Size: 50 x 6.5
Wrapper: Dominican
Binder and Filler: Dominican
Strength: Full
Price: Unknown

Behind The Stick:

I was lucky enough to receive this cigar from a great BOTL over at Toasted Foot, Matt, who included this stick in one of the largest and most diverse packages I’ve ever seen – yet alone received! I was not able to find too much information out there about these unbanded beauties, but Matt was kind enough to include a press release answering almost all my questions, except how they smoke! I will get into that portion in a few, but first check out the press release taken in full from http://www.pr.com/press-release/243987.

Habana Cuba Oliveros Cigar introduces a new Dominican Puro cigar line called SWAG. The new SWAG is made using only ligero tobacco leaf from the same Dominican farm.

For this project Rafael Nodal, President of HCOC has joined forces with Jose Blanco, a veteran tobacco master who also co-owns a 120 acre tobacco farm with Lito Gomez.

�The SWAG cigar is truly not your father�s Dominican cigar� said Rafael Nodal. �This cigar has a bolder flavor and a fuller body associated until now only with Nicaraguan cigars, but with aroma, flavor and balance, key elements of the Dominican tobacco.� �In developing this line,� Rafael added, �we wanted to make a Dominican Puro that if any cigar aficionado smoked one without the band, he or she would have never guessed it was a Dominican cigar due to the complex character and full body.�

The new Swag is available in six sizes: Quickie 42 x 5.5, Elite 38 x 7, Fierce (Belicoso) 5 x 6.5, Ego 60 x 6, Lavish 54 x 5 and Infamous 54 x 6. The last size bears the artistic name of Rafael�s stepson, who is a Grammy winning producer for Lil� Wayne, and is currently finishing a US tour with Travis McCoy from the band Gym Class Heroes.

The Swag is not your typical Dominican Cigar and it is designed for the new cigar smoker who is tired of the traditional and sometimes boring brands. Smokers of the Swag may become members of the Swag Club and receive prizes and Swag merchandise, and may win a vacation on the world renowned Dominican Republic Beaches. For more information on Swag Cigars and how to obtain a Club SWAG member card, you may visit www.SWAGcigars.com or call: 877-902-8226

Construction:

Seeming to go with the initial press release of the Oliveros Swag Fierce, this is not your typical Dominican. This meaty, box pressed, unbanded beauty just seems to sweat oils of the ebony wrapper. The dark brown wrapper, appearing almost black at some angles, was neatly adorned with a triple cap, the head a bit more firm than the foot although this lack of firmness caused no issues. Mild veins run the length of the cigar appearing to give more of a characteristic appeal than causing any detrimental effects to the smoke. Lastly, my personal pet peeve with removal of a cigar band was not even a worry, this cigar comes with no band! Bonus!

Flavor:

This is one hell of a full body blend – Dark coffee flavors mixed with a semi-sweet coco attempt to round out the thick, full natural tobacco taste but it takes quite a while for this to kick in, I’d say at least an inch. Once I released the death grip of an ash, the thick tobacco flavor started to calm down, creating a much more balanced and well rounded experience. The coffee gave way to the coco around the midway point although it was quickly replaced with a semi bitter and ammonia punch that stuck through till the end. I was able to hold on for 3/4 of the smoke, but by the end it has become so dark, bitter and ammonia filled that I just couldn’t keep going.

Overall:

I’m not sure if Matt was trying to kill me, test to see how much hair I had on my balls or if I’m just really that much of a newbie haha! This was not one of my favorite cigars – not terrible but the flavor profile was much darker and packed a much harder nicotine punch than I personally would care for. I have not been able to locate any information on these cigars with the exception of the original press release – I can’t even find out where to buy more! I was only able to smoke a single and there for, going on initial-first-impressions I would have to pass on this one. I would like to find another one or two and let them sit, the issues within the flavor I had were perhaps attributed to the cigar being ‘sick’ or maybe I did not let it rest long enough (about a month) so I’m not taking my personal error out of the equation – but then again – first impressions are everything.

Every Cigar Has A Story, Every Smoke A Memory