Cigar Aficionado

Ever smoked an Oliva Serie V Melanio and wanted to know more more about the cigar? Soon you will be able to know where your Serie V Melanio was rolled, what types of tobaccos it includes and even who rolled it as Oliva Cigar Co. has begun phasing in its new QR code program.

Today’s consumers are increasingly demanding product transparency from the brands they enjoy. For many, being able to access the story behind a product is just as important as the quality.

In response to this growing trend, Oliva Cigar Co. will now be including a card with a QR code in each box of Oliva Serie V Melanios. Anyone who scans the card will be able to access detailed background information on that particular box of cigars.

After scanning, a consumer is sent to a website where they can learn about the bonchero (buncher) and rolero (roller) who rolled the cigar. Additionally, the QR code website also relays information on the factory where the cigar was made, as well as the types of tobacco in the blend.

“The primary goal of this program is to enhance the information that a cigar smoker has about his cigar,” said Frederik Vandermarliere, the third-generation owner of J. Cortès Cigars N.V., which purchased Oliva Cigars in 2016.

For now, the QR code cards will only be included in boxes of the Serie V Melanio brand, a cigar of primarily Nicaraguan tobacco, save for the Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. It’s Oliva’s top premium brand, and the figurado was Cigar Aficionado’s 2014 Cigar of the Year. Vandermarliere added that boxes with the QR code inside are currently shipping, and most countries will see the new boxes by the end of the year.