Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto (VRRW/R)

[david9985]

This was paired with an old fashioned and smoked while watching the third episode of the Amazon Prime documentary "We Are Newcastle United".

Clipping the usual small scrape off revealed a totally open draw. Way more open than I like and not a lot I can do about it now.

It lit easily and burned well, opening with a pleasant toffee sweetness. Lots of smoke and the ability to set it down for a couple of minutes at a time and the stick still be lit.

The toffee sweetness was the defining characteristic of the opening third+ but as the stick progressed it got slightly less sweet and more woody/earthy. It remained highly enjoyable throughout the transition. The only negative was the loose draw... It made me feel a little bit disconnected from the cigar. This was partly compensated for by an impeccable burn and its ability to remain lit.

It is great to find a new flavour comparison and I did find one here. The profile of this stick reminded me so much of the profile of Newcastle Brown Ale. Some toffee sweetness over an earthy/woody base. I'll be pairing the next one with a 'Broon' to see what happens. It may or may not work!

In summary this was a tasty stick, a little let down by being a wind tunnel. An enjoyable experience overall and I will look forward to the next one, starting with a small punch.