This gorgeous SMS cigar was given to me by my sixteen-year-old daughter as a gift for Christmas.  My wife later related to me the story of its selection.  Sometime before the holiday the two gals had secreted themselves off to one of my three favorite tobacconists, to search for just the right stick to package and wrap as a present for the cigar-smoking man in their lives.  Once in the humidor, they enlisted the assistance of the proprietor's son, who knows my preferences, likes and dislikes quite well.  My daughter wanted to get me something I would thoroughly enjoy, she told him, but which I might not select for myself.  A tall order, but one that this particular chap delighted in.  The Oliva "O" Maduro line was suggested, since he knows I am a long-time lover of full-bodied smokes, and am becoming quite the maduro fan of late.  He suggested that, in particular, the giant Orion vitola was the king of the line.  Sold!

After unwrapping this beauty on Christmas morning, I carefully placed it in one of my humidors to assure its thorough rehumidification.  After a week or so it appeared to be in perfect condition.  The stick was so beautiful that I simply couldn't wait any longer.  One recent evening during a time of relaxation in the family room, in an environment where the cigar could be the center of my attention for two full hours (i.e., the television was tuned to some "chick flick"), I selected, cut, and smoked my "O".

The appearance of the cigar was an immediate enticement.  Wrapped in the elegant and unique cloth band characteristic of Oliva "O" cigars -- in this case, blue rather than the EMS-standard red -- this Nicaraguan work of art featured a beautiful, deep maduro (nearly black!), finely-veined wrapper.  Construction appeared to be impeccable.  The subtle, floral aroma of the still-unlit tobacco surrounded me as I cautiously clipped the tip of the pyramide with my trusty Davidoff guillotine cutter.  I then prepared my Colibri for the task at hand.

Clouds of surprisingly-intense smoke filled the air upon the flawless lighting of this behemoth -- enough that the event secured the immediate attention of my wife and daughter, who turned away from their tearjerker long enough to remark at the astonishing volume of attractive incense coming from the cigar.

For me, the initial impression was one of heady strength -- this is not a mild maduro, by any stretch of the imagination.  This 54-ring-gauge monster had the initial strength of a 42-gauge full-bodied corona, perhaps more.  The flavor profile started right out with doses of cocoa, anise and cedar, in impactful quantities.  The experience was overwhelming.  As my family enjoyed their program and the delightful aroma of this incredible stogie, I, blissfully unaware of my surroundings, repeatedly interrupted their electronic entertainment with forceful exclamations of "Oh, my goodness, is this an incredible cigar!"

As the stick neared the 1/3 mark the intensity settled down a bit, and the flavor profile became yet more complex.  Hints of nuts and leather now introduced themselves against the heady maduro backdrop of cocoa and cedar.  Like a 19th Century Wagnerian overture the final third of the cigar returned a bit to the initial theme of complex strength, but this time in a more subtle manner.  All through the experience, the finish was atypically long and pleasant, the ash was fine and compact, and the burn was immaculate and perfect -- all reflecting this smoke's impeccable construction from the finest Oliva family tobaccos.  It was a knuckle-burner, for sure.  The attractive blue cloth band now rests in my collection.

I chose this particular cigar for my first review here, simply because it was the most recent "great cigar experience" I have had.  While not every review will be this positive, this one could not be more so.  I heartily declare the Oliva "O" Maduro Orion to be highly recommended.