Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 50
Wrapper : Connecticut Shade Ecuador
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each
To meet the needs of their milder cigar fans, in 2008 the Oliva Cigar Company blended and debuted the Oliva Connecticut Reserve line. The line is available in the following sizes: Robusto 5 x 50; Toro 6 X 50; Churchill / Double Corona 7 X 50; Torpedo 6.5 X 52; Lonsdale 6.25 X 44; Double Toro 6 x 60; Petit Corona 4 x 38.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 50
Wrapper : Mexican San Andres maduro
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$10 each
Note: I did a guest cigar review for the Serie V Maduro Especial 2011 a year back on another website. I noticed that the owner of that site has now removed all references to Cigar Inspector from that review and basically published it as his own. Not a gentleman’s move, but unfortunately this happens in the blogosphere. I’m illustrating this redux review with the original pictures so you can see who’s the real reviewer.
Anyway, I thought this was an opportunity to revisit this cigar and see how it fares one year later. As a reminder, Oliva releases Oliva Serie V Maduro cigars since 2008 and the 2011 edition was a 6 x 50 toro featuring a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Petit Corona
Size : 4.5 x 46
Wrapper : Ecuadorian
Filler : Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $6.75 – $8.00 each
The company markets this cigar as hand-rolled using ‘expertly fermented’ ligero fillers which are known for their robust and rich flavors. The Serie V Melanio is considered one of the brand’s “Premium” Cigars. The long filler tobaccos are a blend of Oliva Nicaraguan Habano that emphasizes tobacco from the Jalapa region, an area known for a more nuanced leaf than the Esteli or Condega regions.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 6 x 54
Wrapper : Mexican San Andreas maduro
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$10 each
You must have heard of the maduro version of the famous Oliva Serie V. Introduced in 2008, the blend has been since then changed yearly, which is a good way of creating regular buzz about a cigar. As for the vitolas, the first three years we’ve seen torpedos and the toro replaced it in 2011. Up for review today is the 2010 edition, a 6 x 54 filled with Nicaraguan tobacco (ligero from Jalapa valley to be exact) and wrapped in a Mexican San Andreas maduro leaf. I’ve received this cigar in a r/cigars trade with a cigar aficionado from Finland – thanks Timo!
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Double Toro
Size : 6 x 60
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Habano
Filler : Nicaraguan Ligero
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $7.00
After a fairly bad weekend due to the weather, I could hardly wait for a nice day. So Monday morning I wake up, and it still looks really nasty outside. As I am sitting at work, I notice the sun peeking out. All I could hope for was that little bit of sun to stay out when I was finally finished work for the day. I get home, and the sun is out full force. The perfect day to sit outside and smoke a good cigar. So I went into my humidor and grabbed a Cain Habano Double Toro.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Perfecto
Size : 5 x 55
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Sun-Grown Habano
Filler : Nicaraguan Habano
Binder : Nicaraguan Habano
Hand-Made
Price : ~$6 each
We are pleased to introduce M. Germany who joined our team of reviewers. Enjoy his take on the Oliva Serie O Perfecto!
Oliva is a cigar brand that I have seriously come to respect. They offer a wide variety of smokes at a very affordable price. Their Serie O line is certainly no exception to that standard. Cigars from Oliva are always attractive, and they always seem to make you feel like you are holding more in your hand than you really are. Recently, an Oliva Serie sampler pack was gifted to me from Oliva. I certainly must say, they know how to run a business, and they certainly know how to roll a cigar.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Presidente
Size : 8 x 52
Wrapper : Indonesia
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$2.60
The Oliva family has a long history of making cigars, but the journey began in 1886 when Melanio Oliva began growing tobacco in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba. Today, Melanio’s grandson Gilberto Oliva grows Cuban-seed tobacco in Nicaragua.
Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 152 x 22 mm
Ring : 56
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $7 each
Cigar smokers often have some long time habits when it comes to choosing their cigars. I have a friend who only smokes Cuban cigars and he repeatedly stated that non-Cuban cigars simply can’t be as good as a true Cuban. Trying to prove him wrong, I had a look at my local shop’s shelves and spotted a box of Oliva Serie V torpedos. Over two years ago, I reviewed this cigar and it even headed our list of the best non-Cuban cigars of 2008. Given that I finished my last box of these over a year ago, I wanted to revisit it and check whether the quality was still there.
In terms of appearance, it’s as good as ever. The dark, almost maduro wrapper shows obvious oil and, as stated in that old review, the band is just beautiful. Rather heavy, it feels great in hand. As for the construction, I was quite worried after hearing multiple reports on wrapper issues. Indeed, on one of the cigars the leaf cracked (it is visible on the photograph). Fortunately, it didn’t affect the burn much and the draw was good, with some resistance. What’s even better, the flavors are as rich as I remember them. Almost full-bodied from the very beginning, the Oliva Serie V delivers a lot of spice in the first third, with a nice woody background. Starting in the second third, delicate notes of cocoa appear and punctuate the experience. The finish is powerful with a lot of leather and earth.
It was nice to see that this is still a box-worthy stick. As for my friend, he said that he would pay more attention to Nicaraguan smokes in future.
