THE COMPETITION RING ON THE CSWC OLIVA CIGAR
- expertcigar
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
The question often arises: Is the competition ring on competition cigars well-glued or not? If not, why?
One of the most intriguing rules, and perhaps the one that brings the most excitement and often leaves both competitors and spectators breathless, is the rule of burning the competition ring (which brings huge 15 penalty minutes and stopping time). This rule, unlike any other, emphasizes the importance of every last puff, the strength behind each one, and the technique of how to deliver them. It demands from competitors, even after the entire race, a final burst of focus, mental strength, and tough decision-making, where every millimeter and millisecond can mean the difference between triumph and losing it all. It’s the rule that pushes competitors’ heart rates to the max while keeping the audience thrilled with its unpredictability.
It’s also, without a doubt, one of the most challenging rules for judges. They must maintain complete focus, rely on all their experience, and make strong, decisive calls. The quality of their judgment is truly tested here, and for competitors, this rule can bring either the relief and celebration of victory or the sting of disappointment after a long, slow race requiring intense mental focus.
That’s why fixing the ring in the exact position for official competitions is crucial—ensuring each competitor has the same amount of cigar body for the slow smoking race. Even a difference of just one millimeter can change the final time by minutes. This is why the CSWC, or more precisely the CSWC Judges Association in cooperation with Oliva, works to guarantee fair play. And let’s not forget the severe consequences for any competitor found by a judge to have moved their ring—it means direct disqualification and the end of the race.
Many of you who’ve had the chance to get your hands on one of these Oliva competition beauties may have noticed that the competition ring isn’t always glued. Considering the importance of this rule, why is that? A frequently raised question is why it’s not done properly at the factory. Perhaps the best answer came from one of our very first judges, Jan Vistisen:
"This has been a persistent challenge for 15 years. We can’t expect the factory to glue the ring to the cigar, as CSWC competition cigars are made also for a general market and general sales, not just for the CSWC. That’s why I recommend checking all rings before competitions and marking the correct attaching point on each cigar. We’ve done this since the beginning of CSWC with Marko Bilic back in the days, when we replaced the Montecristo 4 ring with the one Marko designed for CSWC. At the last CSWC in Split, David Bruce Taylor and I followed this process for every competition cigar in the Grand Final. The issue is that no cigar smoker outside CSWC would want the bands glued or fixed so they can’t be removed. Factory workers are trained accordingly, as most smokers remove the bands while smoking. If factories permanently fixed the rings, it would likely damage the wrapper upon removal and deter buyers. Since these cigars are also meant for general consumers who enjoy them as regular, tasty cigars, we can’t expect them to accept that the band should be fixed. Marko and I have tried for years, but it’s too far from production standards to implement in large factories. Therefore, we can’t trust it will be done and must check every cigar before each competition, re-gluing or marking positions to prevent the bands from sliding accidentally or intentionally during competition."
Our judge, Jan Vistisen, gave one side of the answer, but it’s also important to mention that these competition cigars are made by the best rollers in the Oliva factory to ensure each one has the most perfect construction and technical properties possible. This was especially important to Fred Vandelmalier, who wanted his brand to provide the best for competitors. However, we must understand that these rollers aren’t making separate batches for the CSWC Oliva competition—one for competition and one for the market.
That’s why judges need to take an extra control step to make sure the rings are marked or fixed. For competitors or smokers training on their own, this is less important, as they’re competing against themselves and the clock, aiming to push their limits in the right way. CSWC will always ensure fair play, no matter what it takes. For now, the situation with the rings remains as it is.