An Oliva Cigar With Its Own Soundtrack
There are a plethora of items or activities to pair with cigars such as a special spirit or a meal, but what about a cigar that comes with its very own soundtrack? Oliva Cigar Co. has partnered with French musician and classical pianist Paul Montag for a “duet” between his music and a limited-edition Oliva Serie V Melanio cigar. By scanning the QR code on the inside of the cigar band, consumers can listen to a 45-minute recording of Montag playing piano inspired by cigar smoking as they light up their own.
Recorded in one take, the piece by Montag is called #dontsmokebutenjoy.
It all began in December 2023 when Montag sat at his piano and lit an Oliva Serie V Melanio to smoke as he played. Not long after, Montag and Fred Vandermarliere, CEO of Vandermarliere Cigar Family, the parent company of Oliva, had a discussion regarding how classical music and cigars inspire similarly introspective moods and decided to fuse classical music and cigars together.
“Music goes to the very depth of a person's soul, and cigars enable us to achieve a sense of plenitude through a form of introspection,” Montag said in a press release. “It's a unique experience that all aficionados will now be able to enjoy. Hence the title, which also winks at Fred’s company slogan: ‘Don't Smoke, But Enjoy.’”
Measuring 5 1/2 inches by 60 ring gauge, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Gran Toro Limited Edition 2024 consists of the same blend as the core Serie V Melanio line: an Ecuador Sumatra cover leaf atop Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It ships in boxes of 10 and has a suggested retail price of $20 each or $200 per box (before taxes).
Opening the box is like lifting the fallboard (or key lid) of a piano with a graphic of piano keys printed on the inner lid. The cigars are also covered in tissue paper with printed sheet music.
Production is limited to 10,000 boxes for the U.S. market, with an additional 5,000 for the international market.
It was on display at the PCA trade show this past weekend and is expected to start shipping to retailers this fall.
