This weeks guest reviews comes courtesy of Ratters from our very own Fan Forums
Cigar: Oliva Series O Maduro
Vitola: Robusto 5×50
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Maduro
Price: about $6 at the local B&M. CI has them for $98 a box of 20.Setting: Sitting in sun room, 6:00pm, about 50 degrees out with occasional showers. Having an IBC root beer with the smoke.
Pre-light: Cut was nice and easy. Cigar is firmly packed with just a bit of give. Has nice dark maduro wrapper with an oily sheen with medium size veins. Cigar has a strong barnyard/tobacco smell to it. Pre-light draw seems perfect with just a tad bit of resistance and a slightly sweet taste to it.First third: The cigar lit nicely, producing a pretty good amount of smoke on the initial draws. As time goes by burn is coming along nicely and the cigar has a nice medium gray ash to it. Initial flavors are just rich tobacco with a little bit of spice tickling the back of the throat. About an inch in the ash dumped on my lap, but it did leave a nice glowing cherry.
Second third: Burn is still coming along great. The slight spice has gone away and the taste is pretty much earthy tobacco with a slight sweetness to it. In the first one I had there seemed to be more of the coffee/cocoa flavors but I’m not really picking that up as much in this one. But it’s still really pleasant. Body is on the medium side.
Final third: Man, the cigar is burning great. Nice and straight with not a single touch up or relight. Flavor is remaining earthy with a touch of leather to it now. Or at least what I assume leather tastes like based on the smell. Just starting to get some of the bitter coffee flavor too, and the spice is kicking up a tad as I hit the one inch mark. After the first drop the ash had been holding pretty firm, requiring a deliberate tap to knock it off when it gets a little over an inch.
Final thoughts: I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first one I had, but I may still be having lingering effects from my cold, or maybe it was the pizza I had right before the smoke. But this has still been a pleasurable experience. Can’t fault the construction, perfect draw and burn from beginning to end. A solid medium bodied smoke that has enough flavor and complexity, but still and easy smoking cigar that new smokers might want to give a try. And you can’t fault the price. Any good cigar for around $5 in California is a screamin deal.
Like it: Certainly
Smoke it again: Yep
Reccomend it: Undoubtedly
I never liked these…I thought they were one of the worst smoking experieces,so I’m confused every time somebody else seems to like it…Is it just me?
Shin,
Serie O Maduro is my favorite cigar. With a little age on them they are absolutely fantastic. Complex, rich (I found the wrapper having taste very similar to 601 Oscuro), strong, but never offensive. The more they age the better they become. I have a box from Dec 2007 I am smoking and they are great. Just last week I came across 3 cigars with dark blue bands on them which must be about 5 years old and they are even more complex and smooth.
To each its own but I would suggest to try it again, after a good meal. I have not found a better cigar, yet, and t the prices you can get them on some deal sites they just can’t be beat, IMO.