Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Lancero

Oliva Cigar Co.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Tabacalera Oliva de Nicaragua S.A.
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 7 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 38
• Vitola: Lancero
• MSRP: $11 (Sampler of 6, $66)
• Release Date: July 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Original Score: 91

While perhaps less of an obsession than in the past, it’s no secret that there is a penchant for lanceros here at halfwheel. When done right, it’s still a wonderful size. Blending and rolling a lancero can be a challenge, but it is a delight when a company rises to that challenge. Certainly, Oliva rose to the challenge with the Serie V Melanio Maduro Lancero.

For six years, there wasn’t an Oliva that placed on our top 25 for whatever reason, but the company broke that dry spell in 2021 with two cigars on our list. Interestingly, both cigars were under the Melanio moniker—the Serie V Melanio Maduro No.4 and the Serie V Melanio JR 50th Anniversary. This year, the Melanio Maduro line received the lancero treatment available only in a six-cigar sampler.

The Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Lancero is box-pressed, which makes the traditional lancero 38 ring gauge seem even more petite and delicate, though the profile is anything but. The plentiful smoke produced from such a small cigar permeates your senses with bold flavors and aromas in a dance of spice and sweetness, creating an alluring profile that does the Melanio Maduro line justice. The only disappointing thing I have to say about this cigar is that it’s not available to purchase a full box of just this size, which I hope is something that Oliva remedies in the future. — Brian Burt