Oliva Serie G Robusto

The battery died in my car today, and apparently it is such an uncommon size that only one store in the area can get one, and it will not be in until this afternoon.

Which means I get the day off, and what better way to spend a part of a free day than with a new cigar. Today I grabbed an Oliva Serie G Robusto for an afternoon of smoking.

The Oliva Serie G Robusto (pronounced "Roh-Boost-Oh") is a 4 1/2 x 50 cigar with rich Nicaraguan filler and an African Cameroon wrapper. It is a box-pressed cigar, meaning that it is square rather than cylindrical, a trait that I found a bit uncomfortable at first. The pre-light inspection shows a nice amount of veins in the wrapper leaf, and a consistent feel to the cigar that is a bit spongy when pressed but bounces right back to shape.

After toasting the foot, the light takes well but with a bit of an uneven burn. This rights itself after a few minutes, and the stick burns well through to the end. The ash is a bit darker than I like to see, giving the impression that there is a bit of uncombusted material left behind. The stick redeems the less-than-appealing ash by producing great amounts of gray smoke obtained through an easy draw.

The flavor is medium, but I would describe it as a full medium. The initial flavors are a bit toasted and buttery, with a light stream of spice running through it. Not the peppery spice, but more of a cinnamon/nutmeg blend that plays on the pallet. The finish is long providing notes of espresso on the cheek and tongue.

As I move through the second and final 3rd of the smoke, I begin to have a bit more comfort with the box press. It is not my personal choice of shapes, but it is something I could get used to in time. The spice begins to build, but never becomes overpowering. One should note that the aroma of this cigar is splendid, providing both the intoxicating smell of good tobacco and a light smell of flowers that brings the memory of spring to the cool fall day.

Overall, this has been an enjoyable smoke. It was quicker than many I have had of late, lasting just under 45 minutes. Good construction, good flavor, and an easy draw make this a good cigar to allocate space to in the humidor.