Gilberto Oliva Reserva Robusto (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

Five years ago, Oliva Cigar Company launched the Oliva Serie V Melanio, a line that paid homage to company patriarch Melanio Oliva. Now the company has an all new line that pays homage to Melanio’s grandson Gilberto. This year, Oliva Cigar Company launched the Gilberto Oliva line. Gilberto Oliva is intended to be a value priced line. It’s the first new line since the Melanio brand was launched. It’s also Oliva’s first new line under in the J. Cortès era.

There are two blends. being introduced under the Gilberto Oliva brand. The Gilberto Oliva Reserva features a Sumatra wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and all-Nicaraguan filler. Meanwhile, the Gilberto Olivae Reserva Blanc features a Ecuadorian wrapper and binder over all-Nicaraguan fillers. Both blends are offered in five sizes (Corona, Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, Churchill). Pricing for the Gilberto Oliva Reserva Blanc ranges from $5.25 to $6.40 while the Gilberto Oliva Reserva ranges from $5.75 to $6.90.

The cigar has an average feel in the hand for a robusto. 

The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were a dry cedar, whipping cream notes, and an earthy black coffee. There was black pepper at an above average amount. I rated it at a 6 1/2 to 7. 

1 1/2 inches in (14 minutes) there are still somewhat dry cedar notes. There are also a lot of brown sugar and buttery caramel notes. The black pepper is increasing. It's up to a 7 1/2. The finish is a caramel with a nice amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. The cigar has changed and improved from the initial light up. The first third is rated at an 86.

At the midpoint (32 minutes) I don't think anything has changed. Every flavor note is just as it was in the first third. To say the cigar is consistent at this point is an understatement. Therefore, the midpoint rating is also an 86.

The Gilberto Oliva robusto lasted 1 hour 4 minutes. The cigar stayed fairly consistent from the midpoint on with the exception of a few more dry cedar notes. There were still brown sugar and caramel notes. The pepper remained very good. The faint marshmallow notes that were noted in the beginning were noted here in the final third. The finish was unchanged. The cigar never got above medium bodied. This was a good basic cigar from Oliva. It had nothing that really stood out bur it had nothing that detracted from it either. With the elevated dry cedar notes I am giving the final third a rating of 85. The Gilberto Oliva cigars are value priced and can be purchased HERE.

Overall score: 86