As I mentioned in my previous post, the 4th of July was my 25th wedding anniversary, so special cigars were in order. I have a humidor that my wife had custom made for me for our 10th anniversary in which I keep a selection of “special cigars”, some Opus X and Ashton VSG, a couple of specially rolled cigars that I can’t see ever smoking, and a handful of Havanas collected over the years. It’s my custom to select from this humidor on my anniversary. I selected an old favorite, a Bolivar Belicosos Finos for my first celebratory smoke. I know what you’re thinking, this is usually a breakfast cigar! OK, that’s an old joke most won’t get. The Belicosos Finos, or BBF, or Boli Beli, has a reputation as a strong cigar. The Havana Bolivar line has long been a favorite of mine, but more for the interesting flavors than the strength. I once had a Coronas Gigantes that tasted line cinnamon, the first and only time I remember tasting that in a cigar. Anyway, this Boli Beli was enjoyed after a dinner out with my wife for our anniversary. It had been in my humidor over a year, and I have no idea how old it was when it came into my possession, but I suspect that it would have been ready to go. I can see that this cigar would have been fine if I had waited several more years to smoke it, but it hit the spot. I will say that every Cuban cigar I have smoked over the last few years really proves the point that cigars from the rest of the cigar producing countries have caught up and in many ways surpassed Cuba. There still remains a flavor, a “twang”, if you will, that sets Havana cigars apart from the rest. An awesome cigar to celebrate a wonderful day.
We can watch our town’s fireworks from our front porch, which is preferable to battling the crowds in my opinion. Sure, there are some trees obscuring the view of some of the lower altitude fireworks, but it’s still nice to be at home for the show. I went back to the anniversary humidor and selected a little Ashton Virgin Sungrown Tres Mystique for the show. This cigar has been in that humidor for well over 5 years, I honestly can’t remember where it came from, certainly in a trade or something like that. It’s a 4 3/8 x 44 petit corona with a beautiful dark brown wrapper that glistens with oil. I have to describe the smoke as lush and meaty, like a great steak. I wish it had been a little longer, as I had to put it down before the show ended. That’s OK, it was a stellar cigar, worthy of the moment. I forgot to snap a photo of it before I lit it up, so the photo here is from Ashton’s website (which will explain it’s superior quality!).
Thursday, after a delicious sausage, peppers and pasta dinner made by my wife, and a relaxing swim in the pool, I came home and dug out an Oliva Serie G Belicoso and took the dog for a walk. The last natural version of this cigar let me down a little, but this one had Camerooniness all over the place! It burned well and tasted great. I don’t think I would have wanted to smoke this in the pool, the wrapper is a little too delicate for that, but it was perfect for relaxing after. Nice cigar and quite reasonably priced.
Friday evening I had La Gloria Cubaba Serie N on my mind, and dug out the last one from over a year ago, a 5½” x 54 JSB. I love the dark, oily wrapper on these, and I’ll never forget getting to see the “N” being painstakingly applied in the factory when I visited. They have a punch, like a paper punch, that punches the “N”s out of light colored leaves. The “N”s are all over the benches and the poor ladies have to carefully apply them just right on the cigar. It’s a neat touch that sets this cigar apart from the rest. Another thing that sets it apart are the rich and dark flavors. This cigar is darned tasty! It’s dark maduro Ecuador Sumatra wrapper is delicious, but mine didn’t want to stay light as well as I’d like. Still, a nice smoke, I’d buy a box in a heartbeat (and the box is way cool too).
Contest!
Once again, it’s contest time! I have another two (2) three-packs of Hoyo de Monterrey Reposados en Cedros cigars for one reader who leaves a comment on this post. I got a timely response from last week’s winner, Allen, and his cigars will be heading out to his duty station where ever that may be next week. So, leave a comment, tell your friends, win some cigars courtesy of our friends at General Cigars. If you haven’t already, head over to HoyodeMonterreycigar.com and enter to win a box of these. They are giving a box away every day through the end of the month! (note: There is still the CAO Last Stick Standing contest going on at lss.caocigars.com too!) Please note, the prize is the two 3-packs. The photo here has a display representing of the special “Inmersion” process used to age these cigars, not part of the prize.
That’s all I have for now! Until the next time,
CigarCraig
Would like to try these, the immersion process sounds interesting.
Also, I’ve been entering the contest but they haven’t posted any winners for over a month! http://hoyodemonterreycigar.com/promotion/winners/
Hope I won during that time…
I love the Serie G! It’s certainly my favorite Cameroon-wrapped stick.
Love the “N” , but in this heat I find a Oliva Special G really hits the spot!
sounds like another great weekend!! nice selection of stogies as well…. gotta get my hands on those bolivars !! thanks for the contest craig!
THANKS FOR THE CONTESTS AND REVIEWS! I really like the Reposado. Sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks again Craig for the shout out and hope to see those cigars soon. We will see how the mail service treats me. Glad you mentioned the N on the La Glorias, those have become one of my favorite cigars and we all wondered how the N got there. We figured they just gre them that way. Thanks again Craig
Camerooniness! lol I really like those Oliva Gs, too. Thanks Craig.
Nice cigar selection. The Ashton VSG is one of my favorites.
Thanks again Craig for letting me smoke some great cigars vicariously through your Blog. I think it’s about time I went and got some Ashtons for myself! THX for the contest as well.
Thanks for sharing the tasty reviews. Much appreciated.
thanks again for the contest
Craig hope you had a nice 4th. I would love to give these a try. Hope all is well
Glad to here about another oliva fan. Thank you for the contest.
Thanks for the contest Craig! HdM has always been a favorite of mine.
That Ashton VSG is a real treat.
Thanks again Craig,here’s my entry.
I really tried to enjoyed the Serie N line. Both times I had such a tight draw that it required to much work to get it going for any length of time. Eventually I’ll give it one more shot. What little flavors I did get I would love to have for the entire cigar.
I would love to try the Reposados. Please enter me in your contest.
I guess I’ll have to Google the Hoyo de Monterrey Reposados en Cedros. Craig, did you review the cigar? Take care.
I mentioned it last year :http://www.cigarcraig.com/blog/?p=1760
They were released at the 2010 trade show, believe it or not!
Great reviews, Craig. I’m amused that we both have similarly stocked “special” humidors. I love the VSGs and while the Tres Mystique is good, I really enjoy the Illusion.
The dinner your wife cooked – peppers, sausages & pasta – is one of my wife’s favorites to make for me, too!! Glad your anniversary was another good one, & many more to come! We’ll hit 24yrs in Sept; can’t wait!
Thanks for the contest and congrats on 25 years with your wife! Your post reminds me that I need to revisit both the Oliva Serie G and the LGC.
Was nice to read your comments/thoughts on the Bolivar Belicosos Finos…we all have those special occasion cigars…but it is interesting to say that there are cigars you probably won’t ever smoke…I have some too that I keep putting off waiting for just that right time…then I tell myself what are you waiting for…they are made to be smoked and enjoyed so just do it already…the more you build it up, the more chance for disappointment. Oh well!
Sign me up. Thanks Craig.
I am thankful for the insight and perspective you bring to cigar enjoyment. I’ve been smoking for years, but obviously it’s never too late to learn more about the enjoyment of the leaf. Thanks Craig!
You can’t go wrong with an aged Ashton VSG!
Boli Beli…what a great cigar!
I’m glad you had a great anniversary!