Brand: Oliva
Line: Serie O
Length x Ring Gauge: Perfecto 5 x 55
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (filler, binder AND wrapper)
Strength: Medium
Date: March 18, 2011
Notes: Another beautiful day in Queens, NY and another beautiful cigar. the Oliva Serie O stands for "original blend". The aroma is great (as in a typical Nicaraguan puro) and I would consider this cigar to have a well-rounded body and aroma. The wrapper was silky smooth. My one and only gripe with this cigar was the finish. It was very hot (and not in a sexy way), which did put a damper on the overall smoke.
I read that Cigar Aficionado gave this brand a "92". I would be wary of cigar rankings from that magazine. It is known that the more money a company spends on advertising, the higher they rate their cigar. I would read that magazine to see what is new and also compare some notes. I admit that sometimes I do not taste hints of cocoa, or pepper or raw cow hide (read: leathers) in cigars, but I love their feature articles and sometimes they peak my curiosity to check out new brands.
I tried this cigar with a nice Spanish Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon (2008 Volteo). Surprisingly the cigar brought out the nuances of the wine. I know my friends will make fun of me for saying this, but the cigar brought out an almost berry taste in the wine.
As far as cigars go, its a decent cigar. I would definitely smoke it again, but given the choice, I would go for an Joya de Nicaragua instead (again, due to the very hot last third of the cigar).
Overall: 7 out of 10 (gets uncomfortably hot towards the end).
