First Time Review: Bolivar Soberano LE

[Glass Half Full]

Bolivar Soberanos EL 2018 (made available 2019)

Box code:        MSU NOV19

Vitola:             Duke 5 ½ x 54  (according to Alex Groom  

First time review here.  Hope I do it justice.)  

Inspired to do this by the post from Prez asking for thoughts on this one.  Trying to live up to all y’all’s wonderful reviews.  (Even brought out a pad and pen, having seen JohnS’s methods.  Though his bar is high

Cold Draw:      Remarkably easy "pull"; light leather.

First 1/3^rd:

Being new at this, I found it simpler to start with comparisons to other cigars:  The Soberano begins so much more softly than a Bolivar Belicoso (which I very much enjoy (especially well aged).  Flavors start for the Soberano flitting between white pepper at the start, then gone (except on retrohale) -- then cocoa, citrusy herbs, and an almost buttery finish.  Nearing the end of the 1^st third, the cocoa remains dominant though infused with other flavors, including the addition of nuts and a soft leather sense (at least those are the descriptors that come to my mind).  

The smoke is prodigious right after each draw:  a beautiful gray white (not the bright white of a classic Partagás – and there are no other comparisons to that Marca here at all).  

To my taste, this cigar is pairing well with a lighter, slightly malt-forward beer.  (Was lucky to have chosen local brewery Edmund’s Oast for that:  Their new “Country Lager.”  …For last third, switched for another local:  Coast “Kolsch,” which brought a brighter contrast.)

 

2/3^rd

This one begins with more subtlety than the first.  Flavors are so “balanced” that those in the forefront keep switching.  Cocoa first turns into ever-so-slightly-sweet baking flavors, then to bittersweet, slightly citrus-infused chocolate cake (just the baked cake part, almost unsweetened) (no icing here :  Then soft leather returns.  The wonderfully easy draw is consistent.  

3/3^rd:

The easy draw remains through the end, and (to me) that helps enable the flavors to sing.  

A slight touch-up is required at this point (a first for this one) to keep the wrapper in line.  Leather switches briefly to bittersweet brownies, adds some more nutty undertones.  

…And then, as the temperature of the smoke starts to build (given where we are here), the cigar begins to shout: “Bolivar.”  Light white pepper that was only evident in the retrohale before (which was steadily soft all up until now because the ring gauge seemed to allow the smoke to be cooler than most other cigars I know).  The smoke production remains powerful up through the end, and the nicotine then starts to become more evident.  This is a deceptively powerful cigar. 

Time to smoke:           1 hour & 20 mins. 

Construction:              4 out of 5.

Draw:                          5 out of 5.

Balance:                      5 out of 5.

Flavor / complexity:   4.5 out of 5.

I don’t think I’m experienced enough to use a 100-point scale.  I still have to turn to comparisons:  Perhaps the best cigar I’ve ever had was a La Escepcion Selectos Finos (2011).  I would have given that a top score (because I have no other bases of comparision except what I've tasted.)  The Soberano was not at that peak level, but it was complex in a good way, bringing surprises and it was drawing perfectly.  Also this cigar did not have the age of what I'm comparing it to.  

To me, the Bolivar Soberano is an excellent cigar.  It’s draw and balance, and the “pop” into full “Bolivar” flavor at the end was a welcome finish.  

Hopefully this is helpful.  All the best!   

 

[Goodfortune]

Nice review! Thanks

[GolfT3]

Nice review, and always nice to see an Edmunds Oast plug. Great spot and great beers.

[Bolismoker]

Great review. Thanks for doing it.


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[NSXCIGAR]

The several Soberanos I've had I liked. They're what I wish the BRC was like. 

[Ginseng]

Very fine review! Seems like a cigar I would like to sample at some point seeing as I'm a Bolivar fan.

Cheers!

[Edicion]

Really great for being a first review, or in fact, any review. Look forward to many more. 

Also happy to read the review and that the cigars are smoking well. It's a been a few years since I had one so time to revisit soon. 

[CaptainQuintero]

Brill review, thanks to sharing will be looking forward to more from you in the future

[Cubadust]

Great review, keep doing them

[SigloVI]

Great review and one of my favorite LE's

[JohnS]

Indeed, great review! 👍

The Pen and Pad? Yes, I remember that was when I was reviewing the Limited Edition releases around 2015. Thinking about that now, it makes me reflect how much the market price has appreciated for the 2014 Cohiba Robustos Supremos, in the meantime. It's quite amazing, actually

[Edicion]

5 hours ago, JohnS said:

Indeed, great review! 👍

The Pen and Pad? Yes, I remember that was when I was reviewing the Limited Edition releases around 2015. Thinking about that now, it makes me reflect how much the market price has appreciated for the 2014 Cohiba Robustos Supremos, in the meantime. It's quite amazing, actually

Wish I could have been wise enough to buy some Supremos sticks at the time