February SOTM Review: Oliva Serie V

[Psojka RP,601]

Appearance and Prelight: 10/10- At first glance, this liegero wrapper is a nice light brown. I decided to take a sniff at the wrapper, and was pleasantly surprised at the peppery smoothness. The prelight draw gave off intense pepper that actually made me sneeze! (Anyone else??) It was a good peppery zest taste that sat on the tongue. I also got some earthy wood notes in the prelight.

Flavor and Notes: 9/10- I lit the stick, and the first draw delivered a huge punch to my stomach of the same “pepper zest” from the beginning. It was a bit overwhelming, but I welcomed it…my two friends I was with laughed at my reaction, LOL. However, the harshness quickly turned into a more “sweet” peppery taste that sat well on the lips. Laced with a woody cedar taste, it was perfectly balanced for my liking. Around a little more than an inch in, I caught a hint of fantastic dark chocolate in my nose This was very surprisingly pleasant! However, it didn’t stay as long as I would have hoped…only about another ¾ inch or so probably. With the departure of the dark chocolate, came the arrival of a nice nasal spice coming into the second third. I also liked this a lot. The spice started to diminish itself as an old barn/woody overtone kicked in. With the wood overtone, came a Maple undertone. The taste now was absolutely amazing. Extremely well-balanced. Just like the chocolate went away, so did the maple as the stick entered its final third. The spice was starting to slowly creep back in. The last few inches brought spice, slight maple, and a hot spice on the lips. Great and full finish!

Burn/Ash/Draw: 9/10- The burn was pretty good for the first half of the smoke. It started to grow just a little uneven, but I will tell you: I’m a bit of a burn perfectionist. Nothing too bad at all. The ash was a firm grey, and it held well. The draw was not too tight, however I would’ve loved to have it a tad looser. Overall, I will be getting a lot more of these cigars in many vitolas; it was great!

 

[Robinsond]

Fantastic review brother! Appreciate your participation!

 

[njstone]

I think I'll have to smoke one of these if I make it out tonight. Haven't had one in a long time

 

[cigarguy71]

I have to say this is one of my favorite sticks a go to.

 

[skidz_23]

Thanks for all the great reviews guys. I love the oliva v. I was pretty lucky this weekend and found a couple 2008 maduros at a local b&m. I was pretty shocked to still be able to find them. I bought the last two they had. Keep up the good work botl.

 

[Gokian]

This is an amazing idea and awesome reviews. Keep them coming.

 

[Simoun]

Oliva Serie V Belicoso
Dimensions: 5" x 54
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Jalapa Valley Ligero
MSRP: ~$6.00/stick

. . . somewhat of a loose draw on a first inch defined by doses of cocoa, cinnamon, earth, and a dirty, oily, antique leather, the latter of which formed the basis of the cigar's profile, which phased gradually, as the draw tightened, into a midsection comprised largely of spices (the aforementioned cinnamon, as well as some clove and some cumin) that dragged some of that oily, leathery foundation to the forefront and produced an animalistic, beefy unctuousness, as though a layer of fat had begun to coat the flavors, overwhelming my mouth with an oiliness that was not unpleasant, though it did, it seemed, end up blocking some of the spices from reaching my palate, resulting in an attenuated bouquet that I grew somewhat bored with, so much so that I was tempted to toss the cigar with still a third of it left, though I smoked on for the sake of the review, hoping that the flavors would sharpen and deepen, which they did, to an extent––as the burn line approached the nub, a tangy, aromatic cedar dusted with cinnamon enveloped the smoke, a nice enough flavor that, unfortunately, wasn't enough to salvage some of the flatness that defined the stick, whose finish was replete with oils, leather, and maple . . .

smoke time: one hour and forty-five minutes . . .

 

[Psojka RP,601]

very nice! great pics...i loved that maple taste also awesome job!

 

[Robinsond]

Wow GREAT review! That's some defined pallet you've got there! Does it take time to develop that kind of taste? I'm having trouble picking out flavors that are that specific. Is it just me? Or does it take years of smoking?

 

[Simoun]

Wow GREAT review! That's some defined pallet you've got there! Does it take time to develop that kind of taste? I'm having trouble picking out flavors that are that specific. Is it just me? Or does it take years of smoking?

I think for me it helps that I like to try different foods and I like to cook, so I get exposed (and expose myself) to different flavors and smells: spices, fruits, meats, etc. I also have a pretty good memory. Also, smoking slowly, not puffing too hard or quickly, is a good way to keep the smoke cool and allow the subtleties to reveal themselves. And unless I'm hanging out with my friends, I also drink nothing but water while smoking so no other flavors interfere.

Having said that, a lot of the flavors and aromas one gets from smoking is very subjective––not in the sense that it's up to you whether you like the smoke or not, but rather that cigars can call to mind your own experiences and the sensations you attribute to them, so sometimes what you're sensing (at least in my experience) can actually be an amalgam of a number of different things.

For instance, sometimes I taste lavender in cigars; I know what lavender smells like, but my main reference point are some old scratch 'n sniff stickers I used to have as a kid (for some reason, that smell is really vivid for me). That smell for me defines lavender. The way the maple and oak trees smelled in the woods I used to play in as a kid is also the main reference point when I taste wood. Sometimes a vague quality about a cigar's bouquet makes me remember certain people, sometimes they make me remember the way I felt reading certain books or watching certain films for the first time . . . these in turn call to mind other memories, the phases of my life and the objects and people that have populated them, and the smoke becomes an experience that transcends the purely physiological phenomenon of taste and smell––remember, smells are the quickest and most immediate paths to memory.

I think one thing to keep in mind is to not get bogged down in getting the flavor profile "right." The best cigars, for me, are the ones that make me daydream, think, and remember–-sometimes in spite of what the cigar actually tastes and smells like. Sure, thoughts can be induced by the smoke's more "objective" qualities, but what I think is more important is the way the cigar makes me feel and what it makes me think.

Does it really matter if what you're actually tasting is raspberries as opposed to black currants? Or if you describe a certain tangy bite as licorice instead of anise seed? Maybe. But if, for whatever reason, raspberries is what you taste, and it's pleasurable to you because of it, then great!

At best, cigars can be a heavily meditative experience, and though I think refining one's palate is important, I think being able to sink back into your own head and really think and allow yourself to get lost in the smoke is even more rewarding than being able to compile a complete and "accurate" list of the smoke's flavors and scents....

 

[Robinsond]

Thanks for those down to earth feelings and explinations. It honestly is making me re-think how I enjoy cigars. Much appreciated brother!

 

[Iminspired]

I think for me it helps that I like to try different foods and I like to cook, so I get exposed (and expose myself) to different flavors and smells: spices, fruits, meats, etc. I also have a pretty good memory. Also, smoking slowly, not puffing too hard or quickly, is a good way to keep the smoke cool and allow the subtleties to reveal themselves. And unless I'm hanging out with my friends, I also drink nothing but water while smoking so no other flavors interfere.

Having said that, a lot of the flavors and aromas one gets from smoking is very subjective––not in the sense that it's up to you whether you like the smoke or not, but rather that cigars can call to mind your own experiences and the sensations you attribute to them, so sometimes what you're sensing (at least in my experience) can actually be an amalgam of a number of different things.

For instance, sometimes I taste lavender in cigars; I know what lavender smells like, but my main reference point are some old scratch 'n sniff stickers I used to have as a kid (for some reason, that smell is really vivid for me). That smell for me defines lavender. The way the maple and oak trees smelled in the woods I used to play in as a kid is also the main reference point when I taste wood. Sometimes a vague quality about a cigar's bouquet makes me remember certain people, sometimes they make me remember the way I felt reading certain books or watching certain films for the first time . . . these in turn call to mind other memories, the phases of my life and the objects and people that have populated them, and the smoke becomes an experience that transcends the purely physiological phenomenon of taste and smell––remember, smells are the quickest and most immediate paths to memory.

I think one thing to keep in mind is to not get bogged down in getting the flavor profile "right." The best cigars, for me, are the ones that make me daydream, think, and remember–-sometimes in spite of what the cigar actually tastes and smells like. Sure, thoughts can be induced by the smoke's more "objective" qualities, but what I think is more important is the way the cigar makes me feel and what it makes me think.

Does it really matter if what you're actually tasting is raspberries as opposed to black currants? Or if you describe a certain tangy bite as licorice instead of anise seed? Maybe. But if, for whatever reason, raspberries is what you taste, and it's pleasurable to you because of it, then great!

At best, cigars can be a heavily meditative experience, and though I think refining one's palate is important, I think being able to sink back into your own head and really think and allow yourself to get lost in the smoke is even more rewarding than being able to compile a complete and "accurate" list of the smoke's flavors and scents....

Ryan,

Thank you for your very sincere and reflective interpretation of taste and flavors. Truly, I agree because the experience then becomes transcendental; this perspective completely heightens the experience, in my opinion, beyond smoking, taste, and flavors hence why I found cigars to be in the first place such a source of relaxation, inspiration, reflection, and commodore among other things.

Such a beautiful take on an activity we BOTL and SOTL enjoy. Thanks!

-Aaron

 

[Robinsond]

Bump this bad boy up! Any last minute reviews??

 

[swat253]

Nice reviews, guys! I have a V in the humi. If the wind lets up, I may take it out on the patio and have a go at it!

 

[dpmrpa]

Dave and jwyatt great reviews. Love the O V. Very good stick. Thanks again

 

[Robinsond]

Nice reviews, guys! I have a V in the humi. If the wind lets up, I may take it out on the patio and have a go at it!

Hey if you do end up sparking it up, le us know what you think! Pics are nice but not necessary.

Great turnout for the first SOTM!!

 

[dlavallee]

Great review, thanks for sharing with us!

 

[Iminspired]

Please excuse my tardiness (I'm late as hell), but I had an Oliva Serie V Lancero today. I felt that a pepper, woodsy flavor was consistent throughout the whole smoke. It was definietly a cut-above medium strength for me, which was quiet an opposite experience than expected because the only other lancero I've had the privilige to smoke so far before this one was an Illusione Holy Lance (which was mild to me).

A great smoke with a very humble price. Loved and nubbed it!

 

[Psojka RP,601]

better late than never!

thanks a lot!