Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Edición Limitada (5.5" x 54)

The Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Edición Limitada celebrates a family tobacco history that began in 1886, when Melanio Oliva started growing tobacco in Cuba. Rather than creating an entirely different anniversary blend, Oliva chose to put its proven Serie V tobacco into a distinctive limited-production Perfecto. An Ecuadorian Sun Grown Habano wrapper surrounds Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, including the ligero that gives Serie V its characteristic depth and strength.

At 5½" x 54, the unusual Perfecto is more than presentation. Its dramatically tapered foot begins with very little burning surface, concentrating the first few draws before gradually introducing more of the filler as the cigar opens toward its full diameter. It's an interesting way to experience a familiar blend. The profile is rich and tobacco-forward, with coffee, wood and restrained sweetness, backed by the measured spice and strength expected from Serie V. The changing proportions of the Perfecto give the cigar a natural progression without needing an elaborate list of tasting notes.

For the experienced Serie V smoker, the 135th Anniversary is worth trying precisely because the tobacco is familiar but the format isn't. The Perfecto changes the way the blend develops and makes this more than Serie V dressed up in anniversary packaging. Put a few in the humidor and smoke one alongside your usual Serie V vitola—the comparison is where this cigar becomes particularly interesting.