Oliva V Lancero
 

Before this review starts... one warning... no puking when you see my ugly mug, but it's pretty hard to smoke a cigar, take and pose for photos on a smartphone and hold 2 dog leads :D

OK, so today the dogs have been in all day - they decide they'd quite like to go out as all the kids from the local school are trekking home. I don't know if this is a 'local' thing, but apparently, when you are a school kid, and you see someone with a dog, you bark at the dog. You tend to scream when my dog then gets told to 'go on', because you think I'm inciting the dog to attack you, rather than to stop sniffing a pile of dog sh*t on the pavement.

So, any way, before leaving the house, I clip and check the pre-light draw. It's an easy draw, with hints of spicy chocolate and leather. Construction is virtually flawless... this is my first Oliva stogie, but this seems to be the norm, which can't be a bad thing.

The initial hits upon lighting are spice, with a nice amount of smoke covering my tongue. After negotiating a couple more feral 'yoof', I come to the lake, and get some peace. The smoke develops a more leathery quality to it - not exactly like licking a pair of rugby boots, but hell, I always seemed to enjoy chewing on leather. The spicy flavour is still dominant, but not over-powering. As I come round the corner, a young mother is about with her family, and her parents. She berates me for smoking a cigar near her child, and I have to remonstrate, and point out her own father is smoking a roll-up cigarette while carrying her son. I give her a sh*tty look and walk on.
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The ash on this smoke starts out pretty much white, but slowly morphs in to a salt'n'pepper kind of grey. As I work through the smoke, the flavours develop nicely, with the leather beginning to work through the spice, and a kind of 'chocolate off the ice cream stick (COTICS)' hint in the background. I'm really enjoying the profile, and the draw is still spot on. The cigar is suffering from what I like to call '(Cuban) Self Correction Syndrome', in such as while there are minor (and I mean minor) burn problems, in two or three puffs, they sort themselves out.
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Trudging through the woods, the stick opens up a little more, and the COTICS hint from earlier is now having a bit of a punch up with the leather and spice, but in a good way, with the spice and leather on the tongue, and the COTICS giving them a swift kick up arse on the exhale. I've gotta say, while the profile of this cigar is more 'sat on the porch with a rocking chair' than 'bugatti veyron on the autobahn', I always enjoyed watching the world go by, rather than fly by.
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Coming back round the end of the lake, I get to perch on a bench and take a small break, and with the cigar coming in to the final 3rd, it's a good chance to get a feel for any changes in the flavour. The spice isn't so much going away, as mellowing out. The leather is a little more pronounced, and it's great. COTICS keeps twanging at the back of my tongue, and the top of my throat... yummy! Anyway, the dogs are getting bored, so I head back home, and move to my back garden for the last couple of inches. The ash starts lightening again, and the spice hits up again, a bit of a sucker-punch at the end of the smoke.
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Overall, I really enjoyed this smoke, and would certainly consider purchasing these again. I must admit, the lancero is one of my favourite vitolas, and this one didn't disappoint. While it isn't the most mind-blowing smoke I've had, it's is by no means a bad, or even mediocre, smoke, it's damn good, with good flavours, construction that was near enough perfect, and I had a good time smoking it. Winner.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Thanks for the review!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

thanks for the review....and snapshot into the "dementia" of the neighborhood!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Great review on one of my "go-to" smokes. I'm into my third box of these, and they've never let me down.
-Dude
{certifiable lancero nut}

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Great review. I just picked up a 2009 sampler of V's so I am even more excited to try them out now.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Thanks for the review of a dang fine smoke!!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Thanks for the review.. I love the entire V line

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Nice review. Always cracks me up (in an irritating way) when someone complains about a cigar smoker and is either smoking a cigarette or tolerating cigarettes without complaint. People are so ignorant. There in no additive poisons in a cigar like there is in a cigarette.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Im a lancero whore to begin with. Even if I was not I am pretty sure the V lancero would still be my favorite in the line. I just think the flavors are mixed best in this format. Thanks for a great review.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

I agree James,that is a favorite of mine right now.The strength level is right for me as well.Always enjoyed.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Thanks for the review, I just ordered a 5 pack

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

I'm not sure why, but these don't do it for me. Beautiful construction and performance always, and I can't fault the flavors in any generally agreed upon way, but something just strikes my palate off-axis and leaves me feeling unsatisfied. :sh

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Glad this stick lived up to it's billing! Great review. The "V" lance is one of my two favorite NC lanceros, and lances are my favorite viola also! The Tat included with the package is the other one. I'll look forward with interest to your thoughts when you get around to the Tat lance!!!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Thanks for the review brother!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Roger, Wilco! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try them!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Good review.

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Good review, AWESOME beard!:tu

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Yeah, IMO, my beard was the best bit of this review :D

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Nice review, thanks!

Re: Oliva V Lancero
 

Nice review...thanks for sharing.