Oliva Master Blends III (also known as Liga Maestra – “master blend” in Spanish) is the third release in Oliva’s limited Master Blend series. It uses an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper and Nicaraguan filler and binder which are all supposed to be grown in limited quantities, thus the supply is limited although no exact numbers can be found.
Appearance : [rating:4.5/5]
The photographs, taken by Richard Cordero, give you an opportunity to view the cigar from every angle. As you can see, it has a pure brown wrapper with a couple of visible veins. Very good job on the band which I find very attractive. So far, I’d consider $12 well-spent.
Construction : [rating:5/5]
As it is the case with the Oliva Serie V, the construction is beyond reproach. The ash is very firm and the cigar produces as much smoke as I can handle. Needless to say, the burn and the draw do not disappoint.
Flavor : [rating:4.5/5]
The pre-draw offers considerable quantities of spice and it comes as no surprise when the first pulls turn out to be quite peppery with a subtle sweet aftertaste. After the initial spice kick, the Liga Maestra delivers round chocolate and coffee flavors – they constitute the first third’s palette. In the second third, there is slightly less spice whereas woody flavors progressively appear. The smoke can be called full-bodied at this point. The flavors become more powerful and intense as I advance, the bouquet is very complex. There was no harshness at all at the finish, I almost nubbed this cigar.
Value : [rating:4/5]
Considering the fact that most ‘premium’ torpedos are in this range, the price tag does not look outrageous. However, it’s still over $10 per stick and I won’t be smoking this one everyday.
Overall Rating : [rating:4.5/5] Oliva Master Blends 3 is a very good cigar. Is it twice as good as the Oliva Serie V though? I wouldn’t say so. For the great price/quality ratio, if I were to buy a box, I’d take the Serie V. Nevertheless, the MB3 definitely worth trying out in a 5-pack for example.
[sz]oliva master[/sz]
Helpful?
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Brett
–
Fantastic cigar. Just bought a bunch based on the one I had that I burned my fingers nubbing.
DJ
–
CLEARLY hand-rolled… It looks “rustic,” like it was *meant* to look hand made.
Cigar Inspector
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 6 x 52
Ring : 52
Wrapper : Broadleaf Sun-Grown (Ecuador)
Filler : Nicaraguan Habano
Binder : Nicaraguan Ligero
Hand-Made
Price : $12 each
The cigars for this review were kindly provided by CigarsDirect.com, your source for premium cigars.
Oliva Master Blends III (also known as Liga Maestra – “master blend” in Spanish) is the third release in Oliva’s limited Master Blend series. It uses an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper and Nicaraguan filler and binder which are all supposed to be grown in limited quantities, thus the supply is limited although no exact numbers can be found.
Appearance : [rating:4.5/5]
The photographs, taken by Richard Cordero, give you an opportunity to view the cigar from every angle. As you can see, it has a pure brown wrapper with a couple of visible veins. Very good job on the band which I find very attractive. So far, I’d consider $12 well-spent.
Construction : [rating:5/5]
As it is the case with the Oliva Serie V, the construction is beyond reproach. The ash is very firm and the cigar produces as much smoke as I can handle. Needless to say, the burn and the draw do not disappoint.
Flavor : [rating:4.5/5]
The pre-draw offers considerable quantities of spice and it comes as no surprise when the first pulls turn out to be quite peppery with a subtle sweet aftertaste. After the initial spice kick, the Liga Maestra delivers round chocolate and coffee flavors – they constitute the first third’s palette. In the second third, there is slightly less spice whereas woody flavors progressively appear. The smoke can be called full-bodied at this point. The flavors become more powerful and intense as I advance, the bouquet is very complex. There was no harshness at all at the finish, I almost nubbed this cigar.
Value : [rating:4/5]
Considering the fact that most ‘premium’ torpedos are in this range, the price tag does not look outrageous. However, it’s still over $10 per stick and I won’t be smoking this one everyday.
Overall Rating : [rating:4.5/5]
Oliva Master Blends 3 is a very good cigar. Is it twice as good as the Oliva Serie V though? I wouldn’t say so. For the great price/quality ratio, if I were to buy a box, I’d take the Serie V. Nevertheless, the MB3 definitely worth trying out in a 5-pack for example.
[sz]oliva master[/sz]
Brett
Fantastic cigar. Just bought a bunch based on the one I had that I burned my fingers nubbing.
DJ
CLEARLY hand-rolled… It looks “rustic,” like it was *meant* to look hand made.
Nice flavor notes.