Yesterday I was just hanging around the house trying to avoid going out into the heat to cut the lawn, when I started thinking about taking a ride down to a cigar shop down in Exton, PA. I didn’t want to take the forty five minute ride all way down there so I decided to try a new cigar shop I’ve past a few times on my way to class.
I took the twenty minute ride up to Reading, PA and went into this little corner smoke shop. This was my first time in the store but I immediately felt comfortable and took a look around. After a little while in the walk in humidor I came across a Flor de Olivia display. I started thinking how it would be interesting to do a comparison review on the Natural and Maduro wrapper from this line.
I picked up two of each and made my way back home. Shortly after walking through the door I started to prepare for this review. I went with the Natural wrapper first followed by the Maduro about an hour later.
Natural:
Origin: Nicaragua
Length: 5.00
Ring Gauge: 50
Strength: Medium
Wrapper color: Light Brown
Wrapper type: Indonesian
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
The wrapper was a bit veiny but there were no signs of what could be trouble while burning. The overall feel was firm but pliable and did not have an oily sheen to it. The wrapper had a sweet and floral smell.
As I mentioned in the last review, I picked up a Palio cutter last week. In addition to that, I got myself a new plug cutter to replace my broken one. With my new plug cutter I cut the cap of the cigar and checked the draw. The draw was good so I started the lighting process.
The light was quick and easy. I got an even burn right away which produced lots of smoke with every puff. The initial flavor was sweet and had the same floral taste that I could smell on the wrapper. After pulling the cigar from my mouth I was left with a sweet taste on my lips and the tip of my tongue.
The flavor was very consistent. There weren’t any peaks or valleys within the flavors of this cigar. The ash was firm and light grey in color. The burn seemed rather fast for my taste, but lasted just under an hour, which is nothing to complain about considering this stick was a Robusto.
Maduro:
Origin: Nicaragua
Length: 5.00
Ring Gauge: 50
Strength: Medium
Wrapper color: Dark Brown
Wrapper type: Connecticut Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
The wrapper on this cigar was veiny, but like before, nothing I was concerned about. The overall feel was firm but pliable and had a slightly oily sheen to it. When smelling the wrapper I noticed a slight peppery smell.
Trying to be as consistent as possible I cut this one with my plug cutter as well. I got a clean smooth cut once again. I checked the draw and lit the cigar.
The light was quick and easy once again. The first puff produced lots of flavorful smoke, which had tones of pepper and spice. Like the natural wrapper, the flavor was very consistent. There was an increase in strength as the cigar burned down but it was nice and gradual, it wasn’t the type of flavor that sneaks up on you and gets to be overwhelming.
The burn seemed fast to me but was very even and produced a firm light grey ash. The cigar lasted just under and hour before It got too short to hold on to.
Comparison:
These cigars were a first for me. I have heard a lot of good things about this line but I couldn’t justify buying a bundle of 25 just to try a single cigar. When I saw that the cigar shop had singles I thought this was the perfect opportunity to try one.
At a price point of $1.50 per cigar (What I paid at my local B&M) and $34.95 per bundle (As advertised) I really don’t think you can go wrong. This isn’t the type of cigar you want for those times when you sit back and devote your time to a cigar. They just are not complex enough for that situation. These are perfect for those days when you want a decent cigar and you are pushing your lawn mower across your yard or leaning over the engine of your car.
If I had to choose one or the other I think I would go with the Natural wrapper. I really enjoyed the sweet taste that the smoke left behind.
My rating sheets can be found below.
Review Sheet : Natural: 83.5/100
Very good value, mild sweet cigar and recommended.
I just smoked one last night. The review nails it. While there is not a lot of complex things going on with this cigar it is consistent, good and cheap.
These cigars are not mild, they are on the harsh side. I don’t always have enough money in my pocket for a $10 – $20 cigar, but I would rather spend $2 – $5 and get something a little bit nicer than FDO. The “Flor De Olivia” reminded me of when I was about 15 and didn’t know what a cigar was, back when I thought Phillies Perfecto’s were really something.
The 8×52 size is a perfect cigar for when you are working in the yard. This is best cigar for the money that you can find.