Oliva Serie V Edición Europa 2010
📌 Brand: Oliva
📌 Line: Serie V Maduro Europa Edition
📌 Size: Petit Robusto (approx 4 ½`× 50)
📌 Weight: 13.1 g
📌 Age: 15 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua
Tasting Notes
Dark Chocolate – Bitter-sweet core
Espresso – Roasted richness beneath the surface
Earth – Dense, grounding tobacco backbone
Spicy Oak – Warm, mild spice throughout
First Impressions
This vitola is robust and dark in appearance. Pre-light aroma shows cocoa, espresso, and earth. Cold draw is initially tight, offering concentrated notes of espresso and pepper that hint at a punchy, rich smoke once lit.
Smoking Experience
First Third – Opens with strong dark chocolate and espresso, backed by earth and a silky spicy sweetness. Draw feels tight, so smoke delivery is concentrated but requires slower, deliberate puffs.
Second Third – Earth deepens, oak spice becomes more pronounced, and overall complexity remains steady. Loose pockets appear, but the profile stays rich and flavorful.
Final Third – Flavors hold but loosen slightly, with chocolates and spice calming down. Draw remains a bit narrow and requires steady effort. Two minor relights keep the cigar burning clean.
Pairings
Alcohol – Foursquare Port Cask Rum - Sweet port fruit, oak spice, and deep caramel play beautifully against the cigar’s dark chocolate, espresso, and spice. (Unique never-used rum pairing.)
Tea – Taiwan Shan Lin Xi High-Mountain Black Tea - Smooth with hints of honeyed malt and floral top notes that freshen the palate and balance the cigar’s dark profile.
Music Pairing
“Entre Dos Aguas” – Paco de Lucía (Spain)
Passionate nylon strings and rhythmic complexity echo the cigar’s layered spice and chocolate.
Final Thoughts
The Oliva Serie V Maduro Europa Edition Petit Robusto delivers a rich, dark, and nuanced experience with bold chocolate, espresso, earth, and spice. A tight draw throughout kept the smoke concentrated but required attention, and a couple of relights maintained a clean burn. Despite these execution caveats, the profile remains engaging and satisfying for fans of Maduro complexity.
Final Score: 8/10
Why not a 10?
Tight draw and a slightly soft final third limited the full expression and evolution of the blend.
Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.