Smoke Blog: Oliveros XL

We hit the mall today. The wife and her sister were chatting and the kids were terrorizing the play area, so I took the opportunity to duck into the Tinder Box to rectify the problem with my humidor (it’s empty). I was tempted to buy a box of something and be done with it, but once again they didn’t have any of my favorites in the price range I was looking for so I grabbed a handful of different varieties.

After supper and some s’mores over the fire pit in the back yard, I decided to light up one of my new smokes and enjoy while watching the fire burn out. I decided to start with the Oliveros XL For Men, Double Corojo, as the “For Men” portion of the label wasn’t a challenge I could pass up.

I just about regretted that when I lit it. The start was very strong and full-bodied, and if the whole thing were that way there was no way I’d be able to finish it. Fortunately it smoothed out as the tip cooled, and it proved to be a very mellow, pleasant cigar. The smoke itself was very light — so light in the middle, in fact, that I thought it had gone out on me twice. The solid construction impressed me as well, as I was well over halfway through it before the ash finally tumbled.

I’d have to compare it to some of my other favorites before I purchased a box, but I can see myself revisiting it when I don’t spot anything better at the Tinder Box. This is also two Oliveros smokes I like (the other being the Vista de Cuba, as discussed here), so I’ll have to hunt down some more of their smokes. The XL also comes in a Double Maduro, so that may be next.