Cain Habano
Lately it seems all the rage is with Olivas latest release they call “Cain.” I believe this is the brain child of Sam Leccia, the inventor of Nub cigars. It is touted as being a triple ligero cigar. A Quick lesson – Ligero comes from the top of the tobacco plant. This means it is most exposed to the sun and elements. This causes a thicker, darker, and fuller bodied tobacco. I’m not one to re-hash all of the details, so for more info check out their website. As usual, I paired the cigar with water.
Oliva Cain Habano 550
Wrapper: Habano Nicaragua
Binder/Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 5 3/4 X 50
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-smoke & Construction:
Overall the cigar looked nice. The wrapper had small to medium veins, and the cigar was a bit soft when squeezed. The wrapper smelled of dark, earthy tobacco. The foot had a similar odor with an added sweetness and pepper. The pre-light draw was free, and had a woody, chocolaty flavor. Basically this thing looked like it would be a powerhouse of flavor and nicotine.
The burn was perfect, requiring no touch-up’s. The ash was firm for a little over an inch.
Flavor:
The first third started with a full bodied, in your face pepper and wood. I could taste earthiness in there somewhere, along with some kind of sweetness. After about an inch or so, the pepper smoothed out a little. While it was still strong when passing through the sinus, it felt smoother.
By the time I hit the second third, I had a small nicotine buzz going. That sharp pepper smoothed out even more, but kept it’s bite. The smoothness took on a sweet characteristic with hints of mocha. Next was that woody flavor I spoke of before. Lastly, earthy notes lingered behind everything.
The last third had me in a full nicotine buzz. It wasn’t over the top but I could feel the tingling and lightheaded aftereffects. Most importantly, I had no sick stomach or even the slightest queasiness. The flavor profile didn’t change that much at all. The woody base flavor remained along with a smooth pepper. Again, the pepper kept its zing but retained smoothness. The sweet notes would come and go, as did the earthy undertones.
Conclusion:
This was without question a FULL bodied cigar. Although the flavor profile wasn’t exactly complex, it wasn’t boring either. At times it felt like the focus was on strength over flavor, but in the end I enjoyed both. I smoked this on an empty stomach and did not feel sick at all. But what would you expect from someone who smokes a lot and reviews cigars all the time? For the regular or novice smoker, eat a good meal. This one will get you buzzed for sure. If a powerhouse of a cigar appeals to you, I have to recommend trying this for sure.
