Oliva Serie V Melanio

Purchased: Box of 10, Petite Corona
Where: CigarBid.com
Price: $59.00
Buy Again? Of course!

When I first smoked a Melanio, the first thing that went through my mind was that it wasn’t a cigar for the casual smoker. And I didn’t mean it in a snobby way. But this stick is all about the nuance of flavors behind its spiciness. And it’s a subtly spicy cigar.

But behind that spice is a myriad of flavors that constantly transition as you smoke down to the nub. It was spicy from the start and that spice note never changed. It established itself mid-palate and stayed right there throughout the smoke. But accompanying that was a tremendous array of other flavors. It’s no small wonder that so many folks on the forums still rave about this cigar!

At the very start, there’s a bread component that I wasn’t expecting but that quickly transitioned into a slightly sweet creaminess. Further into the smoke, the bread and cream give way to an earthiness that’s like wet, loamy soil as opposed to dirt. Then that transitions into a cacao and coffee and the cream returns as the copious smoke builds up on the tongue. It’s downright amazing!

But here’s the thing: It’s not my favorite Oliva. If I had to name my favorite super-premium Oliva, it would be a tie between the Master Blends III and the V Melanio Maduro. There’s a darker component to each of those that is more pleasing to my palate. I don’t want to anything away from the Melanio. It’s an insanely great cigar.

Maybe it’s the spice. It’s not strong and overpowering but it’s always there. It lingers much like hot sauce sits on your tongue. It’s not at all bothersome but perhaps how it lingers makes me not like it as much as I like MB3. I know I’m probably splitting hairs.

As far as construction goes this cigar is top notch! The wrapper is smooth and a little velvety and close inspection reveals little oil nodules just waiting to release their goodness. The stick is very solid and the draw is perfect.

The burn sometimes gets wavy but it corrects itself to become razor straight. And they ash… Talk about a stack of dimes!

I smoked two from my box of 10 so far. But I think I’m going to let the others sit for a long, long time. That will hopefully mellow out the spiciness.