halfwheel

Review: Cain F (Prerelease)

At the 2009 IPCPR show Oliva released Cain, the second of their two new age lines following NUb’s release in 2008. Sam Leccia was pegged to serve as the face of both brands, which were a departure from the family’s core lines. In exchange for bringing in the regular Cain Habano and Maduro lines, retailers [...]

Review: Oliva Master Blends 1 Churchill

In 2003, the Oliva Family of Cigars introduced perhaps their most legendary cigar, the Master Blends 1. It was the first it what has become a trilogy of Oliva’s most storied releases. The Master Blends 1 was a cigar that shed the idea of simple and practical and embraced the idea of extravagance, ornateness and [...]

Redux: Cain F Lancero

For those of you that don’t know… Back in December of 2010, I first reviewed the (then preproduction) Cain F Lancero. This is what I said over a year ago about this cigar: The interesting thing to me is how much in common, yet unlike the other Cain Fs this Lancero blend is. I always [...]

Review: Oliva Serie V Culebra

(Editor’s Note: Like yesterday, history by Charlie, review is written by Brooks. — Charlie) For those of you that don’t know… In 2007 Oliva released their popular Oliva Serie V line to great fanfare. By all accounts, the Serie V is Oliva’s signature cigar that has been offered in thirteen vitolas publicly not excluding the [...]

Review: Oliva Special S Torpedo

For those of you that don’t know… Originally released in 2006, the Oliva Special S is to date the most expensive cigar offered by Oliva. The blend was only sold for about two years, and the general consensus on the major cause of them being discontinued was simple: the Oliva Serie V. You see, the [...]

Review: Oliva Connecticut Reserve F Lonsdale (Preproduction)

As we have said all week, While chatting with Ian Hummel and Bryan Scholle of Oliva/Studio Tobac fame at the IPCPR Show in Las Vegas earlier in the year, it came to light that Bryan, who rolls cigars at Studio Tobac events, rolls quite a few different combinations of blends for attendees of said events. As part of my research, I [...]

Review: Cain Daytona Maduro 646 (Preproduction)

Here we are at day four of the Oliva/Studio Tobac test blend week and I must say it’s been really fun trying out these cigars with the different wrappers; it really gives you insight on what really makes a certain blend work and possibly what could make it work better. Today we are looking at [...]

Review: Oliva Serie V Maduro Lancero (Preproduction)

As I said in my first review, while chatting with Ian Hummel and Bryan Scholle of Oliva/Studio Tobac fame at the IPCPR Show in Las Vegas earlier in the year, it came to light that Bryan (who rolls cigars at Studio Tobac events) rolls quite a few different combinations of blends for attendees of said events. Ian sent me a few [...]

Review: Oliva Serie V Maduro No.4 (Preproduction)

Today we will be taking a look at the second installment in our Oliva test blend week, the Oliva Serie V Maduro No.4! As Brooks has stated, Ian Hummel was gracious enough to send us a few blends they have been playing around with for fun, among those being the Oliva Serie V Maduro No.4. [...]

Review: Studio Tobac CC-001 (Preproduction)

While chatting with Ian Hummel and Bryan Scholle of Oliva/Studio Tobac fame at the IPCPR Show in Las Vegas earlier in the year, it came to light that Bryan (who rolls cigars at Studio Tobac events) rolls quite a few different combinations of blends for attendees of said events. Well, I thought that was pretty [...]