Interview Brian Shapiro – Oliva Cigars

Oliva Cigars Brian Shapiro interview

I recently interviewed Brian Shapiro, Global Brand Ambassador at Oliva Cigars. Here are some of the topics we covered: Background of Brian Shapiro and Oliva Cigars Cigar boom in the 1990s First steps Oliva Cigars internationally NUB Cigars Getting to know Fred Vandermarliere Cigar of the Year 2014 Serie V Melanio Figurado J. Cortes acquires … Read more

Drew Estate Launches New Nica Rustica Adobe

Nica_Rustica_Adobe

Drew Estate has revealed the secret identity of the mystery cigar inside its latest Freestyle Live Event Pack … the all-new Nica Rustica Adobe, the second expression in Drew Estate’s value-priced Nica Rustica line. Nica Rustica Adobe’s introduction happened during the “Freestyle Live: Special Edition” broadcast, which aired on the company’s Facebook Live page and … Read more

Oliva Cigars Limited Edition Designed To Look Like Factory

When Oliva Cigars renovated its Nicaraguan Tabacalera Oliva S.A. factory in 2019—casually referred to as Tabolisa I—the company set out to improve quality control, working conditions and productivity. Three years later, Oliva looks back on this achievement by creating a box of cigars modeled after the factory itself. Called Tabolisa Uno, the replica boxes contain … Read more

Cigar Aficionado gives Undercrown 10 Corona Doble A 91 Rating

From Cigar Aficionado – Cigar of the Week: Drew Estate created Undercrown because of shortages with its über-hot Liga Privada brand. But this Nicaraguan cigar brand is no mere substitute: we found the Undercrown 10 Corona Doble (7 inches long, 50 ring gauge) to be a superb cigar in its own right, teeming with strong … Read more

Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Becoming Annual Release

Oliva Serie V Perfecto

Oliva Cigar Co. has had such a strong response to its Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Limited Edition that it has changed its plans. The cigar will become an annual release. “There was such unbelievable demand for these cigars,” Oliva president Cory Bappert said. “They were sold out in hours in most cases.” The blend isn’t … Read more

Liga Privada H99 Now Available As Regular Production Cigar

Drew Estate’s prized Liga Privada H99 (Hybrid 99) Connecticut Corojo is now available as a regular production cigar. While all Liga Privada cigars have limited production capacity due to the rarity of the tobacco leaves used in each of the offerings, the magnificent capa leaves from the Connecticut River Valley that stand as the hallmark … Read more

Which Oliva Cigar is Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Week?

This week the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado is Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar Of The Week (95 Points). The Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado (6 1/2 inches by 52 ring gauge) was the 2014 Cigar of the Year and its exceptional quality has not faltered throughout the years. From its flawless draw and box-pressing, to the … Read more