Oliva Serie O
Size: robusto
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano
MSRP: about $5.30 in boxes of 20
This cigar was resting in my humidor for 14 months. It had a nice, smooth nutty smell before lighting. I smoked the cigar yesterday evening and was really looking forward to it after a long, hot day gardening. I was not able to take notes while smoking this time, so I’m writing from memory which in this case will not impact the review.
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In short, I did not like this cigar! It started off horribly and consistently bitter. I thought maybe it was me so I gave it chance, and decided to pair it with coffee, thinking maybe my palette needed a shift. That didn’t help, and it staying bitter throughout the first 3rd. Like the bottom of an ashtray mixed with hot roofing tar. It also had a very drying effect, and dry papery body.
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The burn was perfect until a bulging spot formed and it looked like the cigar was going to burst. This affected the draw for a while, and it became really airy. The cigar went out and I decided to purge before carrying on, and that produced a rancid chemical taste – as if the cigar had been treated with something. I doubt it had, but whatever was going on with it produced a new kind of medicinal bitterness.
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In the 2nd 3rd it became a whole different cigar – very nutty, some coffee, and classic Nicaraguan flavors, medium strength. Not great, but decent. If it had started out this way I would not have been blown away, but would have felt I had a nice relaxing cigar at the end of the day. But unfortunately, by then my tastebuds were singed and I was smelling these pleasant notes more than I was tasting them. At just over halfway I gave up. Whatever enjoyment might have been found in this cigar was totally killed by that inexcusable first 3rd.
The bitterness lingered in my mouth for the rest of he night – even after eating an orange, then using mouthwash. That’s a characteristic I really don’t like in cigars, and have found that even strong cigars if they’re good won’t do that.
Maybe it was in its sick period, but after over a year of rest? Even the decent part wasn’t interesting enough to make me want to try one again. The 92 rating is mystifying (as ratings often are).
