Oliva Saison is one of the cigar industry’s most wildly popular smokes and the Oliva Saison Maduro takes the original’s flavorful recipe to a whole new level. The dark chocolate-colored Ecuadorian Habano wrapper encases a luscious mix of long-fillers from Oliva’s farms in Somoto, Esteli, and Condega. The result is a full-flavored cigar that’s Cuban-esque with a hearty Nicaraguan core. Flavors of cocoa, cedar, and sweet spices meld perfectly to create a deeply complex experience.
Construction & Appearance: The chocolate-brown Maduro wrapper is silky in feel and has a few small veins, medium tooth, and a soft sheen. The cap is well-applied and the seams are nicely hidden. Draw is easy and cool producing a white ash that’s powdery in texture. Oliva Saison is available in Robusto and Churchill sizes with the Churchill measuring a stout 7”x50.
Pre-light flavor: Nutty with a hint of salt. First puffs: Earthy and spicy with notes of toasted nuts and coffee bean. The smoke became nutty and smooth with a bit of sweetness as the cigar progressed.
The flavors shifted toward the savory side with black pepper, malted chocolate, and charred wood with a nice balance that never veered into the overly sour or bitter. In the second third, the sweetness was replaced with a bit more leather and a richness of the tobaccos.
Oliva’s Saison is a solid handmade that carries their trademark charm, character, and ample flavor at a very affordable price. This Oliva handmade can be purchased in boxes of 25 and will surely become a favorite.
