From Studio Tabac comes this great Habano featuring 100% Nicaraguan ligero long leaves from Condega, Jalapa and Esteli.

On first light, the cigar whops the mouth with hot smoke and an eagerly bity spice. It lasts less than the first third and smooths out, however, to deliver an initial pleasant taste of smoked meat and tobacco. The spice tames down to a mild to light pepper which eases into the back of the mouth and outside of the tongue, allowing for a nice coffee and cocoa sweetness to reside in the aftertaste. A nice tobacco taste is always present, but I wouldn’t describe it as herbal, which is a bit on the bitter side, but only slightly. Retrohaling or holding the smoke in the mouth cooks the smoke taste to a well done meatyness with a distinct nutty flavour coming out, along with a lush earth taste, and more pepper. Exhaling through the nose tickles it with a bit more pronounced pepper. A longer duration aftertaste reveals a tobacco sweetness with some tang and bitterness to it on the tongue.

After half-way through the cigar, the spice and pepper is fairly tamed and nearly gone. Instead, you are gifted with that sweet, smokey meatiness, unless you retrohale or hold the smoke int he mouth, which seems to bring out the pepper.

The aroma is definitely reminiscent of Oliva’s Series O cigars which I enjoy immensely. A definite caramel milkiness quality resides in the smoke and even more so, barring on a chocolaty sweetness. Puffed, hints of orange, a rich earthiness, and a great distinct tobacco tickle the nose.

This is a highly enjoyable habano that definitly smells like one combines with Oliva’s excellent Series O aroma, only richer. The taste is a bit more on the rough side, however, than the Series O, especially with the pepper. It’s more of a stoagie man’s cigar for certain, and needs to be enjoyed slowly. A great cigar nonetheless.