Oliveros Gran Retorno Habano Banjo – Cigar Review

Before Aging Room Cigars came to fame, Rafael Nodal of Boutique Blends was very well known for being the creator of Oliveros, a brand of premium smokes renowned all over the country. And now, some years later, Oliveros is back once again. Rafael brought the name back to offer aficionados with a cigar for any palate at a wallet friendly price. Today, I’ll be taking a look at the Oliveros Gran Retorno Banjo Habano.

What am I smoking?
Cigar Review: Oliveros Gran Retorno Banjo Habano
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 4.5 Inches
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Robusto
Power: 5 / 10

Packaging & Design
These cigars arrive packaged in matte black and gold boxes of 20 sticks. The box itself is rather plain, but the bands on these cigars is another story. Keeping the same black and gold theme, the labels are large and elegant with plenty of designs and intricacies which are shown in the photos below.

First Impressions
At first glance, the Oliveros Gran Retorno Banjo Habano appears to be a well constructed hand made cigar. There are minimal veins and near invisible seems with an even pack throughout. The wrapper is slightly oily and gives off an earthy scent from the foot. Notes from the prelight draw show off notes of aged tobacco with a bit of pepper and cashews.

The Smoke
The first draw on this Oliveros gives off a huge burst of peppery spice followed by a soft leather which is backed a slick mouthfeel. The oils from the wrapper let the nuances stick around for a bit after each draw.

Into the second third, the pepper has calmed down quite a bit, opening itself up to more subtle nuances of leather and salted nuts. The cigar started to waver a bit in the burn but quickly self corrected after about half an inch or so. The ash also hangs on tight all the way towards the final third.

Closing up on the Oliveros Gran Retorno Banjo Habano and the profile has gone full tilt, offering a rich and slightly more complex finish. As the cigar started to heat up more, notes of raisins and honey start to become more apparent, leaving hints of roasted coconut.

Final Thoughts
I’m glad these cigars have made a return. This one in particular will certainly be making its way into my humidor. It showed off great complexities for a cigar in this price range especially if you smoke it slow. I have a feeling these will certainly age well. I’m going to try the other sizes, and I suggest you do the same.

Rating: 92
Price: $7.39 / $129.99 (Box of 20)