Sunday, April 26, 2009

Bolivar Gold Medal



It finally stopped raining today, so i decided to do this review out on the deck. The Bolivar Gold Medal is a Lonsdale and measures in at 6.5 inches x 42 ring gauge, and is definitely a favorite size of mine. The presentation is really nice, with the gold foil and La Casa Del Habano band under the classic bolivar band. The wrapper is very supple and oily, with a nice reddish hue. It was applied with great care and topped with the triple cap you should see on all Cubans. These come in boxes of 10 for about $130 bucks.

The draw on this cigar is impeccable, with a very earthy flavor that i have come to expect and love of Bolivars. There is also a slight cocoa flavor on the lips, but its very subtle.
The first third of this cigar is classic Bolivar, with a dank, earthy flavor profile that is very enjoyable. This is a creamy cigar that really coats the palate. This had a slightly youthful characteristic, but was still very enjoyable. The burn is a little uneven, but that could be due to the breeze out here on the deck.

The second third of this cigar still had that great earthyness, but with the cocoa flavor showing itself a bit more with a bit of leather in there as well. This cigar really settled down and became very enjoyable in this second third. There is also a slight toasted bread flavor that is very nice! The burn evened out nicely. This is a solid medium bodied cigar at this point.

The final third of this cigar was very rich with a long finish. A bit of cedar flavor showed up towards the end of this cigar and the body moved into the medium/ full range.

Overall, i loved this cigar, it just puts a smile on my face! The size really worked with the Bolivar flavor profile and the presentation is one of the nicest out there. Any fan of Cuban Bolivars should enjoy this cigar and its dank earthy qualities. While i enjoyed this cigar now, i can see where some would want at least another year or 2 of age on it. This will definitely get even better the longer its in your humidor.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ben,

I've been looking at your blog and I must say that I really enjoy It.
Thanks for leaving the link on aother site. The pics. are great and the reviews are very interesting. You hit the soft spot
when I saw that you reviewed the
"Gold Medal", which is one of my favorite cuban.Congrats and keep up the good job.

My best regards,
Guy Buscéma
Calvisson, FRANCE