Well, after smoking mostly budget cigars for the past few days like Flor de Oliva Corojo’s, and over-priced cigars like Gurkha Black Dragons - honestly, of the two, I’d pick the bundle Oliva every time – I updated my cigar database and noticed a cabinet of Bolivar Short Bolivar Regional Edition Asia-Pacifico’s had reached three years old, so I thought I’d try one to see how they are aging.

I was not impressed when I smoked this cigar when it came out, particularly given the premium price Cuban regional editions have. I found the Short Boli’s to be awfully loosely packed and anything except careful light sipping of the smoke found the cigar burning hot and tasting harsh. After smoking half the cabinet of 25 – with each cigar smoked very, very slowly – I put the rest down when the seemingly-inevitable ‘sick period’ started about a year and a half after box date.

This current example was no exception for draw. The draw was very loose, like an under-filled bundle cigar. Lighting the cigar very carefully – by purging (blowing out), not drawing the flame in – I was rewarded by a tremendous flavour blast of Boli goodness that lasted for just three – three – draws. Then it got harsh and hot – I had been over-eager and had drawn a couple times like I would with a normal cigar. It took another inch of careful light draws to get the cigar back – and this on a 4 Ľ” long cigar (52 ring). This cigar is a PITA to smoke.

The reward, and the defining characteristic of the cigar to me, is the insides of one’s mouth are coated. Some cigars have very little after-taste – this cigar is all after-taste, which lingers and delights long after the cigar has left your lips. Most likely as a result, the nicotine kick is quite strong. However, as one cannot draw in much smoke, the flavours are very subtle; muted, but very complex, but with just hints of all kinds of flavours. Pepper predominates, but there is lots going on behind the pepper if you have the patience to sniff the other flavours out. The Short Boli is pretty much the opposite of something like a Padron. Very frustrating to smoke (to me), but an incredible cigar none-the-less – but only if you are willing to smoke it and appreciate it on its own unique terms (and price). I’m going to put mine back to sleep for another couple of years.