Bolivar Corona Extra (Box Date June 2006)

This is another cigar that I reviewed last year, it narrowly missed making my top ten of the year and certainly would have been in my top 25. The cigar presents with a tawny, medium brown wrapper that shows some prominent veining. The cigar is firm and seems like it may be a bit tight. The pre light aroma has notes of leather, light pepper and tobacco. The pre light draw shows notes of earth and leather.

The cigar opens with a core profile of tobacco, earth and leather and is everything that I expect from a Bolivar cigar. The level of complexity and depth is excellent right from the start and I detect no early signs that this cigar is anything but at it's peak. At the back of the palate there are intense notes of wood and leather. The draw is a bit tight, but it is not unduly so. The burn is a bit lopsided, but it performs to expectation.

The first half of the cigar performs extremely well. The core profile develops further depth and shows rich character. There are notes of leather, earth and toasty tobacco mingling in a tantalizing dance across the palate. At the back of the palate the intensity begins to increase. There are some unexpected notes of pepper, mixed with wood and leather. The draw is still too tight for me, but it is acceptable. The burn is slightly off, but I am managing to this point.

The final half of the cigar refutes the opinions of many Dominican enthusiasts that often tell me that the Dominican cigars are just as good, or better, than any Cuban cigar out there. To this I say....BALDERDASH! Smoke a well aged Cuban, at it's peak, and you will discover things that you could not believe possible in a cigar. The profile in the back half of this cigar is breathtaking. The core shows powerful notes of pepper and leather. At the back of the palate there are stunning notes of wood, earth and tobacco that overwhelm the senses. The draw and burn continue to be slightly sub par, but I persist to the end without any major issue.

The finish is long and smooth showing notes of pepper, earth, leather and tobacco.

Appearance- 89 a nice looking cigar, prominent veins hurt the appearance
Taste- 97 one of the best profiles in my recent memory
Construction- 87 some draw and burn issues preclude a higher mark
Strength- 92 a surprising full, that could use power in the front of the smoke
Overall- 91.5 this cigar loses points because of construction, but the profile is amongst the best I have smoked