Oliva releases the 2020 Melanio Limited. And this year, the Nicaraguan company opted for a 6×54 Toro Grande. According to the press release, the exclusive Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro Grande Edición Limitada 2020 is a fabulous cigar. Medium in body yet rich in flavor. For the development and blending of this Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro Grande Edición Limitada 2020, only the best Nicaraguan tobaccos are good enough.

Many of the tobaccos in the Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro Grande Edición Limitada 2020 come from the Jalapa region. Jalapa is a valley in the northern part of Nicaragua. It is right on the border with Honduras and it is one of the four major tobacco-growing regions of Nicaragua. Cigar tobacco from Jalapa is known for its smoother and subtler flavor, as well as its strength profile. The Oliva leaf operations grow tobacco in Jalapa, just like in Esteli and Condega. Oliva Cigar Company owner J. Cortes, acquired the Oliva leaf operations not too long ago.

The wrapper is also from an Oliva farm. But a farm in Ecuador. The wrapper is grown from exclusive Sumatra seeds, creating a delicate and extremely fine wrapper. The cigars are available in lacquered boxes of ten cigars. Unlike the regular production Oliva Serie V Melanio, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro Grande Edición Limitada 2020 is round. The regular Melanio cigars are all box-pressed.

Melanio Oliva

The history of the Oliva legacy in the tobacco industry starts in 1886. In Pinar del Rio, Cuba. It’s there where Melanio Oliva starts growing tobacco, and that makes him the patriarch of the family. After the revolution in 1959, the Castro regime starts to nationalize businesses. Nationalize is the word the socialist regime uses, but in fact, they are stealing businesses from the owners and force them to work for the government. Melanio’s grandson Gilberto left Cuba for Spain. Via Spain, he went to Nicaragua to reboot the family business in tobacco. In 1995, Gilberto and his three sons Gilberto Jr, Carlos, and Jose, started the Oliva Cigar Company. 25 years later, Oliva is a name that any cigar enthusiast knows.

To honor the patriarch of the family, Oliva uses his name on their top of the line cigar. The Oliva Serie V Melanio is a hit. It even ends up at the #1 spot of Cigar Aficionado’s top 25. In 2017, Oliva releases the first annual limited edition for the Oliva Serie V Melanio line. And in the same year, the company releases another tribute. This time to Gilberto Oliva sr with the Gilberto Oliva Reserva.

Since 2016, Oliva Cigars is part of the J. Cortes family. The Belgian cigar manufacturer already worked with Oliva, producing the Oliva Viejo Mundo for the Nicaraguan company. Both family-owned businesses join forces. Later on, Jose Oliva stepped down as CEO to focus on his political career. And earlier this year, Cortes also acquired the Oliva Leaf Operations.