Oliva O Pefecto

[the MacDonald]

accompanied by water smoked outside, rather humid.

Pre-light: This cigar is what I thought all cigars were when I was a kid. A zeppelin shaped stick, (5 x 55 at its thickest point) with a continuously changing ring gage from one to the other, sort of an elongated football. The construction is perfect. It is firm with no soft spots, and feels like the right weight for the size. The wrapper is smooth, oily and nearly without veins. It’s just a handsome devil of a cigar, and I’d wear a couple in a suit lapel pocket in place of a silk handkerchief or carnation. Pre-light draw is tight, but being a perfect with the end nearly closed it is par for the course, but gives hints of leather, and a woody sweetness.

1/3 Not only is this the classic Buggs Bunny cigar shape, but it rewards the smoker with copious amounts of white smoke, another personal childhood delight. The smoke delivers cedar, leather with a subtly spicy undertone. The flavors are strong and pronounced, but not overpowering. The burn is straight, not an easy thing to accomplish consistently with perfectos. The ash is firm and well formed and almost perfectly white.

2/3Every puff brings new flavors. Espresso, with the sweetness and bitterness playing against each other. The draw has opened up a lot. The spiciness is more pronounced, but still not overdone. Almost exactly at the ½ way point there is almost a purfumey or maybe an orange peel note that appears.

3/3 Stronger flavors, but so much going on it is hard to pin down one from the other. Good burn all the way to the nub, but a small crack in the wrapper most likely due to the 90% ambient humidity.

Box worthy? Absolutely. A good value, not quit a powerhouse but strong enough to compete with cognac, coffee or rum, and complex enough to keep your attention.

I love these cigars. I have not had a plugged one or any issues with them. A good burning well-constructed perfecto is a work of art.

[G G]

I never had one, but love O's