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
