https://www.cigarsinternational.com/p/oliva-2nds-cigars/2028769/#p-2032254
$2 a cigar. code summer for free shipping. If you have a troop id, 10% off and free shipping.
These were not Melanio Seconds at all. Melanio cigars are box pressed and have a darker wrapper. These are round and medium dark wrapper. The Liga ML designation does not mean Melanio. However, whatever I got is a pretty decent $2.00 smoke, mild to medium, lots of smoke production, some mild spice, easy smoke.
Thanks for the report, Pete. I was trying to score some of these on C-bid last week, but they were going for quite a bit more than the sale price sweatsock posted and I had no luck. Apparently lots of other guys think they're Melanio 2nds as well.
My theory about Oliva 2nds, after trying quite a few of them and trying to match them up with the real thing, is that differences in wrapper shade may be one reason they're 2nds. And they may not box-press them until after the 2nds are culled out. Dunno. At any rate, if the flavor of these is nothing like the Melanio blend, that pretty much confirms they're something else.
I took a "bite" out of this one and scored them at the discount price mentioned above. The box was received this afternoon. I have not tried them yet, but I will comment after I do......Hoping it's a decent stick, but if not at least there wasn't a lot of money invested in dog rocket material.
I've smoked quite a few Melanios and these do not have the same nic kick at all, or draw, or look, or shade, or taste or strength. However, I still like them, but they are a faster burning and milder smoke for sure, the first two I had anyway.
I bought 3 bundles and like them which is all that matters to me. I am more interested in flavor than nicotine. A day or so later they had the large figurados as a joe and bought 3 bundles of those. The definition of box pressed is pressed in a box and these never saw a box. Same thing with the Liga M which are suppose to be OMB seconds. I'm a bargain smoker so Melanios are out of my price range. I buy the nocturnal beasts sampler from Holts when priced right and they contain Melanio firsts. I'll try doing a side by side smoke of the ML and the firsts. I don't remember the Melanio as a nicotine bomb.
The picture was from the last cigar in a 5 pack. I don't remember the wrapper being unattractive, but I smoke cigars and only pay attention to the burn.
These may come available again at ci or the sister sites.
I would not say the Melanio is a nicotine bomb, but it is stronger than the ML seconds by quite a bit, in my opinion anyhow.
I would concur with the Liga M probably being the Master Blends III 2nds. I've picked up Liga M bundles from C-bid in two vitolas so far and they are great smokes and worth picking up when available.
Ok, I started smoking both of them with a drink of water before switching. Seconds being seconds there will be variance.
1. The size was the same.
2. The fill was the same.
3. In better light the wrappers were much closer.
4. The flavor was the same. This one seemed different than the others I smoked.
The CI page for these says they have an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. I checked the DB and the only other Oliva sticks listed as having that wrapper apart from the Melanio is the Master Blends II (not made anymore if I'm not mistaken) and a few of the Nubs. Assuming the DB is accurate, that would seem to be more evidence in favor of these actually being Melanio 2nds unless they are some blend Oliva makes under another brand name. FWIW... :smoker2:
The robustos are available at CI MMAO (make me an offer). For those not familiar, the buyer makes an offer and it is either accepted or rejected. When accepted, the transaction is complete and there is no check out, just charging the card. Not an auction.
I like these cigars and offered $35 a bundle which was accepted. Someone got an accepted offer of $30 a bundle. This week MMAO has free shipping. I made an offer of $29 a bundle for two bundles and it was accepted. They may accept a lower offer. I believe they have a lot of these.
I bought some a few weeks back and said I would comment on them after I had a chance to smoke a few. To date I've burned 4. The first two tasted pretty good - I was actually a bit surprised. The construction and burn was awful - loose packed with a very lopsided burn, and one was hard to keep lit. The next two were also pretty tasty with the construction being acceptable and the burn was fairly even on both. Overall - I would say they were worth the 2 bucks per stick - and 2 bucks being about right for the burn and construction qualities. The flavor was more in a 5 dollar per stick range, thus if flavor is your only deciding factor in choosing a go to stick - then these are a bargain,
CI now has the Liga MLM torpedo available and it's listed in the MMAO deals. Not hard to figure out what this one probably is in real life, assuming the ML is in fact the Melanio. At any rate, they accepted my offer of $35 for a bundle.
I also offered $27.50 for a bundle of the ML robustos and was rejected, so upped it to $29. No reply as of yet after a couple of hours have gone by...
ETA - As of this morning, they accepted my $29 offer.
I bought the figurados when they were a CI one day deal at $32.50. It was about 2 hours from the time I got the deal email to the acceptance email.
I put in a bid of $27. It was rejected and said my offer was COLD and you're way off. I then put in a bid for $28 and it was accepted. I guess I was not that "COLD" or "...You're Way Off" at all :-)
You must have the magic touch because someone said that $28 was rejected.
Your Recent Offer
Congratulations your offer was Accepted! You will receive a confirmation of your order shortly.
Oliva 2nds
Oliva 2nds Liga ML - Robusto
Robusto (5.00" x 52)
Pack of 15
Approved
Offer: $28.00
Qty: 2
Date: 9/28/2020
Quotesweatsock - 9/28/2020 1:47 PM
You must have the magic touch because someone said that $28 was rejected.
My $27.50 was rejected, but I don't see where anyone got rejected at $28. Anyone bid on the MLM torpedos yet besides myself? Interested to see how low those are going for....
Buy 3 at $14.99 a 10 pack.
https://www.cigarsinternational.com/p/oliva-2nds-cigars/2028769/#p-2034295