Brand: Flor de Oliva Corojo
Vitola: Robusto
Ring Gauge: 50
Length: 5.00
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $3.00 (in PA)

Pre-Light:
After blind tasting the Flor de Oliva Gold, the group thinned out and I was left with three individuals who were interested in smoking a second blind cigar that afternoon. I handed out a few cigars and things were immediately underway.

The first step in the review process was to inspect the cigars. Each person removed them from their cellophane tomb and gave them a good looking over. The first thing to catch the guys attention was the dry appearance of the wrapper. All cigars had small veins that did not seem to add much of a texture when handled. When pinched, the guys felt that the cigar was hard and anticipated draw problems as a result.

The aroma on the wrapper and at the exposed foot was defined as woody and pleasant. In one instance an individual smelled cocoa, which was mild and pleasant. All cigars had a good cap and cut cleanly as the pre-light draw was gearing up to be checked.

After checking the draw, reports on the pre-light flavor came in as having sweet and citrus taste. The anticipated firm draw turned out to be excellent. Each person was surprised how a cigar that was so firm could have such a pleasant draw.

First Third:
After the pre-light inspection, each individual moved on to the toasting and lighting process. All cigars began producing ash in a thin and even fashion. As the guys worked their way into the first third, the body was considered mild to medium. The strength, in terms of nicotine, was moderate and did not reduce the enjoyment of the smoke.

Some of the citrus and sweet flavors from the pre-light was coming through in the smoke. Additional flavors of earth were also noted. In once instance the smoke was described as sour and bitter. This unenjoyable flavor combination leveled out over the first third but was off-putting.

All cigars burned evenly and produced a thin dark ring around the foot. The ash was fairly light in color and very firm and compacted. The ash held strong for more than an inch before falling into the ashtray. Resting smoke was light, as was the room aroma produced. The draw on all cigars remained excellent and provided lots of flavorful smoke.

Second Third:
As time passed, the guys worked their way into the second third of their cigars. The body has gradually increased and now rested in the medium spectrum. The strength, in terms of nicotine, remained moderate and didn’t take anything away from the experience. The finish was described as earthy and mild.

In the flavor department, the taste of earth has become the major component. Flavors of sweetness and citrus remain in the background but are slowly disappearing altogether. As we moved deeper into the smoke, the flavors were becoming more complex and had a richness about them that was very pleasing.

The burn line was thin and even while producing a light colored ash. Just like before, the ash was tightly compacted and showed that the cigar was constructed very well. The resting smoke remained fairly light and produced a mild aroma. The draw continued to produced lots of thick and flavorful smoke with each and every puff.

Final Third:
As we closed in on the one hour mark, the guys were wrapping up the final third of their cigars. The medium body of the second third remained firmly planted and did not progress into the final third. The finish was now described as mildly creamy and smooth.

The core flavor was now that of rich tobacco with a secondary flavor of earth. The citrus and sweetness of the previous thirds has completely disappeared at this point. Just as in the second third, the smoke continued to pick up in richness and complexity.

During the last third all of the cigars, with the exception of mine, developed a crack that worsened as the cigar burned. These cracks were a flaw but didn’t seem to dampen the experience. Each crack was eventually smoked through. The burn line remained thin and even while producing loads of dense smoke.

Final Thoughts:
This cigar got a stellar review among the guys. The flavors were plentiful and complex with body that suited the smoke. Numerous times throughout this tasting the guys felt that this would certainly be an expensive cigar with a price in the neighborhood of $7.00 or higher. When I posed the question “Would you be upset if I told you this was a $10.00 cigar?”, they seemed as though it was an acceptable price.

When informed that this cigar was in the $3.00 range they were shocked that such an inexpensive cigar could provide so much flavor while burning well. After this tasting, the Flor de Oliva Corojo is definitely a cigar that they will be purchasing in the future.

Participants: From left to right

• Jess
• Benny
• Bud

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