1998 Bolivar Coronas Extra

The Extra is AGE, haha.  What a fantastic little cigar.  Very smooth but pretty strong.  A light but persistent tea flavor is the main impression. And of course, that is fine with me.  One thing you will learn from this blog is that I like the tea flavor you get with cuban tobacco.  It is a perfect example of a well-rolled cigar, with a straight burn line and perfect draw.  I miss the old Bolivar band, too.  The loss of the serif effects on the font makes the cigar look much less historic, and this is a historic brand. 

About an inch and a half in, the flavor gets creamy with a lush mouth feel.  I immediately begin to SLOW DOWN and enjoy this cigar.  I tend to rush a smoke and waste no time in ruining it.  But when a smoke this old bears the hallmarks of a well-aged cigar, it is a shame to rush it.  The sipping action reveals a layer of complexity I had not noted before.  Since the start, I was able to exhale it through the sinuses for more flavor, but this is easier and more flavorful.  A slight tinge of leather crosses with an exciting burst of orange sherbet. How strange.....and great. 

I took these out of a dress box and popped em into some cedar to see if I can squeeze another ten years out of them.  These smokes don't have what I like best in a Bolivar.  I like tangy and fruity with a blast of fresh tobacco.  But these are reasonably good replacements...just not the same thing.  Maybe I won't try to take them all another decade.  Ten would be better.  The other 14 will get smoked.  As it gets to about an inch and a half long, it gets much less interesting.  So I let it go out while it is still a smashing 92 points.