Oliva Series V Torpedo

[BlackIrish]

The cigar: Oliva Series V Torpedo

Nutritional information
Vitola: torpedo 6x56
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Sungrown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

The Marketing:
From Oliva:Serie V is a complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero, and finished with a high
priming Habano Sun Grown Wrapper.
Wrapper: Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Jalapa Valley Ligero
Vitolas: 7 Natural

From CI:
All the ligero you could ask for!

Also known as ’Ligero Especial’, the Serie V from Oliva is an enchanting Nicaraguan puro chock full of flavorful goodness. On the outside, a beautiful Habano Sun Grown wrapper glistens with oils. Thick and smooth as silk, this impressive leaf conceals a powerful, yet balanced and smooth blend of aged Nicaraguan ligero from the Jalapa Valley of Nicaragua. The smoke is full-bodied and full-flavored, offering layers of coffee, spice, and tobacco flavors, with a touch of dark, unsweetened chocolate on the finish.

Great news, the Serie V from Oliva received an amazing 94-point rating, which noted: "This attractive, oily torpedo is full of dynamic nut, wood, and sweet cedar flavors that frame a substantial leather core. The finish is long and rich. Tasty and complex."

But that’s not all. Serie V was also named one of Cigar Aficionado’s top 25 cigars of the year. It was #4, to be exact!


I received this cigar in a blind tasting (thanks, AD720!). Sadly, I didn't have my camera with me, as I had an unexpected opportunity to smoke and wasn't planning to do this review. My apologies.

Prelight: This cigar was a hefty, well-filled torpedo. It had a smooth colorado maduro wrapper, much prettier than many sungrowns, with only small veins. The bunching was good, no stems visible, with a small swirl of dark ligero at the center. When I sliced it, I got a great cold draw and definite sweetness and spice.

Burn/construction: Excellent. Easy to light, excellent draw, perfect burn.

Flavor: I toasted the foot until it was glowing, then took my first draw. I tasted some sweet spice -- not pepper -- and caramel. The draw was quite good, easy with just a little resistance. The ash was very white, the burn very straight, and the smoke plentiful. I settled in, expecting to enjoy this cigar.

And I did, for more than 90 minutes. The flavor was great: smooth, cool smoke, with a core of sweetness, balanced with baking spices. The smoke was light to medium in body, with a clean finish. The flavor profile stayed pretty consistent throughout. In the second third, the sweetness strengthened and the spice deepened. I got the occasional note of lemon (!), vanilla, caramel. This progression continued, with the body building toward medium, and by the last third I was really enjoying the sweetness, the spice, and the notes of amaretto. It was very flavorful, tasty treat.

Simply put, a great cigar.