Cigar Review: Oliva Serie V

Now here is a cigar that needs very little introduction. The Oliva Serie V from the Oliva Cigar Co. This Nicaraguan puro tastes even better than it looks. And it looks beautiful!!! Cuban seed binder grown in Esteli, Nicaragua along with long fillers and ligero fermented from the Jalapa Valley, this combination is always a hit. Just look at all the awards Oliva gets each year.
I had the pleasure of enjoying this at my friends house in Powder Springs. It was a perfect night that capped off a dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Sweet fall off the bone ribs complemented with a Serie V. Yes it was a great night.

The ash was nice and white. Had it not been for the wind, I could have kept the ash for the whole time. Great construction. The wrapper was nice and chocolate brown. Mine was a little dry so I had some unraveling issues. But the perfect burn took care of the stray tobacco. It was not spicy at all. In fact, right after I smoked the cigar, there was no after taste whatsoever. A cigar should not have an after taste. Even strong ones like the Gurkha Beast, or their Triple Ligero, does not leave one. (See those reviews.) While smoking I was looking for the “kick” from the ligero. I could not find it. This was supposed to be the strongest of the Oliva line. I am a fan of the fuller bodied cigars, but I think there will always be a spot for this guy in my humidor. Hopefully I can keep finding this 56 ring torpedo at under $10. The sweet spot did come after the first half. I could not put it down.

The one problem I had was it did not produce a lot of smoke. I know that it was a bit dry, but it never got too hot, nor did it tunnel. The draw was a bit tight, but again I think that was due to the dryness. Or perhaps it became dry, someone before me perhaps tried to rejuvenate it by over humidifying it. I don’t know. I have heard that with torpedos you need to be ready to loop off most of the torpedo if the tight draw it something you can’t live with. Whatever the case, the cigar was resilient. (Many other reviewers commented on the same phenomenon of the binder ripping.) Excellent cigar. Can’t wait to have another.