Oliva Serie V Melanio (FRCM25)

[eaglebear29]

Oliva Serie V Melanio Gran Reserva Limitada (Round Nub)

Milk chocolate on the cold draw. 

Size: Nub 4 x 60

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Nicaraguan 

Filler: Jalapa Nicaraguan 

Initial Light Up: 

Toasted tobacco sweet faint notes of syrup. 

Molasses and roasted coffee bean. Started off medium in strength. 

End of First 3rd:

It’s been a mocha coffee a majority of the first 3rd. The faint syrupy sweetness is gone. Still medium in strength. Coffee on the retro with a little pepper.

End of Second 3rd:

It’s mainly been delicious black coffee turned into a shot of espresso this whole 3rd. Medium+ in strength.

End of Final 3rd: 

Double shot plain. Ramped up to a full strength black coffee stick. Hints of ammonia. A little bit of a let down as every other Oliva I’ve had has been great. 

Nub/Pipe-Worthy: 

No. The ammonia left then crept back in full force in and out in the nub stage. I’m satisfied on the nicotine, but I can’t say the same on the cigar.

Final thoughts:

An ok stick, it wasn’t bad. Definitely wasn’t great. It was plain coffee in a cigar and just that, no real evolution in other flavors but this, and really just more and more coffee. I guess the strength picked up, there’s that. Smooth coffee, I’ll give it that as well. I’ve had this stick a couple years so maybe it lost some. No idea as this is my first one of this vitola. I’ll have to give a different size a try. Would’ve been nice to have something other than just plain coffee but if that’s your thing, I’ve had those days too. Still this has been a decrescendo cigar, the opposite of what I prefer. 

Time: 1hr 29min 

Score: 86/100

[Ford2112]

That thing is a Danny DeVito!!

[mikejh]

I have a hard time with anything 60 ring gauge, just too big.

[eaglebear29]

On 3/21/2025 at 4:12 PM, mikejh said:

I have a hard time with anything 60 ring gauge, just too big.

I'd have to agree, there's not one short and stubby that has been memorable yet. I have veered away from buying them now, many of these were from my early on impulse buys, not really knowing and grabbing a bunch of different sizes. 

My preferred ranges tend to be 46-52. I love smaller ring gauges as well though (36-44) and the love a good 54 every once in a while but anything bigger has rarely been good. Only ones that really come to mind that can be the exception for me are, tapered heads/pyramids/torpedos that were pretty large and good.