Bolivar Petit Belicoso Edicion Limitada 2009

My MOST humble apologies to all for being a slovenly butthead for what...two months now?  I am guessing most have just stopped checking in.  I guess that's the advantage of having a lot of content in place, at least new people can log in and read through all of it.  My excuse is a good one, though, because after a year of entries, it's time to repeat one.  I just got back from the Smokies again, and I had a wonderful time.  I DID NOT, however, smoke many cigars.  I always take them along, but this trip was busier than usual.  I got up early on a few of my 6 days to take in a more attractive photographic safari in Cades Cove,  once alone, and once with my nephew and mother.  You can see occasional wildlife at 4 pm in the cove, but it's not too likely.  If you want to get hit over the head with it, get up at dawn and enter the loop road at 6:30 am.  More about that in a minute.
One night I was aching a bit from a long hike on the Appalachian trail for which I was grossly under-watered, and hopped in the hot tub for a smoke and a Frozen Concoction.  I chose a Bolivar Edicion Limitada, the 2009 Petit Piramide.  This cigar got clobbered on initial release, and even as time progressed, it's scores stayed pretty low for what should have been a fantastic cigar.  People said it tasted thin, cardboard-ey and bland.  As luck would have it a friend in Nashville hooked me up...thanks Bill.  I think he traded me three for something I had that he wanted.  Well this one was a bit cracked up but smokeable.  I cut it and lit it with a little difficulty on both accounts, and this cigar REALLY DELIVERED.   I have to apologize for the pic, my camera would not cooperate.

Massive amounts of spicy and interesting smoke.  There was a strong does of tea with lemon, not purely the flavor of tea and lemon which I do not care for much, but a deep tea flavor laced with a tart acidity.  Just a phenomenal combination.  The cracked wrapper was held in check by rotating the cigar when I would take it from my mouth, slathering it down each time with a lil spit.  Otherwise it wanted to stick to my lip everytime and tear worse.  But in general, the burn was good, although you had to hold it just so in your mouth to avoid an airiness.  However, I do not like when people rip on cracks and draw in reviews, as if those flaws can be thought of as general detractions from all examples of that cigar.  Mine was just an exception.  The flavor was spot on.  It did not change a great amount over the life of the smoke.  I am sad to say I only smoked half of an already short cigar.  I got distracted by something OUTSIDE the hot tub, and had to go inside where smoking is not allowed.  I am not one who can lay a cigar down and come back to it cold.  Just too sharp and bitter.  But while it was going, the cigar was a real joy to smoke with a slight creaminess and a few draws of pine, butter, cotton candy and the tea and lemon base underneath it all.  A bit leathery to start, and a bit acidic to finish, but the middle time was perfect. 

I will not rate this cigars flaws, this was something that could not be helped.  As a flavorful cigar, this one has to be right up there in the range of 89-91.