Name: Flor de Oliva Original Churchill

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Parejo

Size: Churchill (7 inches x 50)

Strength: Medium

I’ve tried the Flor de Oliva before, but it was the Toro vitola. This one was a Churchill. Its size was bigger; therefore, I liked it better.

The Flor de Oliva Original Churchill is a medium-bodied cigar. It has a good draw, and it burns evenly. Its smoke rises like a coquettish belly dancer and quickly disappears. Every draw is a bouquet of Nicaraguan notes. It is an easy cigar to smoke, not too complex. Overall, there’s nothing to complain about.

I paired it with arak and smoked it while enjoying delicious Lebanese mezza.

From all of the Oliva cigars that I have tried so far, I still think the best is the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado. But I would gladly smoke another Flor de Oliva again.

Name: La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro No. 5

Country: Dominican Republic

Shape: Parejo

Size: (5 3/4 inches x 60)

Strength: Full

Cigars give you the chance to turn long-lost friends into friends again. Old friends become new friends. And this happened to me more than once. It is almost unbelievable.

The other day, I sat down with someone who used to be my classmate. “How long has it been?” I asked. “It’s been more than a decade.” Can you believe it?

We sank in the leather armchairs of the cigar lounge and smoked cigars.

Who are you now?
Do you remember who we used to be?
Who are you planning to be?

One of the best things smoking cigars ever gave me is time with long-lost friends.

Name: AJ Fernandez New World Navegante Robusto

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Box-Pressed

Size: Robusto (5 1/2 inches x 55)

Strength: Full

A masterfully crafted, good-looking, box-pressed, Nicaraguan cigar. Out of a friend’s humidor. I knew it was going to be something special even before I took it out of the cellophane. It had a perfect draw, and it produced a lot of thick, creamy smoke. I paired it with whisky after a heavy meal and got notes of dark chocolate, earth, espresso, prunes, and wood.

It was a good night filled with laughter, drinks, great conversations, and clouds of excellent smoke.