Oliva Serie O Double Toro

While I've had many Oliva cigars, I've never really taken the time to break down the Serie O line. I actually went through a whole box of Serie O Maduro Double Toros last summer without even making a single observation or writing a single note (my only excuse was the mass quantities of Jagerbombs I drank with Big Pimpin all last summer). Well, this year I decided to at least make a feeble attempt at righting a past wrong by sitting down to review an Oliva Serie O cigar. Unfortunately, my local B&Ms did not have any maduro double toros so I bring you the Oliva Serie O Double Toro Habano.

This 6 x 60 Nicaraguan Puro monster chunk of a stick is grown in Esteli, Condega, & Jalapa Valley.

Wrapper: Oily, Sun-grown Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan Habano

Purchase Price: $6 - 7 (approx.)

The construction of this cigar was very good. It was firm when pinched but not hard. The wrapper was oily and very consistent in color with a few veins, but certainly nothing that would appear to diminish the character of the cigar or cause burn problems. The pre-light flavor was strong tobacco but not peppery. The aroma was a smell so familiar to me especially in stronger cigars, pure barnyard hay!

As I began puffing away in the first third, the burn was very even with a compact gray ash. The predominant flavor was rich tobacco with some hints of spice and a little pepper on the finish. Due to the ring gauge, this behemoth produced gobs of thick white smoke with each puff. Once I put it down to take a drink from my "liquid crack" aka Ron Zacapa 23, the cigar produced a very light resting smoke.

Into the second third approaching the halfway point, the strength settled into a medium-bodied range but not overpowering while the flavor began to show some hints of leather. However, after I praised the cigar earlier for having no cosmetic issues that should lead to burn problems, I had a hole burn through the wrapper about 1/8" below burn line.

I had been herfing away for about a solid 75 - 80 minutes before I finally began pulling into the home stretch with this cigar. Let me just add that there had not been a dull moment of smoking experience in the first two thirds of this stick. The final third began with mild sweetness (like creamed coffee), some pepper on the tip of my tongue, and a stronger but pleasant spice flavor. The creepy weird "blowhole" burn somehow managed to correct itself, and it never caused any real problems with me enjoying this cigar. The cigar finished well into the medium-bodied range with lots of leather in the final third. Overall the cigar is loaded with good flavor and complexity yet it remains balanced. It provides a good 90 - 120 minutes of burn with tobacco, coffee, woody spice, & leather flavors. For the price point, I would recommend getting a box of these especially if you like a nice thick ring cigar that will give you loads of flavor but not put you "down for the count" when you're out herfing with your friends. That's all for this edition, but be sure to check back for upcoming posts on the CAO MX2 Box-press and the Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve (SCR).

Fly straight and fly high . . .

-Da Byrdman-