Olifant (Elephant) is a Dutch cigar maker with a huge history and they are still one of the top producers of high quality dry shortfiller cigars in The Netherlands and actually the only dry cigar I like. These 8x44 Fidelio are from the Vintage 1987 series. The series got that name because of the Sumatra sandleaf wrapper that was harvested in 1987. In the box there is a leaflet which explains why the cigars got the name and even a map of all the farms in Sumatra and from which farm (Sampali) this particular batch of tobacco comes from. I got this box for helping a local B&M out when they were redecorating.
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The wrapper has a lot of veins and is light colored. I don't like the looks of this cigar. The band is quite nice with a golden elephant. The construction feels good and the cigar has a mild wood smell. The top of the cigar is a bit round, so I decide to cut it instead of punching. The predraw is fine and I taste some sweet raisin with some spices in the aftertaste.
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The flavors are sweet, smooth and mild herbs. After an inch the flavors get a little spicy and less sweet. The herbs get a bit stronger.
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The spices gain some strength and every now and then I taste some chocolate in the background. After ⅔ I no longer taste the sweetness. The cigar is now peppery and spicy.
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This shorfiller lasted me about 75 minutes, which is long for a shortfiller. I got a nice amount of smoke, but it started out very thin and got better along the way. The draw and burn are good. The light colored ash is frayed and not firm at all. This cigar is medium to full flavored and full bodied.
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Would I buy this cigar again? I still have half a box.
Appearance: 6 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 6 / 10
Smoke & ash: 8 / 10
Aroma first part: 7 / 10
Aroma second part: 7 / 10
Aroma third part: 7 / 10
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