Puff Cigar Discussion Forums

zion698 · 10-18-2008, 10:33 PM

Okay so I after receiving some bad news that put me in a pretty messed up mood. I came home to my wife and two year old daughter, who always makes me feel better. My daughter greets me as her hero every day; even when life has beaten me down it does wonders for my spirits.
So after having a couple of Mojitos with my wife. I decided to take one for the CL team and smoke my first Oliva Serie V Maduro. Here’s the rundown:

Pre-Light:
The cigar was firm throughout no soft spots at all. The wrapper was a medium brown with few variations in color and very small veins. The draw was free with very little resistance. On the cold taste I could pick up a kind of light cocoa taste with a slight hint of spice.

First Third:
I used a soft flame lighter and the cigar lit very easily. That cocoa and spice hit me right away … I literally rocked back into my seat it caught me so off guard. Just a few draws into the cigar I could tell it was going to be a strong one. I got plenty of smoke out of each draw. There was a bit of a floral taste starting to take over from the cocoa around an inch in. Which reminded me on the Rocky Patel Decade, but those elements were better balanced in the V maduro. The burn line was very thin and the ash a firm light grey. The retro-hale was at first spicy and then on the very next retro- hale (back to back) it was completely smooth no spice … Weird.

Second Third:
I had a great looking 2 ½ inch ash going … So I thought I would take a picture. With that thought the ash dropped right on my jacket. The strength of the cigar seemed to be leveling out a somewhat. I could taste a little ligero now … I could not in the first third. There was a consistent cocoa, herbal taste now with an undertone of cedar and spice. The retro- hale was producing more spice than before. The resting smoke though aromatic will burn the noses of innocent bystanders that get too close. The burn line wavered at times but it never got too bad. At two inches the ash dropped on me again. Let that serve as a warning for those of you that smoke indoors.

Final Third:
The cigar got smoother as time went on. Though it was still strong it was noticeably less than in the beginning of the cigar. I pair the cigar with Flor De Cana 4 Year Rum on the rocks with a bit of lime. The drink is not a very bold one and it does a great job at cleansing my palate after a few puffs on the cigar. The cocoa flavors faded to the background leaving a more cedar and spice. Then in the very next puff the cocoa was back to join the spice … This cigar shifts gears with no warning.

Overall:
I enjoyed this cigar. It is defiantly one not to be attempted on an empty stomach or first thing in the morning. Though the flavors are not terribly complex, the cigar does have a lot of transitions in it. This made for a very interesting smoke. I was supposed to post this last night but after Mojitos, more Rum and the cigar my focus was a bit off. I paid $9.32 for mine and got three. I try to stay under the $6.50 range. But this was a one I couldn’t pass up the chance to try. I can promise you the remaining two will not be smoked in 2008. I would recommend everyone try the Oliva V Maduro at least once. Oliva hits it out of the park once again.