Wednesday, June 15 2011
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size/Strength: 5" x 50 / Medium
Wrapper: Sumatra (sweetened cap)
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Presentation: Bundle of 20 cigars
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later…This week I present to you one of my all-time favorite everyday cigars, Flor De Oliva 550 Natural (Sumatra). Those of you who've been following me for a while already know this, and I've lost count as to how many cigar smokers I've recommended them to over the years. If you're looking for a well-made, budget-friendly cigar with a rich, dark, and sweet tobacco flavor, this little number from Oliva Cigars has served me well over the years. I've even tried them in different sizes, and I always come back to the 550 (though the 6½ x 44 Lonsdale was pretty darn close).
The caps are lightly sweetened with a natural sugar base. IOW, they don't have that heavy artificially sweet taste you find on a lot of flavored cigars. Actually, in a conversation I had with Jose Oliva a while back, he said the caps are so lightly sweetened, some smokers don't even notice. These are also the only cigars in the line that have the sweetened caps, too. You won't find them on the Maduro, Corojo, or Gold selections.
The base flavors are earthy, woody, plus some natural sweetness, which I presume may come from some Jalapa that may be in the filler. They also have a nice little spicy edge on the
finish. Moreover, the Sumatra wrapper not only balances nicely with the Nicaraguan core, it offers a really nice aroma, too. All in all, a well-made, medium-bodied, full-flavored cigar.
Almost as impressive as the flavor is the price on these cigars. It's pretty tough to beat considering the quality of these bundled firsts. When I first started buying them, they were under $35 for a bundle of 25. They're now up to $45.99 for 20; that's still impressive, but if you can grab these cigars on sale, you can really make out nicely.
Bargain hunters who go through a lot of cigars and don't want to sacrifice flavor for cost should definitely give these shot.
See pricing and offers for all Flor De Oliva cigars.
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