Foul Oliva Connecticut Reserve?

[Dr. Xikar]

Well, I absolutely love Oliva cigars, let me say that first... If I could only smoke one thing for the rest of my life (God forbid!) I'd be hard pressed to find something I'd prefer over the Oliva Serie "G" (Although I'm still hoping to try an Arturo Fuente Hemingway, but I can never find one near me ... Sad :/)

That being said, I had an Oliva Connecticut Reserve once, and it just tasted dreadful to me. Generally, I don't like Connecticut wrappers (RP Connecticut was meh, Macanudo Gold wasn't too bad, but that was a huge RG, so the wrapper was probably overpowered...) But this stick really stunk.

Last week I was at an Oliva event at my local B&M, and the guy gave me a freebie G-Torpedo (Huzzah!) and I said thanks, they're my favorite. He asked if I had tried the Connecticuts and I said I had once, but didn't really like it, so he tossed me a Connecticut Reserve on the house (I believe a Robusto) and told me to give it another chance.

It still tasted foul, but I didn't tell him that, he was a nice guy and had hooked me up with two G torpedoes...

So, do you guys like the Connies? Or has anyone had the same experience as me? I hope to never smoke one again unless someone can tell me that there's a "trick" to the Connecticut wrappers that I've been missing. There are too many Olivas that I love to give this one a third try "just because".

Cheers.
Jeremy

 

[lbowles2]

It's been a bit since I smoked one but it is one of favorite Connecticut smokes. The Oliva and Camacho are my favorites with the RP being close. You must not be a fan of Connecticut Shade wrappers.

 

[Dr. Xikar]

Yeah, It must just be the connecticut tripping me up... Like I said, I have a big spot in my heart for the Olivas (and for Cameroon wrappers in general) but the Connecticut reserve and RP Connecticut didn't do anything for me... The Mac Gold was "The Brick" (6x60) so, like I said, the core could override the wrapper.

Ah well, I've got sticks that I love, no need to try to force myself to like another just for the name.

 

[Fafhrd]

I am an Oliva fanatic, BUT the Conn. Reserve does nothing for me.

I know the Serie V is great, but I LOVE the Serie G Maduros.

Tip of the hat to the Serie O puros.

 

[Dr. Xikar]

I actually just picked up a V the other day, but I'm saving it until November 5th, Just for grins.

I also grabbed two of the G-Maduros, tasty treats indeed!

Crap, Now I'm jones'in for an Oliva, and I'm in class... Way to go guys

 

[lbowles2]

I absolutely love the V... it is my goto smoke when I can't decide what I want to smoke :halfgrinw

 

[dpmrpa]

Love the O V's. Never had a G

 

[mwlabel]

Haven't had a Connie yet, but I love love love the serie G. Especially the robusto. Every single one I have had was fantastic. Easily one of my favorite sticks

 

[BrandonP]

I don't smoke a lot of Connecticut stuff because it usually has a very bitter taste to me. Not sure why, just doesn't fit my tastes at all. The Oliva is very much in this class unfortunately. I love the Serie V and Serie O Habano, but the Connecticut just doesn't do it for me. Now I will say the new Alec Bradley Maxx Connecticut is great. The only cigar with that wrapper I enjoy.

 

[Dr. Xikar]

Aye, that's about it, Brandon... Bitter. You can always taste the Oliva tobacco at the core (and I love that taste), but then you get a mouthful of Connecticut which just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[The BurgerMeister]

it's the other way around for me... not a fan of the Serie G, but i quite enjoyed the Connecticut Reserve.

i have had some Connecticuts that have been on the foul side (RP, for instance... my wife said it smelled like a dead animal... and i had this Fonseca once that had a chemical bitterness to it... almost akin to the taste of artificial sweeteners), but the Oliva is one of the nicest and smoothest i've had. I want to try the Camacho as soon as i can.

the G, though... i don't know. i gave the last one i had to my brother-in-law for his birthday.

 

[Zen Cigar Man]

That's pretty much a prominent flavor in Connie wrappers, it's an acidic or citrus quality. Some love it, some don't. Try an Avo or Perdomo Champagne for a Connie wrapper that's a little more "creamy" than acidic.

Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers have less of this flavor than US Conn Shade wrappers.

One other recommendation is to exhale through your nose, you'll pick other (nicer) flavors when smoking a good Connie-wrapped cigar.

 

[Dr. Xikar]

I know that's called retrohaling... I actually don't know how to do it... I've never tried. I know how to breathe out the nose from my lungs (go figure), but I'm not sure how to push the air from my mouth out my nose... Guess I'll have to experiment.

What a great excuse to burn through some cigars!

 

[ER Doc]

Oliva Connecticut toro is one of my go-to cigars when I want a lighter smoke. Had one just last night. Everyone has their own palate preferences.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Quantim0]

I had the Conn recently and it was terrible. I had to relight it constantly because the thing canoed like it was its job. It tasted like garbage and the ash was actually black. Never again.

I will stick with the Ashton Cabinet belicoso, the cigar every mild body should strive to be.

 

[Dr. Xikar]

Odd, the Connecticut Reserve I had had an astoundingly sharp burn line, and pure white ash, it just wasn't my taste preferrence

 

[Fourtotheflush]

Ive had a few robustos & toros and liked them, but I also like CT shade wrappers. funny enough on almost all of them, when I took the band off, some wrapper came off with it.
I thought they were good, not Ashton good, but decent.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I like the Connecticut. It's utterly creamy and has always done me well. I love the Serie G in Cameroon. Not a huge fan of the Serie O. As for the Serie V, it's hit or a miss, but I content that there is five minutes of pure bliss in the middle of the Serie V Churchill Extra.

My Oliva Rankings:
1. Special S (9x52 Diadema FTW)
2. Serie G Cameroon (Special G and Robusto)
3. Connecticut Reserve (Robusto and Lonsdale)
4. Serie V (Lancero, being my favorite; Special V Figurado has never had a good draw for me)

Here's a pic of those monsters btw...

 

[Dr. Xikar]

Wow! What /IS/ the Special S? I've never seen nor heard of those... I want one!

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Wow! What /IS/ the Special S? I've never seen nor heard of those... I want one!

Came out before the Serie V, discontinued shortly after the V came out. Most expensive Oliva to date, I believe.

Took me 8 months to find a single 9x52 Diadema, fortunately found a whole box. 200+ phone calls and someone on a board was nice enough to remember that I was looking for them and found some for me...