Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Sumatra
Filler : Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : ~$2.50
Background Info
Handmade by the Oliva family, this particular cigar is a ever popular choice in the world of budget-conscious cigar buyers.
Mission Debrief
Coming from last review where I reviewed the pricey God of Fire, I wanted to follow up with a cigar that anyone could afford. One of my go-to, affordable cigars in my humidor is the Flor de Oliva. I discovered it about a year ago from the cigar chatter via Twitter but because of the price tag (note: cheap), I was a bit wary it might end up like the cigars you see behind the counter at a gas station. Nevertheless, I heeded the words of those I trust and followed through.
Giving it a look over, I was presented with a natural, veiny wrapper which I found sweet to the taste and slightly woody in scent. No soft spots detected in the length of the cigar but I did notice part of the wrapper just starting to part away from itself. I will blame this on my humidor as the humidity, while much better thanks to a tip from “The Great Torpedo” (thanks for the puck suggestion @jcruz), it has been in the depths of the humidor for awhile now. It ended up not affecting the smoking of the cigar or coming apart at all.
Lighting the cigar, I was greeted with a slight hint of spice, something that I have come to expect from other Nicaraguan-made cigars. The spice did not hang around the flavors for long, really more of an initial greeting. The flavors from the cigar I would describe as woody and sweet, but not very complex. An easy draw with a lot of thick, white smoke from the cigar. It was also noted that the ash from the cigar had a bold, white color to it. It held well to the cigar, right up to where I gently knocked it into the ashtray. An even burn throughout the two hour smoke time of the cigar.
The strength of this cigar I would classify as medium bodied that any cigar smoker could enjoy. I would give this cigar a medium finish; it stayed with me throughout the rest of my evening but I didn’t consider it to be overbearing in any way.
Recommendations
You really can not go wrong with the Flor de Oliva. It has a nice balance of flavors that can cater to anyone, both the new cigar smoker and the seasoned veteran. The quality of these cigars is right up there with any of the top brands available in the market, yet you have an incredibly competitive price point that everyone can afford. Pick some up and you will not be sorry.
Photo credit: ukcigars.wordpress.com
