Oliva Serie V Maduro

[Sauer Grapes]

Smoked my first one of these late this afternoon. Weather was clear and 50 with a very slight breeze.

Clipped the cigar to give a firm draw, but not tight. The cigar has a nice look, construction seems to be very nice except the cigar feels soft in more than a couple places. There are actually two stems visible on the foot as well.

Toasted the cigar and off we went. Initial smell and taste wasn't really that great, but it took off from there. Burn was straight the whole cigar. The cigar actually went out about 1.5 inches in, and I wasn't letting it sit at all. I re-lit it and it was fine the rest of the time, although I did purge a few times.

The taste would come and go, but overall it was a very nice tasting stick. There were a couple times that I got a burning sensation on my lips or tongue, but it wasn't from heat. It was almost a chemical burn taste and feel. The cigar was kept at 60 for the past week and a half, and 65 for the last day.

The amount of smoke would come and go as well, but after the re-light, it pretty consistently gave off a decent amount of smoke.

The big downside... about a third of the way through, I looked down and what did I see? Tar, and a good amount of it. I was lucky to see it and not taste it or get it on my lips, tongue or hands. I clipped a half inch further and didn't see any signs of tar and proceeded with the smoke. The draw was almost too loose now, but it's better than tar, and better than tossing the cigar. I was careful to look for more tar the rest of the cigar but none appeared.

Overall I really think these need some rest. I debating on whether or not to cancel my backordered box that is supposed to ship this week or not. I'll probably still get it and let it rest, and if I don't like the other single I have, just sell the box to someone who wants it.

Look: 8.5/10 stems in the foot are the only knocks on this one.
Construction: 2/10 tar was a big hit on this one. Without the tar it would have been much higher.
Draw: 8/10 before the re-cut, it had a very nice draw
Smell: 7.5/10 had a weird smell every so often, but overall nice
Taste 6/10 Very good most of the time, but had waves of chemicals or ammonia.

Overall 5/10 Without the tar, it would have been a 7 or 7.5. Should improve with age, but I'm not impressed, and for the price point there are MUCH better cigars. Regular V's are much better IMO. Did have a nice nic kick.

[icantbejon]

These cigars are generating so much talk it's amazing. I think I'm just going to leave my box sitting for a while. The reviews have been very mixed. Come love, some thinkg overrated. That makes me think that in the middle is a good stick that just needs to rest for a while.

The one I had last week had draws of butteriness. I liked it but really didn't think it was a full flavored cigar though.

[elderboy02]

I do agree that they need rest. I am not going to smoke my other ones for a while. My first one went out halfway through. It lit back up easily, but I think a little bit of time will definitely help.

[icantbejon]

Originally Posted by icantbejon

These cigars are generating so much talk it's amazing. I think I'm just going to leave my box sitting for a while. The reviews have been very mixed. Come love, some thinkg overrated. That makes me think that in the middle is a good stick that just needs to rest for a while.

I didn't even catch my tobii keyboard mistakes. Lousy typing on my part.

[chippewastud79]

I am not sure how they are not worth the money personally, at $7 a stick they are worth it. Maybe Oliva decided to release them a little early but once they dry out a little bit they should be fine. Next time try an extended dry box maybe. I think in time people are going to wish these were more than just a limited release

Originally Posted by elderboy02

I do agree that they need rest. I am not going to smoke my other ones for a while. My first one went out halfway through. It lit back up easily, but I think a little bit of time will definitely help.

Thought you said this was your favorite cigar out right now at the Herf

[Sauer Grapes]

Well, the one I had was defnitely not worth $7. Of course, I paid a bit over $8.

I think at present they are a good $4-5 cigar. I saw potential in it, but it being a new cigar, we don't know if it will ever live up to that potential after some rest or age. Too many unknowns with this one right now. I wasn't impressed at all.

[elderboy02]

Originally Posted by chippewastud79

... Thought you said this was your favorite cigar out right now at the Herf

It is. I just think they will be even better with a little bit of time.

[shilala]

I have NEVER bought any Oliva that didn't need at least 8 months of rest to get the barnyard out of them.
Case in point, Special G Maduros.
Off the truck they're 100% unsmokable. 8 months later and they're phenomenal.
I just got a few of the V maduros today. I'm going to smoke one of them. I'll take it out of the wrapper and give it a week or two in the open air in my winador.
That'll allow me to judge if it's a worthwhile pickup or not.
If it is, I'd like to put 10 or 20 away till next summer.

I certainly wouldn't let the tar issue affect your overall impression of this line in the Oliva family of cigars too terribly much.

Case in point: The first Rocky Patel Decade I smoked was a torpedo out of a fresh box at a B&M in Huntsville, AL. I remember telling Robin, the shop owner, how disappointed I was in the obscene amount of tar that continued to build up...even after purging the thing three times. I purchased another one and decided to let it rest in my humi at home for a little while....one month later, and it smoked as gloriously as I had always imagined them. Don't let this put ya off on the V Maddy too much right now....I agree with the guys above...a little rest goes a LONG way even though it's sometimes soooo tempting to smoke em right off the truck!

Jason

[Sauer Grapes]

Well, I realize one week isn't rest, but IMO tar is never acceptable whether freshly rolled or aged. Tar happens to the best companies, which is why I will give the V Maduro another shot, but my rating for the individual cigar I smoked will absolutely be affected by the tar, by it going out, etc.

Of course, I can't write off the whole vitola due to one cigar though.

[groogs]

I have to agree that they need some rest. The one I smoked tasted great, but the last inch turned really bitter and sick tasting. I think in six months to a year these will be great smokes.

I ordered a 5 pak and am anxious to get a taste of this cigar. I will at least give it a rest in the humi for at least a couple of weeks before trying but hope that I can last that long.