Oliva Serie O Torpedo

Purchased: 2 X 10-Pack Torpedo (6.5 X 52)
Store: CigarBid.com
Price: $28.50 ea
Buy again? Absolutely!

I’ve smoked cigars for years but up until recently, I hadn’t taken the time to understand why I liked a particular cigar. Smoking a cigar was a binary experience for me: I either liked it or I didn’t. But now that I’ve gotten more into the hobby, I started to geek out on the cigars I smoke; hence, this diary. And an exciting thing I discovered was that the shape of a cigar has an effect on its taste.

Case in point, I’m smoking one of my favorite cigars, the Oliva Serie O. This is one of those cigars I wrote about that has a specific profile that doesn’t change throughout the smoke. It just gets more intense. I love it! It’s earthy with hints of cacao and coffee and a little burnt toast, with a little salt, cedar, and oak accenting the finish. The smoke is thick but velvety-smooth with a pleasing mouthfeel that’s palpable but doesn’t coat.

And no matter the vitola, this is a well-constructed and beautiful cigar. The body of the cigar glistens with oil. And while there are visible veins (which I don’t mind in the slightest), there’s nary a hint of seam. Amazing. The burn line is straight and when it does get a bit wavy, it corrects itself. The ash breaks off in 1-inch chunks. Of all the sticks I’ve smoked, I can only recall making a correction once. This is just a solid cigar.

I finally ran out of the Toros and Robustos I had purchased earlier, so now I’m onto my Torpedos. It’s the same taste, but wow! The shape of the head really intensifies the flavors! With the Toros and Robustos, the much easier draw mixed in a little more air with the draw, but with the Torpedo, it’s as if the smoke compresses at the head, and the flavors explode when they hit my tongue!

Perhaps this intensity is why I’ve been gravitating towards smaller gauge vitolas such as Coronas and Petite Coronas. The flavors seem to be so much more intense than with a larger gauge cigar. Smoking this Torpedo is reminiscent of that experience. One thing I’ve noticed is that with the smoke being directed right to my tongue, the woodsy elements seem to have become more prominent. I get a pronounced French oak on the finish.

Another thing I noticed with the Torpedo is that the more intense smoke also introduced a bit more nicotine. It’s not overpowering, but it is much more pronounced in this vitola as compared to the Robusto and Toro. But that’s okay. I’m nicely chilled out and mellow from this smoke. This will definitely be one for some contemplation time!