Cigar Review: Oliva Cain
Smoke this one on a full stomach. The Cain by Oliva – with "Straight Ligero" on the ring as if to warn as much as entice – is a hefty cigar. Several of my friends, who tend to smoke bold sticks, found it to be too much for them. So, this is a cigar that belongs in the hands of a regular consumer of heavy cigars. If you fall into this category, then you are likely to enjoy the Cain. I was excited about the Cain when a friend gave me a preview over the summer. It was well-constructed and had an incredible taste that changed several times throughout the smoke. It's difficult to balance power and flavor; the blender runs the risk of the former's overtaking the latter. Oliva navigates this peril easily, delivering an interesting and enjoyable cigar from foot to cap.
Unfortunately, the Cain's construction has not lived up to what I saw with that first experience. In a box of torpedo-sized cigars, I found more than half of them with severe cracks in the wrapper.* Other Cain smokers with whom I've spoken did not have a problem this substantial, though they did encounter more than a few cracked wrappers among their purchases.
The wrapper aside, I loved the draw on this cigar. You can pull big mouthfuls of smoke effortlessly. Also, the binder holds together well, so the cracked wrapper doesn't cause the cigar to explode on you.
The Cain could be a fantastic cigar (especially for the price), but the construction issues are a bit of a concern. If the problems with the wrapper are sorted out, this will be an excellent smoke.
*Oliva did offer to remedy the situation, but my tobacconist had already done so.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RJ Arena Oct 19th 2009 1:42PM
I recently sampled a Cain during a promotion tour, and found it a smooth smoke, a great value for the price. It was not overly strong, and stayed consistent to the end. I will add them to my humidor.