Cigar Blog

El Cobre by Oliva Double Fuerte 5x50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size/Strength: 5" x 50 / Extra-Full
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Filler: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Presentation: Bundle of 25 cigars

I hadn't smoked my first El Cobre by Oliva cigar until recently. All I heard was how strong these cigars were: "You better be sittin' down when you smoke that one." "Oh man, that thing's a powerhouse." "It was so strong my head was reeling." So, even though I had an El Cobre Double Fuerte 5x50 in my humidor, I kept avoiding it. Finally, I took the plunge and was pleasantly surprised. Though I was sitting in my lounger while smoking it, I had no problem getting out of the chair. That's not to say it wasn't strong, but it didn't live up to the hype I'd been hearing about its uber-potency.

La Floridita Limited Edition Toro
Country of Origin: Honduras
Size/Strength: 6¼" x 54 / Medium
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican
Binder: Indonesian
Presentation: Boxes of 20 cigars, 5-Packs, and singles

It all started with La Floridita bundle cigars, which eventually became an evergreen bestseller for Famous Smoke Shop. Due to the success of the aforementioned value-priced edition, Famous General Manager, Hal Odzic, and Nestor Plasencia decided to up the ante and create a more complex La Floridita blend that would be presented in boxes. They used a blend of richer-tasting Nicaraguan longfiller, tossed in some prime Mexican, bound it in an milder, aromatic Indonesian leaf, and rolled it in a Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro wrapper usually reserved for upmarket luxury cigars. By 2008 the cigars were ready and the La Floridita Limited Edition selection was introduced to the market.

Oliva Cain F Nub 460
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size/Strength: 4" x 60 / Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Natural
Filler: Nicaraguan (32% Estelí Ligero, 25% Condega Ligero, 25% Jalapa Ligero)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Presentation: Box of 24 cigars

Recently, I had an Oliva Cain F Nub 460 in the lighter natural Habano wrapper. Like the original Oliva Cain cigars, the F series is made with an all-Nicaraguan "straight ligero" blend, but uses a little more Estelí ligero and a little less Jalapa to give it more ZING.

Among the most popular topics I've written about over the years have been on cutting cigars and cigar cutters. I've used just about every cigar cutter imaginable and practically every cutting technique until last night. While watching the ballgame I was suddenly in the mood for an Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Maduro, a sweet-tasting little Rothschild en cedro. Thing was, I couldn't find a cutter. I knew I had a couple of them upstairs, but I was looking for one I had seen somewhere earlier in the house. I poked around and nada. Too lazy to run upstairs and get one of my Xikars, I thought, "Hey, I've never cut a cigar with my fingernail." I had read about this technique which is practiced in Cuba, so I figured I'd give it a try.