeited the nub but without regret. The little robusto had lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. Verdict: Satisfying.

6. April 18th, 2021 This cigar started off quite mildly, with not much body or finish. Burn was a bit wavy. But defects diminished by the start of the second half. Flavour, strength and body all ramped up to a solid medium. There were moments of creaminess which were quite sublime. Aroma was good throughout. Nothing like the Bolivar of several decades ago which was one of the strongest Cubans I can recall, but still quite tasty. Overall, not quite satisfying despite 75 minutes to the fingertip-burning nub. A larger vitola perhaps?

7. June 3rd, 2021: Much like the entry above, started mild but flavour, body and strength 'ramped up' by the second third, where the mildness gave way to a pronounced pepperiness. Draw was a bit restrained at the beginning but opened up nicely by the middle. Quite satisfying but lacking body. 75 minutes.

8. September 24th, 2021: This cigar was in excellent condition, having been maintained at a constant humidity at 70% (or perhaps a little less) and around 24C for a year in one of my humidors. It felt heavy in the hand and firm to the squeeze. It was neither too dry or too moist. 

The first few puffs were bold, rich, peppery and full bodied. The cigar then mellowed out, as cigars are wont to do after the first few puffs, to a medium body with a delicious rich aroma. Flavour was quite peppery. Towards the second half, body and strength increased to full body and 'quite strong but not overpowering'. By the end of the cigar my head was pleasantly spinning. The strength complemented the peppery, rich, flavour quite well.

As with most samples from this box, construction was an issue. Burn was uneven, requiring a couple of touch-ups and a relight. There was a point in the middle of the cigar where draw seemed plugged but once that obstacle passed, draw was quite easy again. 

Complex, rich, quite strong and satisfying. 75 minutes. 

A very solid cigar, heavy in the hand, medium to full bodied with a satisfying increase in strength in the second half.

9. November 13th, 2021: This was a very solid cigar. Burn was quite wavy but didn't require a touch up. Draw was slightly resistant. But flavour was more intense than I recall from the previous few samples from the same box. It was a delicious example of medium-plus bodied Cuban cigar with similarly rich aroma and excellent, clean, aftertaste. 60 minutes. Satisfying.
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10. January 6th, 2022: Draw was a bit tight, but manageable. Flavour was quite fruity and reminded me of the Joya Antano, with that dried apricot flavour. Body was medium throughout. Aroma was rich. Finish was medium with clean aftertaste. There was a bit of strength which made the medium bodied profile interesting. Pepper appeared during the final third; another interesting feature. 62 minutes. Quite satisfying. 

11. March 1st, 2022: Medium bodied with excellent, rich aroma and pepper building in the second half. Burn and draw were fine. Clean aftertaste. 60 minutes. Quite satisfying.

12. May 3rd, 2022: A dud. This cigar had a tunnel down the middle. Burn was terrible. Flavour was almost absent. It was too moist (my fault for not curating properly). But even a moist cigar would have had some flavour if it was properly rolled. 

13. June 18th, 2023: This cigar was quite light in the hand, compared another one in the humidor, but flavour was not lacking. It was quite rich and satisfying, albeit a fast burner. Burn was wonky and required several touch ups, but that was not too great an inconvenience. 60 minutes, quite satisfying.

December 22nd, 2023: A pleasant puff. Body was in the mild to medium. 60 minutes.

May 15th, 2024: Solid and heavy in the hand. Draw was not easy, but manageable. Burn was uneven. The cigar started canoeing around the beginning of the second third and went out a couple of times in the final third. Flavour was rich and complex, body was medium to medium plus. Quite satisfying at 90 minutes, but I can't see myself buying another box of these. Price is around $600 for a box. There is much better value on the market with similar rich, earthy profile.