Oliva Serie V Torpedo

 Last weekend I wanted to pick up a torpedo, as I have not smoked many of these shaped cigars.  My choice was the Oliva Serie V.

Size: 6 x 56
Shape: Torpedo
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano Sun Grown

Filler: Nicaragua Jalapa Valley Ligero

Binder: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium to Full

Price: $6.25 retail


This is a beautiful cigar.  It has a nice sheen to the wrapper, and has no noticeable imperfections.  The cigar takes a sharp cut, and the foot toasts evenly and quickly with little effort.  At this point, I take the first draw, and notice that it is very tight.  This appears as though it is going to be a difficult smoke.  There are no overly hard spots on the cigar, which leads me to believe that it is just very tightly rolled rather than plugged.  Even with the tight draw, the cigar produces large amounts of smoke and a tight gray ash.


The first 3rd of the smoke is a blend of developing flavors.  Coffee and leather dominate, with a creamy sweetness on the edge.  There is no pepper noticed in the smoke at all, a trait that carries through the entire stick.  These flavors build further in the second 3rd, developing some additional flavors of chocolate, and a bit of peat on the finish.  The cigar through the second 3rd is a solid medium strength, and the flavors are full.

The final 3rd goes nicely, with the flavors remaining consistent from the second 3rd.  My initial thought was that the cigar would take about and hour to smoke, but to my surprise the end did not arrive until a full 90 minutes had been completed.  The burn on the cigar is razor sharp throughout requiring no touch ups.  The cigar produces a fragrant aroma, adding nicely to the entire experience.  The cigar feels great in your hand from beginning to end, having a good heft to it.  This is a nice cigar that can be found at a reasonable price point in any B&M.

Oliva Serie G Robusto

The battery died in my car today, and apparently it is such an uncommon size that only one store in the area can get one, and it will not be in until this afternoon.

Which means I get the day off, and what better way to spend a part of a free day than with a new cigar. Today I grabbed an Oliva Serie G Robusto for an afternoon of smoking.

The Oliva Serie G Robusto (pronounced "Roh-Boost-Oh") is a 4 1/2 x 50 cigar with rich Nicaraguan filler and an African Cameroon wrapper. It is a box-pressed cigar, meaning that it is square rather than cylindrical, a trait that I found a bit uncomfortable at first. The pre-light inspection shows a nice amount of veins in the wrapper leaf, and a consistent feel to the cigar that is a bit spongy when pressed but bounces right back to shape.

After toasting the foot, the light takes well but with a bit of an uneven burn. This rights itself after a few minutes, and the stick burns well through to the end. The ash is a bit darker than I like to see, giving the impression that there is a bit of uncombusted material left behind. The stick redeems the less-than-appealing ash by producing great amounts of gray smoke obtained through an easy draw.

The flavor is medium, but I would describe it as a full medium. The initial flavors are a bit toasted and buttery, with a light stream of spice running through it. Not the peppery spice, but more of a cinnamon/nutmeg blend that plays on the pallet. The finish is long providing notes of espresso on the cheek and tongue.

As I move through the second and final 3rd of the smoke, I begin to have a bit more comfort with the box press. It is not my personal choice of shapes, but it is something I could get used to in time. The spice begins to build, but never becomes overpowering. One should note that the aroma of this cigar is splendid, providing both the intoxicating smell of good tobacco and a light smell of flowers that brings the memory of spring to the cool fall day.

Overall, this has been an enjoyable smoke. It was quicker than many I have had of late, lasting just under 45 minutes. Good construction, good flavor, and an easy draw make this a good cigar to allocate space to in the humidor.