Oliva Series V Melanio Torpedo

6.5 x 52 box pressed torpedo: The first one was unbalanced: too mild in flavour but overwhelmingly strong. The subsequent cigars were all mellow, medium roast, toasty aroma, well constructed and quite satisfying. 

February 6th, 2021: This was a disappointing first dip into the batch. My expectations were high, given the exquisite packaging and a very enjoyable Series V Liga Especial, which was densely packed and richly flavourful. Flavour in this cigar was pleasant but thin. The cigar was quite lightly packed and it took a lot of puffing to get much flavour. On the other hand, it was quite strong at the end. Mild flavour and strength are fatal combination; by the halfway mark I felt my gut lurching and at 1am I awoke with a nasty dyspeptic grumble, reminiscent of the AJ Fernandez San Lotano Oval Gordo (but not the robusto).

Lovely looking cigar but didn't live up to its appearance and packing

Construction: Ecuadorian Sumatra seed wrapper, not a bit oily, Jalapa filler. Seems to be quite a bit of ligero. The cigar was light in the hand and loosely packed. 

Draw: Easy draw, not enough resistance, requiring too much effort to get adequate smoke production.

Flavour: Flavour a bit lacking; there was an element of burnt toast. Mild to medium.

Aroma: Aroma was pleasant and quite rich. 

Consistency: Flavour was quite consistent throughout, a little peppery towards the end, but nothing substantial. 

Burn: No complaints. Burn was even throughout.

Finish: Inadequate. This is perhaps the major criticism. Not enough satisfaction to put the cigar down for a minute or two. 

Body: Mild to medium

Strength: Building throughout and quite strong at the end. I could feel my head spinning.

Time smoke: Only 70 minutes - compare the 100 minutes for the AJF Nica Puro Especial two days later which was 6.5x 52 - almost the same size. 

Overall: Disappointing. Unbalanced; too much strength for a mild to medium flavour, not enough filler, compared to the Series V (sans Melanio). Let's give it another month or two and revisit. 

2. April 28th, 2021: The brand is redeemed by a mellow, balanced and flavourful offering with a rich complex aroma. 

After a twelve week hiatus, I returned, gingerly, to this brand, reluctant to waste another evening's cigar meditation on a dud. But this cigar, which had been sitting in one of my humidors, was a vast improvement over the specimen of February last. It was smooth, balanced and mellow, with a gradually growing strength but not at all overwhelming. Flavour was much fuller than that of the previous iteration. The cigar started mild to medium in body and worked up to medium to full. Flavour was at times sweet, at times minty but always smooth and mellow.

The aroma was one of the most remarkable features. It was a deep, rich, complex fragrance which could easily rival a Cuban. Aroma is often a neglected features of cigar reviews. However, I would suggest that the olfactory counts as much as the gustatory. This was a cigar to prove that point. Much of the pleasure of this cigar came from the aroma. I could sit between puffs and enjoy its pungent, complexity. At a few junctures throughout the cigar, grand plumes of spicy fragrance exploded on the nose. At other times, the aroma was rich and satisfying.

Draw had a little resistance but burn was almost razor sharp.  

Total smoking time was 100 minutes; much longer than the previous cigar due, no doubt, to the much improved long finish. 

Overall: Much satisfying.

After almost one hour - a very leisurely smoke

3. September 22nd, 2021: First half pleasant, second half intense. This cigar started off with a very smooth, medium bodied, light roast coffee flavour, much like the Joya Antano Churchill of a few days before and, much like the Antano Churchill, it developed into a full bodied, almost strong cigar in the second half. Like the Antano, there was little if any pepper. If there was a difference it would be in the aroma, which, in the case of the Melanio, was perhaps richer but just as complex. I'd like to try these two again, closer in time, to make a better comparison. Quite satisfying. 95 minutes. 

4. February 12th, 2022: Profile much like that of September 22nd, although I would say medium roast. Development was similar, from mild to medium bodied to more full bodied in the second half. Aroma was an excellent toasty fragrance. As I have commented above, it's one of the outstanding features of this cigar. As to the difference between Serie V simplicter and the Melanio, I would say the main difference is in the first half, which is lighter and smoother than the Serie V, which can be a bit bitter at times. The transition from mild-medium to full body is more pronounced. But the rich aroma is very similar. 

Burn was even. Draw was a little resistant, but not too much. Smoking time was 80 minutes. Quite satisfying, but the first half was a little too mild for a 'very satisfying' rating.

The wrapper is a beautiful mottled Ecuadorian Sumatra

At the one hour mark: managed to squeeze out another 20 minutes.

5. August 11th, 2022. Smooth, medium bodied, easy draw, consistent, no transitions, no perceptible increase in body or strength. Aroma was pleasant; not quite rich. Quite satisfying, 90 minutes. 

6. February 25th, 2023. This one did build in body and strength in the final third. The first two thirds were mild, easy to draw, sharp burn, but the final third built up to medium body. I smoked it to the nub. It was quite satisfying. 90 minutes.

7. Monday September 25, 2023: Similar to number 5, above: medium body throughout, easy draw, but a bit insipid. Despite the easy draw, it lasted a good 90 minutes, which made it quite satisfying.