Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Oliva Serie O Natural Robusto is between light and medium brown and has a network of lightly raised veins present. The seams are quite smooth and the caps are well applied. The band is the traditional cream, white, gold and brown design with the O on the front for this series and it spelled out on the sides. The aroma from the wrapper is lightly musty cedar and earth while the foot brings stewed fruit, graham cracker and a bit of an ammonia sting. The pre-light draw brings a dry and slightly sweet cedar along with a very mild spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with lightly toasted cedar and mild cinnamon. At a quarter inch in, a light earthiness joins the profile as the cinnamon morphs into a general baking spice and becomes a bit fuller. The retrohale is toasted cedar, dry earth and mild baking spice. At an inch in, the baking spice mellows a bit. As the third comes to a close, a light mustiness joins in to go along with the toasted cedar, dry earth and mild baking spice. The strength was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the dry earth is now right behind the lightly musty, toasted cedar and the baking spice is pretty mild. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, dry earth and mild baking spice. At an inch in, the toast level increases and the baking spice has departed. As the third comes to a close, the toast level is now pretty heavy. The strength remains at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a light bitterness joins in. At a half inch in, the bitterness has increased and is right behind the musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. The retrohale is now just musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is musty, toasted cedar and dry earth up front with bitterness right behind. The strength remained at medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy throughout, but never required any attention. The ash held on to the halfway point, and then again until the end.

Draw

The draw was a bit looser than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with lightly toasted cedar and mild cinnamon. Some earth joined a bit later and the cinnamon transitioned to baking spice. Some mustiness joined at the end of the third. The second third saw the baking spice depart. The final third saw some bitterness join in and build up. The Oliva Serie O Natural Robusto had a nice start with a nice combination of flavors and transitions. The second third dropped down a level as the baking spice departed and the final third dropped another level as the bitterness joined in. The finish was a bit disappointing and I really wish the profile from the first third had held on longer. With the low price point, this is an easy try, but it wouldn’t be my first choice to revisit in the Oliva portfolio and I wouldn’t see myself coming back to this particular line all that often.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.50

Cost/Point

$1.27

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Oliva Serie O Natural Robusto