Appearance & Construction
Oliva is most definitely one of my favorite cigar brands, mainly due to the exceptional appearance and construction consistent across their various lines. The Cain F is certainly no exception. The cigar exhibits a tough wrapper with sort of a silky feel, somewhat subtle veins, and rolled tightly from the head to the halfway point where it softens up slightly to the foot. Although the label is somewhat minimalist, its placing at the foot of the cigar gives it a rather sophisticated appearance.
Pre-light
Pre-light scent of the Cain F brings strong tobacco with hints of barn wood to my attention. The wrapper is quite thick and I get a clean cut from my guillotine cutter. Pre-light draw is slightly on the stiff side, but acceptable. At this point, I can’t wait to wet my palate with some bourbon and enjoy this beautifully crafted cigar!
First Third
I take a sip of the Elijah Craig and let it rest on my palate for about ten seconds, absorbing the toasted oak, vanilla, and slight sugar tones into my mouth. First puff of the cigar with the bourbon still lingering, I taste spicy coffee, pepper, and a slight bitterness which does tone down after a few more puffs. The smoke is white and moderately thick, with a strong peppery smell. The flavor evens out a bit losing some of the spice – still very strong on flavor though, and exhibiting smoothness not common of similar cigars. The ash is incredibly tight, hanging on for the entire first third, and then some.
Second Third
The draw eases up slightly, and burn is perfect up to this point not having required any attention or relighting. The ash falls after ½ inch into the second third, but remains tight. Taste is fairly consistent, although a hint of chocolate is now present along with the coffee, cutting the spiciness a bit more. At this point, I can’t imagine a much better pairing of cigar and bourbon, as Elijah Craig compliments this cigar perfectly.
Final Third
Although expecting complex flavor changes in the final third, the cigar remains very consistent in flavor and tone through to the end. It continues to burn perfectly with the same tight ash that hangs on until the end of the smoke.
Conclusion
Would I buy this cigar again? Yes, without a doubt this is a very fine full to medium-bodied cigar. While it did have something of a boring finish and was not overly complex, I appreciate the overall consistency that eliminates unpleasant surprises common in many full and medium-bodied cigars. The pairing with Elijah Craig was superb, and this is definitely a smoke that I would recommend to just about anyone.
This was a Guest Post written by Lukus Blackford. Let him know what you thought about his review by posting some comments below!-Siz
