Welcome Back to The Ash Report
I’m on a journey to find the perfect cigar. Every episode I sit down with a cigar, light it up, and tell you exactly what I think — the flavor, how it’s built, how strong it is, and whether it’s worth your money. No fluff. Just honest reviews from someone who genuinely wants to find that perfect smoke.
For Episode 2, I’m smoking the Oliva Serie V Maduro, a Nicaraguan cigar. Let’s log it.
How I Score
Every cigar gets scored on a 100-point scale across four categories:
| Category | Points Possible |
|---|---|
| Flavor | 40 |
| Construction | 25 |
| Strength Match | 20 |
| Value | 15 |
Simple. What matters most is flavor, and the score reflects that.
The Cigar
Oliva isn’t a small operation — they’re Nicaragua’s second largest tobacco grower and one of the biggest cigar makers in the world. The family’s roots go back to 1886, when Melanio Oliva first grew tobacco in Cuba. His grandson Gilberto launched the Oliva brand in 1995 out of Estelí, Nicaragua, and the Serie V line has gone on to become one of the most decorated blends the company makes.
This particular version wraps the Serie V blend in a Mexican San Andrés maduro leaf over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It’s the darker, fuller-bodied sibling to the original Serie V, and it’s built for people who already know they like strength and want it delivered cleanly.
First Impressions
Right away, this one’s noticeably spicier than the Perdomo from Episode 1 — there’s black pepper sitting in the back of the throat, just enough to make itself known without taking over. It lingers on the palate too, more than the Perdomo did. The cocoa is in there, definitely, but it’s getting pushed around a bit by the strength of the cigar itself. This isn’t a delicate smoke. It announces itself early.
The Smoke
Strength is where this cigar separates itself. It sits a lot closer to full than the Perdomo’s medium-to-medium-full. This one hits behind the eyes, not just the chest — and that’s a meaningful difference. It’s the kind of strength that makes you slow down and actually take your time instead of puffing through it.
Construction-wise, the burn line is tight, with a nice even ash, though it does dip a little here and there. What stood out most the further into this one I got was just how consistent the overall experience is. Spice, black pepper, cocoa — not sweet, but smooth — and that consistency holds all the way through. For a full-strength cigar to stay this smooth is genuinely impressive. Medium-full strength usually comes with some rough edges. This one doesn’t have many.
For value, this lands in the $12 to $16 range, sometimes pushing up to $18 depending on where you’re buying. That’s on the higher end — a little more than I’d personally like to pay regularly — but given the strength, the construction, and the flavor on display here, it’s a fair trade.
The Scorecard
| Category | Score | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | 37 | 40 |
| Construction | 23 | 25 |
| Strength Match | 17 | 20 |
| Value | 12 | 15 |
| TOTAL | 89 | 100 |
Flavor (37/40): Black pepper, cocoa, smooth despite the strength behind it. Not sweet, but balanced in a way that keeps it enjoyable even as the strength ramps up.
Construction (23/25): Tight burn line, consistent ash, and an overall smoke that stays remarkably steady from start to finish. One of the more impressive builds reviewed so far.
Strength Match (17/20): This delivers full, and it delivers it smooth — which is the hard part. Medium-full getting serious without losing its composure.
Value (12/15): At $12 to $16 a stick (up to $18 depending on location), it’s pricier than I’d ideally want for regular rotation. But weighed against the construction, strength, and flavor, it earns its price tag.
The Verdict
89 / 100
This is what happens when medium-full gets serious. The Oliva Serie V Maduro takes everything the Perdomo did well in Episode 1 and turns the intensity up a notch, without sacrificing the smoothness that makes a cigar enjoyable instead of just strong. It’s pricier, but the experience backs it up.
Great cigar. The bar just got raised.
The search continues.
The Ash Report is my ongoing search for the perfect cigar. New episodes coming regularly. Follow along.
