The Oliva Serie V has been made in just about every size and shape: normal sizes, culebras, NUb, small diademas and yes, big diademas.

In late 2012, a 9 x 52 diadema arrived in Holland and Germany. This was neither the first time Oliva used the 9 x 52 diadema mold, nor the first time the Serie V blend was offered in a diadema. It was limited to 400 boxes of 10 cigars with pricing set at €15 per cigar.

It was during a period of a few consecutive years when Oliva made a special size for the European market, something that seems to have fallen out of favor lately.

Oliva Serie V Vitolas

  1. Oliva Serie V Belicoso (5 x 54) — 2007 — Regular Production
  2. Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra (7 x 52) — 2007 — Regular Production
  3. Oliva Serie V Double Robusto (5 x 54) — 2007 — Regular Production
  4. Oliva Serie V Double Toro (6 x 60) — 2007 — Regular Production
  5. Oliva Serie V Special V Figurado (6 x 60) — 2007 — Regular Production
  6. Oliva Serie V Lancero (7 x 38) — 2007 — Regular Production
  7. Oliva Serie V Torpedo (6 x 56) — 2007 — Regular Production
  8. Oliva Serie V Culebra (7 x 38) — 2007 — 200 Coffins of 1 Culebra[ref]The Serie V Culebra was given out at select launch events in 2007 and again at the 2011 Puro Sabor festival.[/ref]
  9. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2008 (6 1/2 x 52) — October 2008 — 5,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (50,000 Total Cigars)
  10. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2009 (6 1/2 x 52) — October 2009 — 5,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (50,000 Total Cigars)
  11. Oliva Serie V Diadema (7 x 49)  — October 2009 — Limited Edition[ref]Part of the 2009 Serie V Sampler.[/ref]
  12. Oliva Serie V Diadema (6 x 46)  — October 2009 — Limited Edition[ref]Part of the 2009 Serie V Sampler.[/ref]
  13. Oliva Serie V Edición Europa 2010 (4 1/2 x 50) — September 2010 — 1,500 Boxes of 10 (15,000 Total Cigars)
  14. Oliva Serie V Maduro Den Bosch (7 x 48) — September 2010 — 50 Boxes of 10 Cigars (500 Total Cigars)
  15. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2010 (6 x 54) — October 2010 — 5,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (50,000 Total Cigars)
  16. Oliva Serie V No. 4 (5 x 43) — February 2011 — Limited Production[ref]The Serie V No. 4 was first released at event, then sold to retailers of the Tobacconist Association America and others.[/ref]
  17. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2011 (6 x 50) — November 2011 — 5,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (50,000 Total Cigars)
  18. Oliva Serie V Melanio Petit Corona (4 1/2 x 46) — August 2012 — Regular Production
  19. Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto (5 x 52) — August 2012 — Regular Production
  20. Oliva Serie V Melanio Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52) — August 2012 — Regular Production
  21. Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado (6 x 52) — August 2012 — Regular Production
  22. Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill (7 x 50) — August 2012 — Regular Production
  23. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2012 (6 x 50) — December 2012 — 5,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (50,000 Total Cigars)
  24. Oliva Serie V Diadema (9 x 52) — November 2012 — 400 Boxes of 10 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)
  25. Oliva Serie V NUb 460 (4 x 60) — December 2012 — 1,000 Samplers of 1 Cigar
  26. Oliva Serie V Maduro Diadema (6 x 49) — December 2012 — 1,000 Samplers of 1 Cigar
  27. Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52) — July 2013 — 10,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (100,000 Total Cigars)
  28. Oliva Serie V Corona Gorda (6 x 44) — October 2013 — n/a
  29. Oliva Serie V Tampa Humidor 10th Anniversary (6 x 54) — October 2013 — 200 Boxes of 12 (2,400 Total Cigars)
  30. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2013 (5 x 54) — November 2013 — 8,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (80,000 Total Cigars)
  31. Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro (6 x 60) — November 2013 — Regular Production[ref]The Melanio Double Toro debuted in Europe as a limited edition in November 2013 before becoming a regular production item in the U.S. in early 2014.[/ref]
  32. Oliva Serie V Melanio DeSocio Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 54) — December 2013 — 500 Boxes of 10 (5,000 Total Cigars)
  33. Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto Extra (5 1/2 x 50) — January 2014 — 200 Cigars (Nicaraguan Cigar Festival 2014)
  34. Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill (7 x 50) — April 2014 — Regular Production
  35. Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Robusto (5 x 52) — April 2014 — Regular Production
  36. Oliva Serie V 560 (5 x 60) — September 2014 — 500 Boxes of 24 Cigars (12,000 Total Cigars)
  37. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2014 (6 x 60) — October 2014 — n/a
  38. Oliva Serie V Toro Special Limited Edition (6 x 50) — March 2015 — 25,000 Tubes of 1 Cigars (25,000 Total Cigars)
  39. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2015 (6 x 60) — November 2015 — n/a*
  40. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2016 (6 x 60) — November 2016 — n/a*
  41. Oliva Serie V Toro (6 x 54) — November 2016 — 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)*
  42. Oliva Serie V Melanio CI 20th Anniversary (6 x 60) — November 2016 — 1,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)*

*Not pictured.

I reviewed the Serie V Diadema shortly before it came out and wasn’t overly impressed:

My problem with the Gran Corona (A) size, of which this falls into, is simple: I’d rather buy and smoke two different cigars for the same money and time it would take me to smoke one of these monstrosities. While the Diademas are beautiful and are great to show off in a humidor, the size quickly becomes more annoying to smoke than anything else. That aside, this was a much different flavor profile for the Serie V, and not in a good way. The classic smooth punch that allows Oliva’s long-standing flagship to be both full and easy is absent because the former falls short in the flavor category. There are no big and bold notes, nothing that makes you think richness; it’s just a mixture of above average smooth flavors with a decent amount of nicotine. While that and the easily acceptable construction might seem like enough, it’s not, not compared to the other 10-plus vitolas of Serie V.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Oliva Serie V Liga Especial Diadema (2012)
  • Country of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Factory: Tabacalera Oliva de Nicaragua S.A.
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Sun Grown
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Length: 9 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 52
  • Vitola: Diadema
  • MSRP: €15 (Boxes of 10, €150)
  • Release Date: November 2012
  • Number of Cigars Released: 400 Boxes of 10 Cigars (4,000 Total Cigars)**
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

*The release was described as between 300-400 boxes.

I still remember getting my first Serie V Churchill Especials and being amazed at the great red clay color, and this cigar looks like just a large version of those. I love the subtle angles at the top and bottom of the massive cigar, it’s not a box-pressed cigar, but they sharpness of the angles make it far less round than a salomon. Aroma off the Ecuadorian wrapper has leather and Spanish cedar. The foot isn’t a ton more vibrant with similar flavors and some toasted nuts coming from the small hole at the bottom. Cold draw is a bit bizarre with a lot of herbal flavors joining the prominent Jalapa sweetness and spice that is so prominent on the Serie V.

The gigantic Serie V starts with some roasted coffee and toasty notes. There’s not a ton of smoke initially, something I’m not too concerned with given the small opening at the bottom of the cigar. Fortunately, things change pretty quick and the first third is fairly vibrant with some white bread and burnt barbecue. The retrohale has fresh almonds, nutmeg and some limoncello. Ninety minutes in and there’s an added floral flavor joining a roasted coffee, burnt cedar, harsh raspberries and some meats. At around three inches, complexity shows signs of falling off. There’s a late charge of a big bubble gum flavor and lots of popcorn on the finish, but it’s short-lived. Burnt toast, sweet cedar and a basic Guinness stout flavor make up the last two inches, which is noticeably milder than the first seven inches.

oliva-serie-v-diadema-redux-january-2017

The draw starts a bit tight, but it opens up once the nipple has been burned. After that, it’s pretty much smooth sailing. There were two touch-ups throughout the three and a half hours worth of smoking, which is more than acceptable as far as I’m concerned given the length. Strength is never aggressive, more of a medium-full thud rather than a sharp punch, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. By the midway point I can detect it having some effect though it’s certainly a bit milder than I expected.

91 Overall Score

The Oliva Serie V in non-Diadema form has been one of my favorite cigars. This is just a gigantic Serie V and after a few years, it’s aged extremely well. I originally wrote that it held up well, but after looking at the original review, it seems clear I was missing the typical Serie V experience when these were fresh. This time the sweet and earthy mixture was more than present, as was the typical Serie V nicotine effect. If these were regularly available, it would be a tough choice between this and my go-to regular Serie V, the Churchill Extra, as both provide the core Serie V flavors with a fair bit of complexity.

Original Score (October 2012)
85
Redux Score (January 2017)
91
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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.