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The Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto is a 5 x 52 box-pressed cigar with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler, ranked No. 8 on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 of 2016. We sell it as singles, so you can try one before committing to more.
71 in stock
Description
The Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto is a 5 x 52 box-pressed robusto wrapped in Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler. It is one of the shorter sizes in the Serie V Melanio line, made in EstelÃ, Nicaragua.
What It Tastes Like
Cigar Aficionado gave this robusto 94 points in its August 2016 issue, rating it medium in strength. The panel described toast, cedar and maple sweetness, with a nutty, nougat-style richness on the finish. A separate 94-point listing placed it No. 8 on the magazine’s Top 25 Cigars of 2016. A later tasting, published in April 2022, scored it 91 and rated it medium-full, describing a bold, spicy smoke with an even burn, an open draw and a finish of fresh tobacco with tangy wood.
Who It’s For
- Smokers short on time who still want a full-ring cigar with a pressed shape.
- Collectors of rated cigars curious about a Top 25 robusto.
- Fans of Nicaraguan blends who want to judge the toast-and-maple profile Cigar Aficionado described in 2016.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Ranked No. 8 in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 of 2016 (94 points)
- Box-pressed 5 x 52 format suits a shorter session
- Its best-scoring review highlights a sweet, toasty profile
Cons
- Strength readings vary between tastings, from medium to medium-full
- The 2022 score of 91 trails the 2016 result
About the Serie V Melanio
Halfwheel reported that the Melanio is rolled at Oliva’s TABOLISA factory in EstelÃ. Cigar Coop’s September 2012 review counted this Robusto among the five original box-pressed sizes, and the series honors family patriarch Melanio Oliva, a Cuban tobacco grower.
Compare Similar Cigars
- Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Robusto: an identical 5 x 52 frame finished in a dark Mexican wrapper.
- Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro: the same Ecuadorian-wrapped blend stretched to 6 x 52.
- Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill: the longest Melanio size at 7 x 50, for an unhurried evening.
Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto FAQ
How strong is the Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto?
Reviewers place it in the medium to medium-full range. Cigar Aficionado called it medium in 2016 and medium-full in 2022, which matches the medium-full strength we list.
What size is the Melanio Robusto?
Oliva and Cigar Aficionado both list it at 5 x 52. Only the 4 1/2 x 46 Petit Corona is smaller in the Melanio range.
What wrapper does the Melanio Robusto use?
An Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf, according to halfwheel and Cigar Coop, around a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler; Oliva describes the blend as aged Jalapa tobacco built on ligero.
How is it different from the Melanio Maduro Robusto?
Same 5 x 52 format and Nicaraguan core, but the Maduro swaps the Ecuadorian leaf for a dark wrapper that Oliva lists as Mexican.
Browse the rest of the Oliva lineup on our Oliva Cigar Co. page, or pick up a Melanio Robusto at our Temple Terrace lounge.
Additional information
| Packaging Type | Single |
|---|---|
| Strength | Medium-Full |
| Origin | |
| Wrapper | Ecuador Sumatra |
| Binder | Nicaragua |
| Filler | Nicaragua |
| Length | 5" |
| Gauge | 52 |
