Blind Cigar Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto
Blind Cigar Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Sun Grown Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Habana Cuba Cigar Co, Dominican Republic
Blender: Rafael Nodal
Number of reviewers: 5 —– Milton (mjohnsoniii) Will (Dubv23) Nicholas (volpow61) Craig (WyldKnyght) Derek (lilninjabuddy)
Price: $5.00
Contributed by: James (Engineer99 – SF)

This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 90

Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto Initial Impressions
“This cigar looks good. Very smooth with tiny veins that are almost unnoticeable. The wrapper has a bit of an oily sheen to it that you’d see on darker wrappers. This one begs to be lit.” – Milton (mjohnsoniii)

Aroma: 93

“Cedar, slight cocoa and a little barnyard. A promising start!” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)

Construction: 91

“This cigar felt like a well constructed stick.  It felt consistently packed and firmly rolled.  The seams were tight leaving the cigar feeling smooth.  There was even a double cap added for a nice touch.  The only downside was that the cigar was not perfectly round but instead almost oval.” –Will (Dubv23)

First Third

Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto First ThirdFlavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Light mellow nutty flavors with hints of pepper. Lots of light creamy smoke. Great draw, an even burn and nice light grey ash.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
“The first third was filled with favorable notes of cocoa, coffee and some pepper on the tongue. The cigar focused more on flavor than raw strength so tasting the nuances between each flavor was not a problem.  This profile stayed pretty consistent throughout the first third and at times added a floral note through the retrohale.” –Will (Dubv23)

Second Third

Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium

 

Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto Second Third
“This third offers a subsided spice with a very heavy dose of citrus and some cream with hints of nuttiness.” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“Moving to the second third, the primary flavor is a creamy iced coffee, with a caramel sweetness and some leather and wood. Just a hint of pepper appears which is a nice development. Dry wood is prevalent on the retrohale, adding another dimension to the flavor. Hints of baking spices also appear. As I work my way into the second third the baking spices grow stronger. Cinnamon, cardamom and just a hint of cloves. Smoke production remains adequate though not voluminous and burn remains wavy but not at all problematic. No touch-ups are necessary. The cigar is very sweet but the dryness of the finish prevents it from being too sweet. This is a cigar you have to retrohale on. The baking spices and wood on the retrohale balance the sweetness on the lips in a wonderful way.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)

Final Third

Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto Final Third“Although it seems full in body, the smoothness in the last third keeps me, almost, in awe. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between flavors. The raw leather has become somewhat prominent at this point and is “almost” overpowering, but the spices (herbs with some celery seed, maybe?) keeps it fairly smooth. The smoke is still thick and creamy with a razor sharp burn.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
“The final third made a big shift in flavor.  The cocoa and sweetness subsided and the flavor shifted to a savory meaty flavor that I have experienced in cigars like Viaje in the past.  Along with the main savory profile their was a nice pepper on the tongue… like a seasoned steak.  This would have been the perfect third but the cigar developed a light harshness.  Thankfully it did not linger nor detract too heavily from the experience.” –Will (Dubv23)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 95

“From start to finish the draw was great.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)

Burn: 93

“The burn was even for the most part.” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“Other than the touch up during the final third, the burn was pretty even.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)

Overall Experience: 92
Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“First off, I began looking for another cigar even before I finished this one. This cigar was one that I’d definitely keep in regular rotation (given it’s price point). It could very well be a top tier and expensive stick but could also fit in an average cigar smoker’s budget, IMO. It had all sorts of different flavors that came and went and never gave me a dull moment. Maybe with some age, the flavors will marry and compliment each other just that much more. By far, the best 90 minutes I’ve spent all week!” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
“This cigar looked good, smelled good and tasted good.  It was complex and the profile was a great mix of sweetness, savory flavors and spice.  If it wasn’t for the second and third portions of the cigar and the balance and lack of separation in flavors, this cigar would have scored even higher.  I would like to try these again though to see how they develop.” –Will (Dubv23)

Review: Oliveros | Sun Grown Reserve Robusto Overall Score
“Overall a nice cigar with a very good flavor profile. One that I would puff again if the price is right.” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“Very good cigar, would definitely smoke again.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
“A somewhat bewildering experience. The smooth change from delicious to harsh happened so quickly, and without reason. Maybe I had a dud. If the cigar had finished the way it started, I would heartily endorse it. It had nice transitions, and while not a complex cigar, it certainly kept me interested.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 65

Total Score: 92 (Very Good)

Link to full scores and notes: Full Notes