Oliva Serie V Torpedo Review

The Torpedo is the larger, sharper figurado of the Serie V - a 6 by 56 that tapers to a fine point. It's the size that first won the line a cigar-of-the-year nod, so I came to it with expectations. The Ecuadorian Sun Grown Habano wrapper was dark and faintly oily, the box-pressed body rolling into a clean, tightly wound tip. I clipped a small opening off the point. The cold draw was concentrated and cool, cocoa with a cedar edge, promising the focused, drawn-out smoke a big figurado gives.

The fine point funnels the smoke, and the opening is precise. Coffee and dark chocolate arrive aimed and clean, black pepper riding just above, cedar underneath - all channelled onto a narrow part of the palate so the flavours read sharp and defined. The 56 ring below the taper means there's plenty of tobacco feeding it, so the concentration comes without the heat a smaller figurado can bring. My draw was excellent through the point, the burn opening straight. This is the size that showed the world how good the Serie V could be, and the start explains why.

As the burn moves into the full body the smoke broadens while keeping its definition. Espresso and cocoa stay central and precise, leather and a dried-fruit sweetness working in, the pepper settling to a warm, steady note. The taper's early focus gives way to a fuller spread, but the flavours never lose their edges the way they can in a plush gordo - that's the figurado's gift here. With seventy-five minutes to develop, it layers patiently and cool. The ash clung long, the burn stayed true, and the smoke ran clean and defined throughout the middle.

The last third is deep and precise - espresso, cedar and cocoa richen toward the nub, the pepper firming as the oils build, still channelled and clean. My verdict: the Torpedo is the Serie V for a smoker who wants the blend both focused and long, the sharp point defining every note over a cool seventy-five minutes. The honest catch is the same as any figurado - clip the point with care, and the shape rewards a measured pace. But this is the size that made the line's name, and it still smokes like it: precise, layered and complete.