Initial Thoughts
In 2012, Oliva Cigar Co released the Inferno, which was a premium cigar at budget prices. I personally have not smoked one, but I hear really good things from those that have. In 2013, a different Inferno was released, the Flashpoint. This one was not as cheap and was not the same blend as its predecessor. From what I can tell, the plan is to have a new “Inferno” release every year, and for each of them be limited. **Editor’s Note**: After getting feedback from Famous Smoke Shop they had this to say: “The regular Inferno is going to stay in regular production. The Inferno Flashpoint is produced in small, limited edition batches. We’ll be getting a new batch of Flashpoints (approximately) every year, but the blend will stay the same and it will always be called the Flashpoint. Pretty much the same style of seasonal release as the Punch Rare Corojo, Macanudo Gold Label, or for an Oliva example, the Oliva V Melanio. As of now there are no active plans for additional Inferno line extensions, however that is certainly not something that has been ruled out either.” Sometimes we get it wrong, but it’s nice to have clarification!
The Flashpoint has an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper instead of the Nicaraguan Habano one on the Inferno. The filler is different as well, blended to be a little sweeter and more complex that the original release. It comes in three vitolas: the robusto, Churchill, and torpedo.
Siz who got it from the nice folks at Famous Smoke shop gave this sample to me. Again, these are only available through Famous Smoke Shop. We are grateful for their generosity but that will not affect the rating.
Looks
The Inferno Flashpoint is an attractive, yet semi-rustic looking cigar. It sports a nice, natural brown wrapper with a few veins and visible seams. The cap is flush and has pretty clean lines. The foot appears to be well packed.
The band is rather simple but works well with the cigar. It is mostly orange with some gold and black border designs and white print. Though it is a little snug before smoking it, the band slides right off when its time to without any wrapper damage.
Function
The Inferno Flashpoint feels like it looks, semi-rustic. The wrapper is a little toothy. I can also feel a few soft spots when I squeeze the barrel. It still feels well-packed overall but I do worry about the little pockets.
With a name like “Inferno Flashpoint”, I expect to detect a bit of spice when I give it the sniff test. However, this is not the case. The foot has molasses and earth aromas. The barrel is the same plus a little cocoa.
I clip the cap to see if I get any spice on the pre light draw. There it is! The notes are pepper and earth with a touch of molasses. The airflow is very nice. I am now ready to fire it up!
Smoking
I use my single flame torch to light the Inferno Flashpoint Robusto. It takes a good minute to get the full end to light. Even so, I am not able to get it lit evenly. The burn line is a little bit wavy for the first ½ inch, but becomes and stays mostly even throughout the rest of the smoke. The draw is really good, with only a slight resistance.
The ash is mostly gray with some black and white for the first inch. At that point, it drops effortlessly into the ashtray. The next ash is mostly white and gray, as are the rest of them that develop. I would say the ash is pretty solid and not flaky, but will drop if you’re not careful.
Flavor
I will say that the Inferno Flashpoint Robusto has fared well in the previous categories. While I haven’t been dazzled by it, it seems to be a solid cigar. I’m hoping the flavors catch my soul on fire, or something dramatic to that effect.
The first third begins with a very spicy white pepper. In the background, I notice a tangy wood note, like mesquite barbeque. These notes blend very well together. I especially enjoy the retrohale! As the pepper settles in, the wood gets a bit stronger. A nice caramel note also develops near the end of this section.
The second third is mostly wood and white pepper, with a touch of tanginess and caramel. Later on, the tangy flavor gets stronger, but the pepper will not relinquish all of its might. It is definitely present on the retrohale.
The final third continues with the same notes. Additionally, a slight earth and grass note appears. The caramel is also increasing. Near the end, there is a nice tangy, sweet grass flavor along with other floral notes. The final few puffs are mostly wood.
The Inferno Flashpoint Robusto is medium-full in both strength and flavor. The flavors were very nice, but it was not overly complex. Still, it was a very enjoyable cigar. Smoke time was 1 hour 20 minutes.
Would I Buy It Again?
I have a slight issue with the price. Usually, other “made for Famous” cigars run a little cheaper. $7 apiece is a little much in my opinion. But I would probably still get a few.
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
Maybe for some, but not for me.
Would I Buy a Box?
No, but I would most likely get a 5 pack.
Conclusion
The Inferno Flashpoint Robusto was a nice cigar overall. It had good construction and nice flavors. My concerns are a little subjective I guess. I know the original Inferno (which I haven’t tried yet) was a cheaper cigar that many people said was really good. Though this one was as well, I am not sure that the increase in price was justified. I do know that after having this one, I really want to get an original to compare. If you like to smoke cigars for science (or just need to justify yet another FSS order), I say get a 5 pack of each and start experimenting!
