Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto

The Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto delivers a box-pressed punch in classic 5"x52 format, packing Nicaraguan Ligero tobaccos beneath its seamless Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. At $118.80 for 10 sticks, this medium-full smoke earned its 96-point Cigar of the Year crown through precise balance - think leather and cedar notes arm-wrestling with cashew sweetness, refereed by just enough cinnamon spice. The triple-fermented Jalapa Valley filler keeps things intriguing without going full nicotine riot.

Product Parameters

• Brand: Oliva Cigars
• Price: $118.80/box
• Count: 10 cigars
• Shape: Box-Pressed Robusto
• Ring: 52
• Length: 5"
• Strength: Medium-Full

Physical Specs & Construction

• Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra (medium-brown, oily sheen)
• Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero (Jalapa Valley)
• Triple cap with box-pressed structure
• Aged in cedar pilones for 18+ months
• Consistent 1" ash formation

Flavor Journey

First Third

Dark chocolate and espresso lead with a raisin sweetness backup. Mild pepper tingle on retrohale - more cinnamon than black pepper.

Middle Third

Roasted almond emerges alongside cedar woodiness. Transition brings mineral tang akin to licking a river stone (in the best way).

Final Third

Cocoa powder dominates as caramelized sugar sweetness balances the earthy base. Needs purging past 45-minute mark to avoid tar buildup.

Robusto Comparisons

Similar Medium-Full Cigars

• Padron 1964 Anniversary (5.5"x50) - Cedar/Oak core with Cuban-esque twang
• Arturo Fuente Opus X (5.25"x50) - Floral notes over Dominican creaminess
• My Father Le Bijou 1922 (5"x50) - Pepper blast with espresso intensity
• Ashton VSG (5.25"x50) - Connecticut broadleaf sweetness meets spice

Tobacco Origin & Production

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian-grown Sumatra seed
• Filler: Jalapa Valley ligero (6-year aged)
• Rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua
• Cedar pilones fermentation (8-week process)
• Triple fermentation for reduced harshness