Note from Jesse: My wife, Denise, has joined me in reviewing cigars. Be nice this is her first one. I can find out where you live. I’m sure I can Google it.
Brand: Oliveros
Line: Kopi Luwak
Vitola: Corona 5.5 x 42
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Cuban Seed Ligero Cubano and Seco Dominicano
Body: Medium
Strength: Mild-Medium
Box Price: Not Available
Description: The Asian Palm Civet in the South Pacific region of the world feeds on coffee berries. Once ingested, the enzymes in this animals stomach breakdown the proteins that give coffee its bitter taste, but leave the inner bean intact. These beans then travel through their digestive tract, and ‘make their exit’, so to speak. At this point, the beans are collected, washed, lightly roasted and sold as a coffee known as ‘Kopi Luwak’. This coffee sells, on average, for about $600 per pound in the U.S. Using flavor combinations of java, mocha, vanilla bean, cocoa bean, and coffee, Oliveros has done it’s best to recreate this taste in a cigar. I can’t say that I’ve ever tried Kope Luwak, and as a matter of fact, I had never heard of it until I was done smoking this cigar. However, my experience in taste during this one was a bit varied.
The first 1/3 of the cigar had a very earthy flavor, reminding me mostly of leather and dirt. I was a bit turned off by this, but decided to hang on as I’m aware the cigars like to change flavor as they burn. Into the second 1/3, the leather taste seemed the most dominant with a strong undercurrent of black coffee. It ended heavy on the leather still, while the coffee flavor seemed to ebb a bit more and an almost peppery flavor nipped at my tongue. The draw was nice and easy all the way through. My only issue was with the burn. I botched the light up a bit, and despite my effort to touch it up twice, I never could manage to even it out.
Verdict: Overall, this cigar wasn’t too bad. Construction was nice, it was easy to smoke, and only took about 45 minutes to do so. Great for someone like me who has kids and can’t lavish over a cigar for 1 1/2 -2 hours. In the end though, I’m not the biggest fan of black coffee (cream and sugar for me, thanks), so this one wasn’t quite up my alley.
Similar Cigars: The only one that comes to mind that I’ve tried is Java by Drew Estate. If anyone knows of another, feel free to comment.
Popularity: 12% [?]
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great review Denise! I wish I could talk my wife into smoking cigars… Well, no, not really, I like not having to share my stash! :)
It’s funny you picked up one of those too. My wife (who is fluent in Bahasa) saw the cigar’s name and asked the guy at the booth if Civet poo was somehow involved in the process of making it. He was surprised we knew what Kopi Luwak was! Well, not that impressed, he only gave us one. Oh well, a free cigar is a free cigar!
lol Thanks. :)
Did he say whether or not it was? I’ll admit, after I read what Kopi Luwak was, I was a little apprehensive for obvious reasons. lol However, seeing as the price of that stuff is insane, and I didn’t see it specifically said anywhere, I just assumed it wasn’t.
I’m laughing at the thought of your wife asking the rep if there is poo in their cigars.
Bwahahaha!
Hey made it clear that they were just using the name because of it’s connection to the most expensive and exotic coffee in the world. Wild cat poo sold separately! ;)
The whole exchange was pretty funny and a little awkward. That’s probably why our visit to that booth was very brief… I’m laughing about it myself!