Flor de Oliva Maduro Robusto

Flor de Oliva Maduro Robusto. 5x50. Nice build with smoothed veins and leaf ends that wrap around nearly horizontally. Dark brown/black maduro wrap. Cut and lit well. Medium draw pre- and post-light.

First half tastes of bitter herb, dark roasted leaf, tall spice and the exhale. Second half is hard wood, roasted almond, black pepper. Toward the band, the taste became intensely peppery, overpoweringly so, and eventually harsh burnt leaf. Ash is evenly marbled and shaded. Burn was even from start to finish.

This is a fine value smoke with a fairly big flaw. Flor de Oliva was one of my first go-to cigar lines back in my early days as an aficionado, and therefore has a place in my heart. However, nearly 20 years later, the flaws of this entry-level smoke are apparent. I'm referring specifically to the harsh taste of the final third of the stick. I rarely retire a cigar before reaching the band, but I did today. The taste at the end approached burnt cardboard under a pile of bitter black pepper. Unfortunate.

However, before that point, I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. Flor de Oliva is the entry-level line from Oliva, makers of my current go-to cigar, the outstanding Oliva 'Serie G', which is wonderful from end to end. The Flor line may no longer be my regular smoke, but it can still be enjoyed, so long as you know when to quit. Keeping that in mind, I will surly have one again, paying close attention to that flavor profile drop. It's definitely excellent for the price, but that's the bulk of my praise. Mildly recommended.

From the company:

"Every Flor de Oliva Maduro is handmade with a slowly fermented, well- aged Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and proprietary filler tobaccos from their farm in Nicaragua. Painstakingly rolled, every single cigar then must pass a ridged quality control inspection to assure the consumer that they will never encounter a dud. Experts in the industry acknowledge the Olivas for making some of the finest maduro wrappers in the world, and these gorgeous smokes prove it. Flor de Oliva Maduro’s are medium-bodied in strength, with tasting notes of earth, spice, almonds and caramel, all enhanced with a sweet satisfying finish. Every puff brings new flavors to the palate, making for a very complex and highly enjoyable experience. Packaged in bundles of 20 and sold for well below what others charge for the same quality, this budget friendly cigar has become a huge favorite for Maduro enthusiasts everywhere."

[source: jrcigars.com]

"Flor de Oliva cigars are value-priced beauties from Gilberto Oliva and family, crafted from Dominican and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos and a robust and satisfying Sumatra wrapper. After aging, the end result is a flavorful, creamy blend - rich and creamy without the bite."
[source: cigarsinternational.com]