Believe it or not, Cadillac was once revered as the maker of the finest automobiles on the road. There was literally nothing better out there. If you wanted luxury and had the money, you bought a Cadillac. Thus Cadillac and luxury became synonymous with each other, and not only that, but it was a metaphor for "the best." If you were buying the finest watch, you would call it "The Cadillac of watches." A high-end golf club would be referred to as "The Cadillac of golf clubs." The sad thing is, over the years, the Cadillac name sort of fell by the wayside. Other luxury cars emerged that were even better than Cadillacs and had even more luxurious features. The wealthy began purchasing expensive imports and leaving the Cadillac legacy to slowly fade as time went on. Nevertheless, that familiar metaphor never disappeared. "The Cadillac of..." is still readily used today to refer to the best of the best. And yes, Cadillac is still quite a luxurious make of automobiles. What does this mean? A true legacy never disappears completely. The shifting of the limelight is no indication of better or worse. Greatness comes and goes, but the things that are truly legendary will always stand the test of time. Such is the case with one of the greatest cigars ever blended, the infamous Oliva Serie V.

Enough of all this car talk. We are here to discuss stogies, right? Well, first off, a little background. The Oliva Cigar Company dates back to the 1800s. At the time, patriarch Melanio Oliva began growing tobacco on a humble farm in Cuba, circa 1886. Fast-forward to just over half a century later and the grandson, Gilberto Oliva, makes the emigration to Spain with his family following the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Years later, he relocated to the sunny land of Nicaragua with hopes and dreams of reentering the tobacco business that his grandfather had worked so hard at. This he did, going through many of his own storms along the way. During his journey, Gilberto Oliva grew tobacco in several countries, including Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and the Philippines. Things progressed, far more slowly than surely, but by 1995 (some 30 or so years later) the Gilberto Oliva brand of cigars was launched, as the Oliva family evolved from simply growing and selling tobacco to manufacturing their own cigars. While some may consider this a huge achievement, a rocky road lay ahead of Gilberto Oliva and company, and things got worse before they got better.

See Cigar Aficionado's Top Oliva Serie V Awards and Ratings

The first cigars produced under the Oliva name were rolled in one of Nestor Plasencia's factories in Honduras. They were decent cigars, but we are talking about the mid-90s, a.k.a. "The Cigar Boom," and "decent" just wasn't gonna cut it. Struggling to hold on, Oliva cigars (now shortened from "Gilberto Oliva Cigars") miraculously survived the era, despite the rise and fall of numerous startup brands. Surviving on hopes, dreams, and a fairly large stockpile of aging tobacco grown years earlier by the family, Oliva Cigars began producing value-priced sticks that appealed to a pretty big audience. In addition, the cigar world's fascination with Nicaraguan tobacco was beginning to grow, and Oliva became somewhat of a go-to for such a coveted cultivated currency. By 2003, the once struggling Oliva Cigar Company opened the doors of a brand new factory in Esteli, the city now considered to be the epicenter of Nicaraguan cigar production. A mere 2 years later and Oliva was producing over 6 million cigars a year, going from struggling to exist to struggling to keep up with demand. Although the vast majority of Oliva-produced cigars were Oliva-branded products, the company was making cigars for a number of other brands as well. The Oliva family was now achieving phenomenal success, and things were only going uphill, as production more than doubled over the next 4 years!

Today, Oliva Cigar Company, run by Gilberto's children, is among the most dominant monsters in all of the cigar business, selling various products in 18 countries and collaborating with other brands on a regular basis. They are the second largest grower of Nicaraguan Cuban seed tobacco and have made leaps and bounds in the cigar production process, churning out Top 10-rated cigars on a yearly basis. In 2014, in fact, Serie V Melanio (the original Serie V's successor) was given the prestigious title of "Number 1 Cigar of the Year" by Cigar Aficionado, considered by many to be the highest honor a cigar or cigar manufacturer can receive. It's no secret that Oliva Cigars is among the greatest cigar companies in history. But what exactly is the cigar they are most well known for? What "put them on the map," so to speak?

Every company has a flagship. That's one thing that they're known for. In the cigar world, just one cigar can become what an entire brand is synonymous with. For Oliva Cigars, the flagship couldn't be any more obvious. No matter where you read about Oliva Cigars, one reference ALWAYS pops up right next to the name: Serie V.

Oliva Serie V was born in 2007 and has been offered in as many as 13 different sizes and styles over the years, though 7 vitolas are considered regular production, the most popular being the 6 x 56 Torpedo and the 6 x 60 Figurado, both of which have received countless 90+ ratings as time has passed. Serie V is a true Nicaraguan puro, meaning all the tobacco is grown and cured in Nicaragua, wrapper, filler, and binder. Made entirely of high-priming ligero leaves, known for its extremely full body and immense flavor, Serie V is known for its rich intensity and bold flavor profile. The wrapper leaf is one of the most gorgeous Habano Sun Grown wrappers known to man, and one of the strongest at that. Oliva Serie V is one of a handful of cigars that began the Powerhouse movement. At that time, standard full-bodied cigars began to be known as medium-bodied, as cigars such as Serie V pushed the limits of strength to levels intolerable to some. Nevertheless, the flavor was undeniable, and very shortly after its introduction, Serie V became known as one of the world's finest cigars. Less than a year later, the coveted Serie V Torpedo was named "Number 4 Cigar of the Year, " carrying an unbelievable 94-rating by Cigar Aficionado. This began a frenzy, and over the next few years Serie V was a VERY difficult cigar to get a hold of. Something about the luxury of smoking an Oliva Serie V seems to mesmerize whoever happens to be enjoying it. It's rich, powerful, and decadent, yet smooth as silk all the way down. At the time, there wasn't a comparable cigar available. Serie V became an instant legend.

It is said that Serie V is meticulously rolled by only a handful of the top rollers at the Oliva factory. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I believe it. The construction of Serie V is amazing. Looking over the cigar, there seems to be one solid tobacco leaf with no seams holding the stick together. The appearance of the oily Habano leaf is near flawless, lightly splotched with somewhat of a marbling of dark brown and reddish colors. The luxurious gold and brown band perfectly compliments the appearance of the cigar itself. The draw is on-point, but I must throw out a recommendation that may cause some snobby connoisseurs to cringe: Let the cigar dry out a bit before smoking it. Trust me on this one. The leaves that compose the Serie V were never meant to be used to fully construct a cigar in times past. Ligero leaves were simply added to filler blends for flavor enhancement. To build a cigar ENTIRELY of ligero means big time potential for draw and burn issues due to the very heavy oil and moisture content of the leaves. Is this usually the case with Serie V? Not usually, as the Serie V is expertly rolled, but I still recommend allowing it to sit in the open air for 3-7 days before cutting and enjoying. For me, anyways, it makes a huge difference and leads to far fewer re-lights. That being said, let's get to that enjoying part.

At first light, Serie V explodes like a grenade full of white pepper and cinnamon. There's really no other way to describe it. The cigar screams as it burns, blasting the palate with a peppery storm and forcing the one smoking to question the decision to light it. Then, just as quickly as it started, things started to change. The pepper storm subsides, leaving an opportunity for the other flavors in the vastly complex bouquet to make their presence known. Burning through the first 2 thirds of the cigar, bold flavors of coffee and chocolate coat the palate, along with sweet hints of floral tobacco lingering in the background. Black cherry and licorice become apparent as the profile begins to change from sweet and spicy to earthy and smoky. A cedary blast isn't uncommon from time to time, beautifully complimenting the sweet notes presented by the intense ligero tobacco.

The first 2 thirds are enjoyable, smooth, pleasant, and full, though never close to overpowering. But what about the final third? Well, there are those that finish a cigar and those that, well, miss out. Determining what missing out means to you is a matter of opinion. As far as Serie V goes, I recommend nubbing it, as I do, all the way down until it stops smoking. Will this make you dizzy? Maybe, but that's a small price to pay for getting to enjoy the finishing characteristics of a Serie V. For those of you with guts, let's get to that final third.

The flavor has now gone from sweet and spicy to earthy, smoky, somewhat bitter, and very, very intense. Slight tar build-up is noticeable, as can be expected from an all-ligero cigar, but to me, it only adds to the character of the cigar. See, with sticks like the Serie V, it's kind of like smoking 2 cigars in one. The first cigar is flavorful and pleasant, and the second is nothing short of mind numbing in terms of power. Chopping down a Serie V is a good sign that you're a strength junkie, so that mind-numbing power overtaking the complex flavor profile is probably a welcomed exchange. At this point, leather, tobacco, and oak are more the feel of the flavor profile. Oh, and nicotine. Lots of nicotine. Let's face it, Serie V has been a heavy hitter from day one. People that want something mild and easy-going most likely won't even touch one. Those aficionados, though. Those manly men. That rare breed of cigar freak that has no fear, this is the crowd that has made Serie V what it is today. Final notes on the tasting: bitter dark chocolate and more pepper as the cigar comes to an end, and throughout the experience, heavy coffee and spice on the retro hale. There really isn't much more to say about Serie V, other than the fact that it's just beautiful. Simply beautiful. From beginning to end, it's so easy to see how this stick has gotten such attention over the years. All the 90 ratings, all the top 10 appearances, all the magazine covers, it all makes such perfect sense while experiencing what this amazing cigar really is. The legacy of the Serie V is virtually unmatched by any other cigar on today's market.

Oliva Serie V pairs very well with a number of beverages, including coffee, dark rum, single-malt scotch, dark beer, and Tawny port. My recommendation is to enjoy it after a big meal. Like any strong cigar, Serie V can cause dizziness and even nausea if smoked on an empty stomach. It makes a phenomenal celebration cigar as well, so long as whoever is celebrating with you is briefed on the power of the stick. Other cigars from the Powerhouse Movement that may be considered similar include Ashton VSG, San Cristobal, and Don Pepin Blue Label. Serie V Melanio is the little brother of Serie V, and is definitely worth a try in addition. It’s been nearly a decade since the Serie V's inception, and after all these years it's still going strong.

What gets me, though, is that Serie V has been living in the shadows in recent years. Other big names have stolen the limelight, new luxury cigars seem to take the high ratings and top spots on the "Best of" lists. Cigar freaks are looking to other cigars to fulfill their search of a high-end stogie that reeks of luxury. Stronger sticks come out yearly, even further pushing away the recent memory of Oliva Serie V. It may be said that the monster has gone to sleep. However, the monster isn't sleeping. Serie V is still here, it's still selling like crazy, and it's still considered one of the finest, most luxurious cigars ever made. Pictures of the Serie V may not be on the covers of the cigar magazines. People aren't flashing photos of them enjoying a Serie V on social media. But in reality, the legend continues. I chose to write about Oliva Serie V because I feel like it isn't talked about enough these days. I wanted to revive an interest and a new following of people that maybe haven't tried a Serie V, or maybe even haven't heard of it. But I didn't need to. Oliva Serie V is the flagship. It's a mainstay in the humidors of millions of connoisseurs. It's a favorite go-to for a decently priced ultra-premium, full-bodied cigar. After all, the shifting of the limelight is no indication of better or worse. True legends never die. Oliva Serie V is, always has been, and always will be the Cadillac of Cigars.

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If you are anything like me, you are a member of a number of different cigar forums, groups, and blogs. When I first started smoking years ago, I would look for a cigar I enjoyed and stick to that stogie for what seemed like forever. My first cigar was an Excalibur III by Hoyo de Monterrey. I had no clue what the blend was and I didn't really care either. All I knew is that I smoked it and I liked it. The more I got into the hobby, the more I began to learn about different blends, different flavor profiles, and different strengths. This was the beginning of the end for me.

One of the positives to joining all these different sorts of cigar communities is that you begin to learn. You learn about cigars, of course, but you also learn about this crazy concept of Hard To Find (HTF) smokes. These are the cigars that come out either in extreme limited quantities, or once a year, or in some cases both. Because of the limited nature of these stogies, they command a pretty high price tag not only in the cigar store, but also in the secondary market as well. This brings up one of the negatives of being part of all these different groups... it can put a hurt on your wallet.

There are many different types of cigar smokers. There are those, like me, that like to buy cigars to… and this may be a crazy concept to some… smoke the cigars. With the advent of these HTF sticks, a new type of smoker was born, the collector. These are the "smokers" who find a limited release stick and buy it, not to really smoke the cigar, but more to say they got it. On these different communities you will see people post pictures of full lines of cigars. I liken this to hunters. There are those that hunt for food, and there are those that simply want that mount over their mantle. There is nothing really wrong with either ideology, just different frames of mind.

As you get further into these cigar groups, you too can get caught up in the chase. Like I said before, I am a smoker. Any cigar I get I plan on enjoying. That being said, I have sought out limited release smokes and I will admit, the hunt is pretty darn enjoyable. That feeling you get when you finally find that one cigar you were looking for is like opening a pack of baseball cards as a kid and finding that Mickey Mantle rookie card. There is a rush as you wait for it. and a sense of fulfillment once that package is in your hand.

Let's go into some of the more famous HTF Cigars. First, and probably the one that every cigar smoker knows, no matter if you are relatively new to the hobby for a long time here, is Arturo Fuente's Opus X. As long as I have been smoking, people have been craving and searching for these cigars. Long before the days of Liga Privada, Tatuaje, and Crowned Heads, smokers were seeking out Opus X. Some would argue that these cigars are made for the collector because most feel that even after you find them and get a few, they need a couple months to a year of age to be at their full potential.

One of the newest boutique brands on the street is Crowned Heads. Run by Jon Huber, the former head of CAO, Crowned Heads makes a wide variety of regular production cigars as well as limited release cigars. One of their first was the Las Calaveras. This cigar is released only once a year to honor those in the industry that have passed. The first one came out in 2014 and was so well received it is now a regular production cigar called La Imperiosa. Crowned Heads has also gotten into the habit of making regional release cigars like Tatuaje.

Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado is a perfect example of this. Prior to last year, this cigar was not always available but was not impossible to get. After it was named the #1 cigar of 2014 by Cigar Aficionado last year, it became the HTF cigar to get. You can see the same thing happening right now with this years #1 cigar; My Father Le Bijou 1922 Box Pressed Torpedo.

Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado? Yep, those are in stock too. So sit back and relax with your favorite stogie, while the rest of the world is wondering how you got them, or you could let them know who your favorite online cigar retailer is, CigarPlace.com.

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It is getting frigid here in Florida. You know, 48-58 degrees and only 70% humidity. That there is sweater weather down here. We know a lot of the country is dealing with a lot worse and there was a blizzard that went through the Mid-Atlantic this past weekend, making smoking a large cigar much harder these days. The question you need to ask yourself is do you suffer in silence, anger the family by taking your cigar inside, or adapt with a shorter smoke?

SHOP ALL SMALL CIGARS THAT TAKE LESS TIME TO SMOKE!

If you are in the adapt to the cold camp, there are plenty of great options for you. If you are like me, I normally stick with cigars at least over a 50 ring gauge. My go-to smoke is a toro-sized cigar around 6 inches long and a 52-56 ring. Standing outside for the hour and a half that it takes me to smoke this size really dampens my enjoyment of the cigar. I also hate to smoke only half a cigar and re-light it later. I needed to find something smaller, and luckily I have found a couple of different choices to fit my needs.

The first option is to change your ring gauge. I used to turn my nose up at anything less than a 50-ring. It just didn't have the right "mouth feel" for me. Almost all cigars have the same blend in them no matter the size. The only difference is the ratios used in order to achieve the same taste in the smaller sizes. One of the few exceptions to this is my choice when I am going for a smaller ring-sized cigar…the Liga Undercrown Corona Viva. This 5 5/8 x 46 cigar changes the ratios of ligero used from all the other sizes in the line. What this means to you as a smoker is a much fuller and richer smoke with the Corona Viva over let's say, the Gordito for example.

The next option for all those that don’t want a skinnier cigar, is to look at the length of the cigars you are smoking. One of the most famous of the shorter, stubbier cigars is the Nub line out of Oliva and Studio Tabac. When Sam Leccia came to the heads of Oliva with his idea for the Nub line, a lot of them thought he was nuts. Who would want to smoke a 3 1/2 or 4 inch cigar, but the idea stuck and it is a great seller for them. The concept is that a lot of people really enjoy that final third of a cigar. What if the whole cigar was that final “nub” experience. My personal favorite is the Nub Habano 358. This cigar is a full-bodied and spicy stick measuring at 3 3/4 x 58 and provides the perfect 45 minute to an hour smoke.

The final option for those looking to maximize your smoking enjoyment during the cold winter months is to reduce both the ring and the length of your cigar. This is usually my plan C as it seems like I am compromising a lot to change both, but then again I am not a fan of change in almost everything in my life. There are a couple of different options in this category. First is the very small tinned cigars. There are a number of choices here, no matter what strength of cigar you like. Most of the big names in cigars make these smaller sticks, like Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta.

The other choice in these much smaller cigars are boxed smokes that are just slightly larger than their tinned cigar brethren. There are many times where I have found that I do not want a larger cigar, either due to the weather or simply time constraints, that this group of cigars has helped me. One of my favorite brand of smaller cigars is Liga Privada Unico. These cigars are short-filled and the blend consists scraps of tobacco remaining from making the much larger Liga Privada No. 9 and T52.

Whichever option you choose, you can see that there are plenty of choices for when you want to enjoy a great cigar in the colder weather. Go get your favorite hot beverage, grab a seat by a heater, and a great cigar, and enjoy your winter wonderland.

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It is our mission to provide you with the best prices, discounts and deals for cigars, humidifiers, lighters, cutters, gifts and other cigar accessories. Shop and browse one of the largest collections of premium cigar brands and samplers.