The Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Torpedo brings Nicaraguan firepower in a sleek 6½" x 52 torpedo shape. This box-pressed figurado comes dressed in a slick Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper covering aged Jalapa Valley tobaccos. At around $16 per stick, it's built for special occasions yet priced reasonably compared to other premium maduros.
The cold draw hints at dried fruit before ignition. Initial puffs deliver thick espresso notes with black pepper spice that lingers on the tongue. Smoke production surprises with dense, creamy plumes despite the box-pressed shape. The dark wrapper leaves faint sweet stains on the fingers.
At the 1-inch mark, transitions bring out oak char and unsweetened cocoa. The pepper mellows into cinnamon stick warmth. Retrohaling reveals walnut skins and a mineral edge characteristic of San Andrés soil. Burn stays razor-sharp with quarter-inch ash retention.
Approaching the band point, leather and molasses dominate with increased nicotine presence. Tar buildup becomes noticeable near the nub - common in maduro wrappers. Ends at 90-minute mark with satisfying intensity, leaving cedar aftertaste and slight tongue tingle.
The triple cap peels cleanly with a straight cutter. No soft spots detected in multiple samples - impressive for torpedo vitola. The dark wrapper shows minimal veins and oily sheen. During testing, all units burned evenly without correction despite 65% RH storage.
Immediate smoking shows bright spice notes that mellow after 6+ months humidor time. Best performance observed at 62% humidity. Not recommended for long-term aging beyond 3 years due to maduro wrapper's higher sugar content.
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