The Oliva Serie V Maduro has been an annual release for Oliva since 2008. For the 5th release of the Serie V Maduro they have again chosen to use a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper which they also used for the past two years. The Serie V Maduro has been a very popular release, especially so among collectors, with the total production limited to 5,000 10 – count boxes. They tend to sell out quickly, so make sure to pick up your box soon!

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Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Body: Full
Flavor: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Construction and Appearance: The Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 features the classic Oliva Serie V band which has a classic old world sort of feel to it. The color scheme is a little dark with a mix of brown, gold, tan, and small splashes of red. In the middle is written Oliva, and below it Serie V.

The wrapper of the Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 looks delicious to say the least. It is a very dark brown, almost the color of dark chocolate, with very slight veins, and a rich oil to it. The cap is nice and tight, and the construction is very solid with no soft spots.

Flavor and Notes: The wrapper of the Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 has notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and earth. The foot has the scent of sweet chocolate, coffee, earth, and a little wood. To prepare smoking the Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 I use a slight straight cut across the cap, and on the cold draw there are flavors of coffee, chocolate, dried fruit, and a nice sweet earthiness.

Smoking Characteristics: The Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 kicks off with a bit of espresso, dark chocolate, pepper, and oak. The blend has a slight sweetness to it, along with a bit of creaminess. The strength starts out in the medium range, with a nice little buzz starting early on. The draw is a little tight, yet each puff yields a decent body of rich smoke. After the first quarter inch, a little earthiness joins the blend as well, adding a nice complexity and a little depth to the blend. At this point the draw has also opened up and providing a full body of smoke, but with a little more resistance than I prefer.

Into the second third of the Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012, there is a little more earthiness and oak to the blend. The chocolate, espresso, and pepper all continue in the blend and a nice new dried fruit has joined the profile as well along with a little spice. The ash only holds to about the three quarter inch mark, but the burn is very sharp and has not required a single touch up yet. The draw is still just a bit tight, but each puff is providing a full body of the rich, cool, sweet, creamy smoke. The strength remains in the medium range, not increasing at all from the last third.

During the final third of the Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012, the oak spice in the blend becomes a little more intense, and the dried fruit a little more present as well. The notes of espresso, chocolate, and pepper all remain, blending with the oak spice and dried fruit. The flavor is very pleasant, well blended, and rich. The strength in this third peaks just a little bit above medium, allowing me a nice mellow buzz. The draw in this third finally opens up fully, offering the perfect resistance. The Oliva Serie V Maduro 2012 performs well to the nub, and I savor every last cool, sweet, smooth puff.