Bolivar Tubos No. 1 Cigar - Pack of 3

Length: 5 5/8" 
Ring Gauge: 42
Strength: Full
Packaging: Pack of 3 Cigars in Tubes

Discontinued - strictly limited availability. 

Simon Bolivar was one of the great historic figures of the 19th Century who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule.

The Bolivar brand was created in 1902 and is based today in the Partagas factory which is in the heart of Havana. 

It is perhaps not surprising that a Habano named after such a powerful figure is blended to match his might. Bolivar is among the strongest, most full bodied of all Habanos. It boasts an unrivalled richness of flavour in its blend of Vuelta Abajo zone filler and binder tobacco that makes it one of the most sought-after marques amongst experienced smokers. 

Typical full flavoured spicy tasting Bolivar flavour. This is one of my favourite Corona sized Havanas. An ideal after dinner cigar with an earthy and spicy aroma.

Reviewed by Stuart Dixon (December 2003)

The Boli No 1 Tubed is a corona, 51/2" x 42, and I noted this example displayed a little bloom on inspection in the store, brushed away by the assistant. With a smooth, milk-chocolate wrapper, the cigar was firm to the touch and gave off distinct leather and earth aromas.

It was placed into a humidor for two weeks before I finally picked it out, after a long, hot sunny day. Taking it out onto the patio with a glass of port, the evening was quiet and tranquil, not too warm after the day's blazing heat, but not cold either. It sliced nicely with a double-bladed cutter and the cap popped away, leaving a good piece of binder in place, ensuring that it would not unwrap.

The pre-light draw, and my heart sank. It was hard. Very hard. Plugged, or simply tightly-packed? It was certainly a well-packed cigar, looking at both ends of it, but this is a Cuban after all and is to be expected.

I pressed on and toasted the foot before striking a second match to light the cigar proper. The first draw signified trouble ahead. I really had to suck hard in order to get the meanest amount of smoke through - a light, wispy, disappointing effort, suggesting that putting this cigar down for more than a minute would result in a re-light. As for taste? Leather and earth tones for certain in the first few draws.

No discernible spices or nutty flavours.

Not really enjoying the hard work that I was having to put in here, I felt that Bolivar deserved my best efforts and pushed onward. The flavours in the first ¾" were consistent and medium and I noted that the ash was holding nicely - dark, showing the classic concentric circles and with just a trace of a vein or two from the wrapper. I also noted the first faint stirrings of a headache!

At an inch down, all hell broke loose. There was now a distinct hotness on the tongue, probably brought on by the amount of effort necessarily expended to draw. The smoke continued to be wispy, mean and ungiving - and then it went out altogether.

As the cigar had been pretty much a disaster from the start, I toyed with the idea of not relighting but my natural frugality came to the fore, so I ashed for the first time and re-lit...

There was an immediate burst of bitterness to the tongue initially, but it settled down and I noted that the flavours had moved from medium to medium-strong.

The burn, even at first, now began to lose its way somewhat and, towards the end of the second inch, was looking decidedly ragged.

At this point, I tasted some serious bitterness and thought that enough was enough.

With 3½" remaining, I finally put this highly unsatisfying cigar to rest.

The corona never has been my favourite vitola - I purchased it in the store simply because they had no attractive robusto's - and it will be some time before I deviate again!

As for Bolivar - well, this was my first, and unless anyone can reassure me that they have a decent robusto, it will be my last.