Length: 18cm
Ring Gauge: 54
Factory Name: Poderosos
Vitola: Double Pyramid
Type: Rodolfo
Presentation: Box of 25s (Only 2,000 Serial numbered)
Special Presentation: Jar of 25s (Only 100 Serial numbered) exclusive to LCDH Knokke & Gent
Release Date: Last quarter 2013
Price: $700
The Poderosos is the second exclusive release for the 2013 BELUX region (Belgium and Luxembourg) following its predecessor the amazing La Gloria Cubana Belux No.1 back in 2011. They hale with an awesome new size of a double pyramid and a ring gauge of 54. Named "Poderosos" which is Spanish for The Mighty and Powerful, I can only imagine what I am in for...I have been resting those Poderosos for 8 weeks now but I can't wait any longer to try them... so lets take a look.
The Construction - A dark matte Colorado Claro wrapper with a few visible protruding veins giving a rough texture and feel to the cigar. Quiet firm and resistant with fairly packed tobacco and finished with a near perfect pyramid cap. It is long and thick so clear your schedule.
The Draw - with a double blade cutter, a 7mm snip off the cap gave this cigar the perfect draw. Not much resistance yet not too loose and in fact it shows that it will be a long slow smoke. Notes for the cold draw gives a roasted coffee taste with hints of dark cocoa. Slight hints of dark wood and meaty taste.
The First Burn - a sweet smoky flavor with a light peppery taste on the very first couple of puffs. Little tingle as your let the smoke out of the nose and taste of light ammonia which quickly dissipates. Once you get an even burn then you can really pick up on some of that green peppery, earthy taste with fresh tasty leather scent. I can't tress more about how perfect the draw is. Smoke is warm and smooth while the ash is crumbly soft and has a few dark shades of grey.
The Middle Burn - character development starts to kick in with distinctive dark cocoa and light roasted coffee highlighted with leather notes. Some bitter aftertaste but probably from the tar build up near the cap. If you are a slow smoker like me, be prepared to relight this cigar once or twice during this part. As I take my time, I am trying to make sure I have a slow burn on the Poderosos so I can savor those many flavors that can be shadowed from these different characters. Smoke tends to be light but full on flavor and ash holds on pretty well.
The Final Burn - Coffee roast flavor deepens and the leathery taste turns rubbery. Some sweetness to the smoke but the dark cocoa hints somehow comes and goes. The spicy pepper has faded away and can hardly get picked up from all the sweet coffee and leathery/rubbery notes This is where you really feel the powerful taste of this Bolivar Poderosos, full flavor and full bodied. Smoke is rich and smooth and smells magnificent.
The bitterness at the cap is expected since this is a long cigar and the tar keeps building up. To avoid much of this bitterness try to not wet the cap with your saliva or cut the tip before lighting it up a centimeter or so and you should be fine.
A truly full flavored cigar and that is just the beginning. The Poderosos will definitely refine its character with time and is a perfect candidate for again as well. I am in love with this size and can't wait to revisit them again once they hit a one year mark! This is another smoke which I really hate for it to end...
The Pairing - With such a flavorful smoke you need something as full bodied to balance it out and truly savor the cigar character. The Nespresso Roma, with intensity level 8, complements the Poderosos with its sweet and woody notes that will keep the palate tasting fresh and not over powering your taste buds.
Enjoy!
