It’s time for some truth-telling. Honesty is always the best policy, as they say. I am a fan of the entire Oliva line. One of my favorites is the Serie V Lancero. But, if I am honest with you, I have to say that I have never really given the Oliva Serie O cigar a chance. I’ve smoked a few but never with much thought. So today I’ll light this one up and give it my full attention.

This cigar looks good. It is put together well and has a very nice construction. It has the signature Oliva band. This cigar is a Nicaraguan Puro (“Nica Puro”), which means all of the tobacco used in this cigar is from Nicaragua. Nicaraguan tobacco is my personal favorite, so I’m excited to get started. And, the tobacco used in this stick has been aged for at least 5 years.

The first third hits you with a shot of pepper alongside some cedar and sweet tobacco flavors. The draw is a little tight, but okay. It produces a thick creamy smoke that has an after taste of coffee. As I make my way to the second third, the pepper simmers down a bit and there is a wonderful smoky tobacco flavor. During this third, the power really ramps up and I am ready for the finale. The burn was a little uneven, but it has corrected itself. The final third is just plain amazing. It has a great full-bodied flavor of sweet tobacco with a hint of coffee.

I’m not sure why I never really gave the Serie O a chance. I have to say, this one will be working its way into my rotation. I can see why the Oliva Serie O cigar received a 92 rating from Cigar Aficionado. As a matter of fact, it was number 11 on their Top 25 Cigars of 2013 list. I still like the Serie V a bit better, but I will be smoking this one again.

Would I buy a box of them? Yes, but it’s going to be hard to replace my love for the Serie V. Look for more of these on our Instagram feed. This cigar is at the end, and I don’t want to put it down! Great job, Oliva!

The Cutter: The Colibri Monza 10mm Punch Cutter is classy looking and works great. It has a very sharp blade that I really like. It’s a great size to carry with you — it fits on my key chain, so I will always have it with me. If you like punch cutters, this cutter is for you.

What is a good everyday cigar that I can try?