Bolivar Libertador Cuban Cigar

The Libertador is a big beast. Have no doubt. It’s the same size as the legendary Cohiba Sublimes Limited Edition of 2004 and the Montecristo Sublimes 2008. The ring gauge is a thick 54 with a length of 6.4 inches.

The Bolivar was introduced by Habanos in 2013 as an LCDH release following an earlier outing in 2006/7 as a French RE. The first release met with cautious approval as it was deemed a little young but the vitola has now clearly got into it’s stride and is becoming a serious challenger to it’s senior cousins the MC and the Cohiba.

First appearances are good with a wonderful colorado maduro wrapper with a lovely oily appearance. Unlit the draw is very good. First impressions after lighting are of cream, chocolate and spice. There is also a certain earthiness that whilst not bold underlines its heritage as a member of the Bolivar family. As the enjoyment of this stick progresses it is apparent that this is a medium to full bodied Havana that has plenty of capacity for further ageing. Smoking duration is about one and a half to two hours.

Some reviewers have pointed out that the Libertador is not unlike the Corona Gigantes. I’m not sure there is any similarity other than a general resemblance to the rest of the Bolivar family. If anything I would suggest a touch of the Belicosos Finos-especially those from SLB’s.

Overall this is could be a great cigar and whilst it is currently scoring in the early 90’s I feel quite confident that it is capable of reaching the upper 90’s (perhaps even 97-98) after 4 or 5 years of careful storage.

Price wise a lot depends on where you are buying. The Spanish street price is €15 whereas online I have seen them priced between €16 and €22.

Meet the men who wear man bags, proudly

Great story from Fortune. Last issue we wrote about http://www.biancamosca.com Men’s bags are becoming a huge phenomenon. My prediction is we’re going to see a big increase in men carrying stylish bags. The guys at Bianca Mosca have told me they are designing a range of alligator bags to compete with the offerings from French giant Hermes. Maybe they can come up with a mens bag to compete with the legendary Birkin!

The Top Ten Luxury Wallets for Men

Welcome to the first in our series of reviews covering the best in luxury wallets for men. We’re going to take a look at all the top makers and brands including Hermes, Berluti, Tom Ford, Gucci and Burberry. For the first review we’re going to look at a luxury brand that’s been in existence since 1946: Bianca Mosca. Bianca Mosca was founded by the eponymous designer, a cousin of the legendary Elsa Schiaparelli with the backing of the 9th Earl of Jersey. Sadly Madame Mosca passed away at a young age but thankfully the brand was rescued by well known fashion entrepreneurs, Tim de Rosen and Leslie Kent.

Today Bianca Mosca makes beautifully made travel goods and accessories crafted from Louisiana alligator sourced from leading European and American tanneries.

All of their products are made to order in a small atelier in France. Customers can choose the type and color of alligator skin-with a shiny or matte finish, select a lining color, color for stitching and have their personal monogram engraved on the completed item.

The quality of the alligator leather, as you would expect, is superlative with large square tiles from the belly section leading to smaller scales in the flank. The leather is superbly tanned and the colors resonate with great depth. The cutting of the leather and detailing leads to a very high quality finish. All of the work required to make each piece is carried out by a single craftsman who assembles and hand sews the seams using waxed linen thread with a traditional saddle stitch.

Clearly this level of craftsmanship and attention to detail doesn’t come cheaply but I believe that an investment in a Bianca Mosca wallet will pay dividends in the long term as their products should last a lifetime. In fact the company gives an impressive unlimited guarantee for each piece it makes.