2009 Oliva Serie V Liga Especial Lancero

[smbauerllc]

Specifications:

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper Color: Colorado Maduro

Wrapper type: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Vitola: Lancero (7x38)

Manufacturer: Tabacalera Oliva S.A.

Humidimeter Reading: 68%


Environment:

Temperature: 73 degrees

Humidity: 31%

Wind: 5mph with 20mph gusts


Setting:
Outside on a fairly comfortable bench under huge tree, providing partial shade.

Paired with:
Iced coffee

Another from [MENTION=6668]Ljutic[/MENTION]

Cigar Aficionado’s number 6 ranked in the 2019 Top 10 Cigars of the year, with a score of 94.
Described as being predominantly earthy, with a finish of pistachios, nutmeg, and chocolate covered almonds.

Lets see how it turns out for me after 13 years total age, and 10 years older than the one they reviewed and ranked.

A medium feel, very veiny texture with a smooth, medium sized cap and slightly visible seams.
Bunch is firm and fairly lumpy.

Overall, a somewhat attractive appearance and feel.

Cold draw was very tight, so used the PerfecDraw through both ends, and it seemed to open up a little.

Had a razor sharp even burn, typical, mottled gray ash, a perfectly flat coal, which may not indicate what it think, but to me it signifies good construction, proper burn, and a good smoking pace.

Draw was tight even after very timidly running the PerfecDraw through both ends after having tested the cold draw and finding it very tight, so it did improve, but not to where I would want it to be.

Took a few puffs to get there, but had ample smoke volume, and a very faint, subtle aroma that was too light to describe the smell, even though retrohaling.
Not a big deal for me personally, as I rarely catcth more than the occasional, rare hint of aroma of cigars I’m smoking for some reason, yet others have told me they knew I was smoking a cigar outside, from 50 yards away.

Guess it comes from familiarity and being a recently reformed 30 years cigarette smoker.

Had ample richness, generous body, and a perfect balance of generous flavors of predominantly earth, with a hint of toasted nuts and a little bit of spiciness.

Finish was modest, and more of the exact same flavors.

Surprisingly to me, a very light sweetness, which I have never detected in anything I have smoked before, no bitterness, sharpness or saltiness and a very light burn on the tongue.

Here's where things get a little different than usual, where the overall summary catagories are in line with the final score. This time I felt the score didn’t really reflect the overall character and scale, as it scored only 1 point below perfect in each section, except for 2 in the smoke/burn category due to the tight draw, and the appearance and construction category where it lost 4 points.

While I love an attractive looking cigar, its really all about the taste, construction and ease of draw, almost exclusively. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, so that is why I called the character and overall summary both "Excellent", with a final score of only 90 out of 100, which certainly isn’t bad, but not really excellent in my opinion.

90 is my cutoff point as to whether I would buy something (assuming anything I reviewed was actually for sale, as all are long discontinued, blends changed, or just aged well beyond the point I have the space, budget, and willingness to, so kind off irrelevant)



I friggin love cigars

[tonycsmoke]

The Oliva V Lancero is one of my favorite cigars. I think it was in 2016 the Nicaraguan Ligero Laced 2nds went on sale. Those were the Oliva 2nds and I think I bought a couple hundred of this vitola. I think I have a few left buried in a coolidor. Simply fantastic smokes even in 2nds.

[bipolar]

Originally Posted by tonycsmoke

The Oliva V Lancero is one of my favorite cigars. I think it was in 2016 the Nicaraguan Ligero Laced 2nds went on sale. Those were the Oliva 2nds and I think I bought a couple hundred of this vitola. I think I have a few left buried in a coolidor. Simply fantastic smokes even in 2nds.

Totally agree. I have a load of the 2nds that are insanely good cigars. Flavor bombs.

[smbauerllc]

Love every Serie V i have had, especially the melanio,

This was my first of the Lancero though. It was very tasty, just needed a looser draw for better smoke volume

I friggin love cigars

[tonycsmoke]

Originally Posted by smbauerllc

Love every Serie V i have had, especially the melanio,

This was my first of the Lancero though. It was very tasty, just needed a looser draw for better smoke volume

I friggin love cigars

Oliva only rolls 2 cigars in this size. The V and the Daytona F. Both are great. The F came up a few months ago and I bought a couple of bundles. Wish I had bought more.

[smbauerllc]

Originally Posted by tonycsmoke

Oliva only rolls 2 cigars in this size. The V and the Daytona F. Both are great. The F came up a few months ago and I bought a couple of bundles. Wish I had bought more.

Never even heard of or seen the Daytona F before.

I friggin love cigars

[Bayouboy]

Agree with the above.

[tonycsmoke]

Originally Posted by smbauerllc

Never even heard of or seen the Daytona F before.

I friggin love cigars

My bad - Cain F not Cain Daytona (which also a fabulous cigar).

[Ljutic]

I remember reading this now, but got distracted by the upstream mention of 2nds. That lead me to a week long deep dive and refamiliarization of myself with Cigarbid. I apologize that I just never got back to the review before you had posted a newer review on something else.

[smbauerllc]

@Ljutic
I always forget about the deals you can get on auction sites as i spend a lot of time carefully setting up my order for the month well in advance to get everything I want from the least number of vendors, preferably all from one, and only ones that offer a military/veterans discount, so by the time i get my pensions, I have long since set up my order to maximize the number of good or new to me cigars, and down to the last dollar.

One of these days I'll remember to leave some money left over to get something at a great price from Cbid.

I friggin love cigars