2009 Oliva Serie V Liga Especial Belicoso

[smbauerllc]

Another cigar brought to you by Bruce aka @Ljutic


Specifications:
Year of Manufacture/Box Codes: 2009

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper Color: Colorado Maduro

Wrapper type: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Vitola: Belicoso (5x54)

Manufacturer: Tabacalera Oliva S.A.

Factory: Nicaragua

Humidimeter Reading: 63% (+/-2%)


Environment:

Temperature: 63 degrees

Humidity: 30%

Wind: 5mph

Setting:
My favorite spot in the smoke shack staring at the beautiful green mountains.

Paired with:
Iced coffee

Ranked by Cigar Aficionado as #5 of the top 25 cigars of 2009, with a score of 93.

Described as “The Serie V Liga Especial Belicoso features superb construction, powerful, full-bodied flavors of meat and nuts and a balancing sweetness.”

I will continue to try to always include an exact or as close as possible, magazine or dedicated online reviewers like Halfwheel and such review, just to try and better gauge exactly what simply age alone has effected the cigar.

Also made a change to my real time review form by eliminating a section that was really better being incorporated into a couple other existing sections and distributed its max points to other sections that I believe most smokers would consider the most important when it comes to a cigar.

Ok, so lets see what 13 years has done to the exact same vitola and year, with the only difference being aged vs fresh.

Had a perfectly even burn and perfect draw. Ash was strong and mottled white, and coal was nice and flat. Also had no cracking, peeling, etc

Smoke volume was excellent and aroma was faint, but fragrant if retrohaled, with a burning wood and very light floral aroma.

Was of ample richness, mild-medium strength, generous body and perfectly balanced, generous flavors of herbal, woody and floral taste.

Finish was also generous, and of earthy, woody, mineral and some bitterness.

This is where it lost the most points of any section, due to the mineral and especially bitter finish/aftertaste.

Overall, of great character and great in general with a final score of 92 out of 100.

Just as a note, I tasted none of the things in CA’s review, due to age or my different palate, but the scores came out only one point difference.


I friggin love cigars

[tonycsmoke]

I have many cigars that are close or older than that cigar. Those would never make it to that age. I think that is the best vitola of the V (lancero is very close).

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Originally Posted by tonycsmoke

I have many cigars that are close or older than that cigar. Those would never make it to that age. I think that is the best vitola of the V (lancero is very close).

I certainly agree that the Lancero is tied with the belicoso as the best vitolas of the serie V, but to be honest, i think any of the tapered head vitolas of any cigar is the best.

I have smoked and reviewed 36 nc's of this age or mostly older, with 8 more to go, all from just 1 generous bomb from Ljutic (Bruce) with the intent of reviewing them.

Same thing has happened with others too.

Its been a great experience trying out some 15+ year old cigars, and even some vintage 50's and 60's cigars.

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[Ljutic]

I stashed some of these and also the Lanceros away at about the the same time. What I'd now really like to find is a 5-er of the V Nubs, but I understand they were done in a very limited production and sold through very quickly.

I just checked the document that went out with the cigars and see you also have a 2009 Lancero to review. Now I'm really glad I sent it.

[KatDad]

Nicely done, Bruce!

[smbauerllc]

Originally Posted by Ljutic

I stashed some of these and also the Lanceros away at about the the same time. What I'd now really like to find is a 5-er of the V Nubs, but I understand they were done in a very limited production and sold through very quickly.

I just checked the document that went out with the cigars and see you also have a 2009 Lancero to review. Now I'm really glad I sent it.

Bruce, was worried for a minute that there was an error or last minute change or i fudged up something, but i checked my app and show it smoked, and scrolled back and i reviewed the Lancero prior to the belicosos. 5 reviews prior actually.

Dont really recall it, by my app dont lie. Big part of why i use it.

I reviewed the lancero on Sep 22nd, so pretty recently. Scroll back just a few reviews and you will see it. I did add my usual "mention" to you so you would know the latest review of your bomb is up, but i see no response from you in the thread, so must have missed it somehow.

Getting a little senile are we? Lol, just messing with you since i smoked it and wrote the review yet had to look it ip myself to know, so my memory is clearly no better, and I'm better that you just missed it somehow vs forgetting like me.

Gave it a 90, and a 92 for the belicoso, so pretty close to each other, and while not necessarily the highest of scores, still pretty darn good and likely higher than i would rate recent ones.

May have to pick some up soon and see. Haven't had a Serie V Lancero in quite a while



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[tonycsmoke]

I was digging through my coolidor last night trying to pick out a cigar. I came across a couple of V Robustos tubos that I bought probably back in 2015 or 2014. Lit that thing up and it was fantastic. A solid 1.5 hours to nub it.

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@tonycsmoke

What did you think of the richness, body, and flavor strength?

How about nicotine strength?
I can't really accurately judge nicotine very well having been a 30 year cigarette smoker until a couple years ago and i just dont notice nicotine at all, let alone different levels of it.

I know when young they are considered pretty nicotine heavy, and am curious how much after how long nicotine specifically changes



Just curious how they were with half the age, but still passed the 5 year mark where i personally seem to really notice a change in most cigars, but noticably beginning starting at the 3 year mark.

I found mine smoother and more mellow than fresh, but not by a whole lot. It still had a fair bit of that Oliva V power to it, and you could tell that in its day it was more potent.

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