Oliva Master Blends 1

Size: 7 x 50 Churchill
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Body: Medium-Full
Strength: Medium
Humidor Time: 5 Months

I was walking around a B&M and saw this gem, not knowing much about the cigars except that these are highly rated and on my list to buy. After I had this in my humidor for the last 5 months, I decided to do some research on this, little did I know I had grabbed a Master Blends 1, these are no longer produced and the current market is now selling the third blend. I put this in my travel box and as I contemplated smoking it, knowing these are not made and this is truly a rare cigar, I told myself that there is no point in waiting or else I will not be lighting it up.

First impression, this stands out, the band is colorful and the tattoo is awesome, check this out:



From what I gathered, this is laser etched on the wrapper. Would this not be cool to see as a band, nothing to remove, just smoke right through it?

The wrapper is a very nice brown colored leaf, smooth to the touch with smooth veins, only one or two small ones stand out, which happened to come from probably the binder instead of the wrapper. The cigar is firm, giving a firm draw with a pre-light flavor of cocoa and coffee.

Starting off, this cigar lit nicely giving of pepper and coffee flavors first. The smoke was thick, with a good solid texture that allows the smoker to fully enjoy the flavors emitting from the quality tobacco within. The coffee flavor increased with a woodiness making its way into the forefront of flavors. and cocoa on the finish.

As I made my way into the body of the cigar, the flavors are really strong, they are not over bearing. The ash was white, the burn was a tad rocky, with some rotating I was able to keep it from getting out of hand. Through the body of the cigar, the woody coffee flavor was rather consistent, the pepper flavors from the start quickly faded into the background. The aroma was awesome, it was like incense and filled to area with a wonderful scent.

As I was making my was through into the final half and reaching the last third of the cigar, I was given a new flavor to enjoy, licorice. The smoke became really creamy and the body picked up into the full range. This cigar was not going out without a bang, the flavors became much more pronounced, cocoa was hidden behind coffee and wood with a touch of that licorice. This cigar was just getting better as I kept smoking.

So here I was, I just finished an amazing cigar, knowing I will probably not get the chance to smoke another, but pleased to have been able to enjoy this now. I am relaxed, happy as I smoked this with friends at our local herf. It was a perfect time to light this beauty.

Recommended? Oh Yeah!!!

Leon Jimenes

Size: 5.5 x 50 Robusto
Wrapper: USA Conneticut Shade
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Body: Medium- Full
Strength: Medium
Humidor Time: 6 Months

This was gifted to me some time back and I have been a tad hesitant to light it up, not sure why, but it has been giving me attitude and I have decided it was time to smoke it. The wrapper is a nice dark brown, not what I am used to seeing in a Connecticut shade. The wrapper is rough to the touch but extremely oily. The veins are not prominent but has a similar look that maduros have. The cigar responds with a nice rebound when squeezed. The pre-light draw tasted of mild cocoa, the air traveled nicely, not too loose, just right for me.

As I set the flame to the foot of the cigar, I was given a nice creamy cocoa flavor right off the bat. The foot did take a bit longer to light than I had anticipated, but the flavor from the start easily compensated for that. With a lot of thick smoke billowing out, the texture was creamy and smooth.

The ash held strong, the burn on the other hand was a bit rocky, I did not have to touch it up, but a good amount of rotating was needed to keep it from burning uneven.

As I was moving further into the body I was picking up a citrus flavor that mingled rather well with the cocoa flavors, this was enjoyable. The finish was nutty with a sweet aftertaste.

Every now and then I would get a light touch of pepper, I notice this would happen as I smoked too fast and heated up the cigar, so I backed off and the pepper would slip away and allow the cocoa citrus to remain the main flavors I tasted.

With only an inch left, I let this cigar rest in the ashtray and prove to me that this was no ordinary smoke, it was one that needs to be respected for the quality that it is. I was pleasently surprised and now want to make sure I have a few more of these on hand.

Recommended? Absolutely!!!

5 Vegas Cask-Strength

Size: 5.75 X 54 Toro
Wrapper: Cuban Seed Dominican
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Filler: Brazilian ('99), Piloto Cubano ('99), Nicaraguan('99)
Body: Med-Full
Strength: Medium
Humidor Time: 2 Months


After seeing these when they first came out I have been wanting to get my hands on them. These are 5 Vegas fullest cigar. The tobaccos were harvested in 1999, so what is to be expected is a good smooth solid smoking cigar, right?

Right from the start this is a beautiful cigar, a nice brown wrapper that is smooth with a light showing of veins. This cigar is rather heavy for it's size and solid, very little give when squeezed. The draw is surprisingly loose allowing air to freely draw through. The pre-light draw gives off strong tobacco and cedar flavors. the cut was with ease and the foot toasted up quickly.

My first taste was a woody pepper start, not to be confused with a spice, but nice pepper flavor. The smoke was thick and abundant, the loose draw really produces a lot. As I made my way into the body of the cigar I was given a strong robust coffee flavor with a creamy aftertaste, the pepper is still there but not on the front of the flavors.

The ash is gray and solid only falling when tapped off, the burn is perfect.

The body is turning out a lot of woody flavor, like the cedar I noticed in the pre-light taste. It is light in the woody department, but strong in the coffee. Every now and again I do get a slight cocoa touch. Throughout the cigar I do taste a lot of that coffee with a pepper background.

Reaching the final third of the cigar it was getting rather hot. The pepper was picking up and the coffee was becoming a hit and miss. I decided now would be a good time to let this one go out.

I probably should have let this cigar sit in my humidor for a longer time before smoking it. With such old tobacco together, I did expect a better cigar, this was not bad at all, but did not seem to have enough time to rest. As nice as it is to know that 9 year old tobacco was used for this blend, it would have been far better, I think, if the cigar was rolled 9 years ago and sat for the time to allow the leafs to marry the flavors together.

Recommended? Yes

Ratings and Point System

I have decided to do away with my point system for now. It seems like a hassle. When I read a review I get the idea of what to expect from the cigar, so what I will do is add whether I recommend the cigar, or not, after my review.

Peterson- Gran Reserva

Size: 6.125 x 52 Belicoso
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Body: Full
Strength: Medium
Humidor Time: 3 Months

This toothy cigar comes from Peterson, a well know tobacco company; in the pipe world. They have made a cigar that looks well presented and smells of good quality tobacco. The wrapper is rough in touch, but elegant in appearance, very few veins, just smooth to look at.

As I have stated before, I am not a Cameroon guy, so this will be interesting for me. The draw is very loose, having read this is full body I will be smoking this a bit slower than usual. This lights up easily and I am given a good amount of thick smoke with a lot of flavor.

From the beginning the smoke is smooth with a nice earthy flavor followed by a sweet finish. This is an interesting cigar as I get a flavor that I cannot quite place. The aroma is quite pleasant; the cigar is burning really well and producing a lot of smoke. The smoke is creamy with a butter texture.

The ash is gray and does not hold much at all, it drops easily from the end of the cigar. The burn is even and unfortunately faster than I would prefer, though not heating up the cigar.

Halfway into the cigar I finally was able to pin point that odd flavor, it is vanilla. For some reason, I am not surprised and it reminds me of pipe tobacco again. That is a recurring thought that keeps coming to mind as I smoke this cigar. As good as it is, it tastes like it is made of pipe tobacco. This becomes a monotonous flavor after a while.

I ended up putting this down with about 2 inches left; the flavor just became boring to me. I kept wondering if there was a leaf in the cigar that was treated like Cavendish. I wanted to be smoking a cigar, not a pipe.

Recommended? Yes, but remember that this is a pipe company’s cigar.

Taboo Twist

Size: 6x58 Toro
wrapper: Connecticut Shade and Maduro
Binder: ? No Info
Filler: ? No Info
Body: Medium
Strength: Mild-Medium
Humidor Time: 4 Months

This is a hefty cigar and probably one of the most beautiful barber pole cigars I have seen to date. The colors of the Connecticut shade and maduro wrappers are such a sharp difference that one cannot help but notice the beautiful workmanship. The construction is pratically flawless. The smell of tobacco lofting from this cigar is intoxicating, the smell of maduro is prominent. I am anticipating the oportunity to enjoy a cigar that others have enjoyed so much.

As I moistened the cap, the very top of the cigar came loose, which is a Connecticut circle used to cap off the cigar, it was not a big deal as the top was removed completely when clipped. This was easy to cut and light, the foot lit up without hesitation, this was a bit of a surprise as larger ring gauges typically take a few extra passes with the match to light.

The start was peppery with a finish that tasted of burnt paper. Within a couple of puffs the pepper started to subside and a creaminess is being created. As the pepper faded away, I got a distinct soapy taste and the finish was acrid. I am still working through the first quarter of the cigar, this has a lot of potential that will probably even this out.

The aroma from this cigar reminds me of a maduro Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur, the acrid touch I am getting is reminiscent of an Arturo Fuente cigar. As I reach the body of the cigar I am picking up a buttery texture and flavor. This is not that bad.

Now that I am into the body of the cigar I notice that the lighter wrapper is burning faster than the maduro. The burn is off, with the maduro burning even and the Connecticut burning rocky, but I have come to expect that from barber pole cigars. The flavor is powdery and perfumy, that burnt paper taste still remains, but the acrid touch fades in and out. This is really not agreeing with my taste buds.

The ash is dark and solid, holding firm as to not drop until I tap in on the ashtray. As I am reaching halfway into the cigar, the burn is starting to even out.

The acrid flavor will not go away, I getting hints of flavor that want to emerge, but I cannot get past this acrid taste. There is a sweet almond touch I can pick out and some cocoa, but I am getting so much of a burnt rubber that I am having trouble concentrating on the good flavors. There is a creamy aftertaste and the smoke is buttery smooth. Unfortunately as I am getting through the center of the cigar the burn is turning choppy again.

Still a bit soapy with an acrid finish and a creamy aftertaste. I am trying to enjoy this, but I cannot finish this cigar, with about 3 inches left I let it go out. What a disappointment. Well, you win some and you lose some, that is an important aspect of this hobby that I respect. I would have a hard time recommending this cigar to those that do not like Arturo Fuente's, these seemed too similar for me and just did not suit what I enjoy.

Appearance 2- Beautiful
Construction 3- Solid
Burn 1.5- Took a while to burn straight, then picked up a vein and burned uneven again
Ash 2.5- Really held on well
Flavor 0.5 - Had potential but I could not find it
Smoke Profile 2- Smooth Easy and Nice
Aroma 2 - Enjoyable, this is not overpowering, nice and mellow



=13.5 Points

Red Roses by Robert Mc Connell

Unique and different, that is how I would describe the description on the can of this tobacco. According to the label, this is a "composition of jet-black cavendish and sun-yellow Virginia, embedded in rose buds. Finest attar of roses, topped with a touch of caramel..." this is made in Germany and the first from this brand for me to smoke today.

I have yet to learn of a tobacco that uses rose buds until I saw this can, and I had to pick it up, At $15 for 100g online, I am a bit anxious, this is more than my normal expenditure for a can of tobacco. The label's color scheme is blood red and black with two female shadows each
holding a rose.

As I popped the can open, a couple of bits escaped as the pressure was release. I am instantly greeted with a strong sweet caramel aroma. The smell of cavendish is prominent and makes a point to not be lost in the aroma. The contrast of the cavendish and Virginia is striking. The colors blend beautifully with each other with a lot of character. The pieces of rose are noticeable, they are of a yellow-tan in color and blend with the Virginia tobacco easily.

I purposely opened up a rose bud on the top of the tobacco I packed in my pipe before lighting. The moisture this tobacco has is little more than I prefer. I packed this into my unfinished Amadeus pipe, this is my go to aromatic pipe especially when I am trying a new blend.

Right off from the initial light the sugary cavendish jumps out at full attention and the background flavor is a tad musky. Once the tobacco was fully lit, the caramel pushes the cavendish out of the way and is the predominant flavor.

The smoke is thick and creamy, with an aroma that smells of caramel and roses. I am starting to think I may enjoy the room not of this aromatic tobacco more than any other I have had to date. This is a tough call as I really enjoy Blue Note's aroma.

I was sure I packed this bowl well, but the tobacco is not burning as well as I would have liked, I should have dried the tobacco out a bit before lighting up, but it is not so much a bother to be a nuisance for me. The tobacco is of a clean and earthy quality. The background flavors are solid as I reach the half way point of the bowl. The smoke has remained cool and a thick crisp texture.

As I am typing this I was blasted with a nice subtle roasted coffee flavor and scent. It seems to be fading in and out through the last half of the bowl. The natural tobacco flavors are a bit woody, in fact the last scent I noted was pine, it reminded me of being in a pine forrest. Not to be confused with the smell of a Christmas tree, this was crisp and fresh like I remember in my camping days.

This is a relaxing smoke, the background tobacco flavors are very enjoyable with a nice topping of caramel flavor and a room note of roses. Just as the label promises. This burned a little faster than I would have liked, but I will just light up another bowl. The smoke was never hot through the whole duration of the bowl. This is a nice medium body smoke that will soothe the senses and relax the soul after a hard days work.

I certainly would recommend this to anyone wanting a sweet thick caramel aromatic. The price range; I will certainly not hesitate to pay for it again when I desire a caramel flavor. This blend is now in my list of top 5 favorite aromatics.