5 Vegas Triple A
2 weeks
68f/68%
Soft Flame
Water
Yes, I now remember that @Lezanstar did this review in February. However, I already have the pictures and I'm going to do it again. I will avoid reading his to stop any possible cross contamination.
This is A.J Fernandez's contribution to the 5 Vegas line up. I think he may have been pissed off at somebody when he blended this thing. It is a broad leaf maduro wrapped around a healthy dose of ligero from Nicaragua. He did not skimp on the ligero. It starts off above dead center of medium. It is squarely in medium-full territory from the beginning.
The light was a little tricky with two areas not wanting to burn. So, it took a little extra lighter work to get things going. So, the first few puffs were a little marred by the extra heat. When you get the first unadulterated puff you might wish it was still a little marred. It tastes good, but man that spice. It comes out of the gate like a pissed off bull. I'm hanging on and praying for the eight second horn. This isn't Garcia blast territory. This is I ignored the three peppers on the menu territory.
The burn line is wavy, but this thing is tasty. There is a definite cocoa and earth taste under the spice. A fruity sweetness comes in to taunt me and the disappears. Cream tries to move in and tame the beast. The spice laughs in it's face and then shoves it down the stairs. It continues to ramp up and I'm loving it. No, wait this is getting painful. I'm so conflicted right now. I feel like a masochist. Yes, please can I have another?
My throat and sinuses are producing a ton of mucus in response to the spice. Then it starts to ease back and things get a bit creamy to soothe the burn. Cocoa, coffee, earth, and sweetness become more obvious. Then the sweetness bows out and wood comes in playing in the back ground.
Earth slides back and takes most of the spice with it. Wood comes forward to support a solid coffee taste.
Earth comes back and is driving the bus. I no longer feel like it is trying to run me over.
The perfect soundtrack to the first third.
The smoke brings back the cream and the earth switches to wood. The coffee is becoming a dark roasted flavor with chocolate undertones. A bit of sweetness pops in and out in a single puff. This is a study in dynamics. The stick threatened to run away as a brash bully. Then it smoothes out and apologizes. I feel like a battered spouse. I know you feel contrite, but should I trust you?
I have to touch up the stick. The back side starts heading towards a canoe and the front has nearly stopped burning. At this point a 50 - 60 second pace keeps everything smoking like a forest fire. Sixty seconds seems to deliver the best flavor. We're headed back to the medium-full area with a nice does of dark flavors.
The ash falls without warning and I end up wearing it. More importantly I have to touch up the stick again. The wrapper and binder nearly stop burning despite a bright red cherry in the center. The back side is still chugging along a bit faster than the front.
At this point it is mostly coffee, wood, cocoa, earth, and very mild spice. Sometimes the wood disappears and the earth steps up. Sometimes the earth disappears and wood starts driving the bus. It is doing a cha-cha slide on me and the burn is iritating the hell out of me. I have to keep putting flame to various spots to get it burning.
The band came off with very little hassle. Part of it stuck to the wrapper, but it didn't damage anything. The flavors are now mostly dark maduro and Nica puro flavors. Earth, wood, coffee, cocoa, and an occasional burst of fruity sweetness. The spice has completely faded to the background. I am enjoying this thing on cruise control.
Speaking of coffee flavors. AJ knows how to get a great coffee flavor in his cigars. The Man O' War Puro Authentico Maduro had the best coffee flavor I've ever tasted. It was a beautiful and creamy medium roast that reminded me of Starbucks. This one has a much darker roast on the beans, but it is very distinct and pleasant. It tastes like a morning cup of Joe without the acid or bitterness.
The flavors grew darker and the spice started peaking in again. It had lost it's previous tendency towards violence, but still showed it had some bluster left. I was getting mostly coffee, wood, and tobacco at this point. The magic was fading and we were firmly lodged in the full category. I started getting some nicotine feelings in my stomach and head. Even after a breakfast of two eggs, two sausage patties, and a slice of cheese wrapped in an eight-inch tortilla this thing proved to have nicotine to spare.
The big gripe is the burn. It tried to go out on me again and required several touch ups to stop a canoe. The repeated heating of the stick also meant there was a need to keep blowing smoke through the stick. Otherwise it would get a bit bitter. It never became harsh though. The pace did have to be slowed down once it hit the one inch mark and that contributed to the burn issues. This thing requires a steady pace or it grows weary of your laziness. That can be a bit tricky to remember because the finish grows longer and creamier as you smoke. It would be easy to wait longer than a minute as you enjoy the lingering flavors.
Good night sweet prince. At this point I decide it is time to let it go. The flavor has turned to leather and tobacco. The flavor is smeared by constant touch ups. It has been a joy so far and it is better to end it than ruin the memory.
Would I buy this again? Without a doubt in my mind. I see it all the time on Cbid for $3. So, I will probably try to keep two or three around for those times when I just need something to kick me in the teeth. There are times when I just want something bold and powerful to smoke without getting weak from nicotine. On my budget this stick will fill that roll nicely. I found myself smiling more often than not through the first half. The second half would have been the same if there hadn't been so many touch up. It delivered on the spice and it delivered plenty of pleasant flavors. There was enough cream to keep things smooth and tasty without ever getting into the desert category. It was a solid stick. It seems like AJ said, I'll show you how much awesome can be packed into a $4.75 cigar. Too bad 5 Vegas' rollers were a little lackadaisical with their part. Still, it wasn't nearly the worst burn I've experienced and in that department wasn't any worse than several $7 - $9 sticks I have smoked.
I would recommend trying it and maybe keeping a fiver around for when you have a masochistic urge. I'll be picking up a few down the line and letting them sit a couple of months to see how they do with a couple of months on them.
2 weeks
68f/68%
Soft Flame
Water
Yes, I now remember that @Lezanstar did this review in February. However, I already have the pictures and I'm going to do it again. I will avoid reading his to stop any possible cross contamination.
This is A.J Fernandez's contribution to the 5 Vegas line up. I think he may have been pissed off at somebody when he blended this thing. It is a broad leaf maduro wrapped around a healthy dose of ligero from Nicaragua. He did not skimp on the ligero. It starts off above dead center of medium. It is squarely in medium-full territory from the beginning.
The light was a little tricky with two areas not wanting to burn. So, it took a little extra lighter work to get things going. So, the first few puffs were a little marred by the extra heat. When you get the first unadulterated puff you might wish it was still a little marred. It tastes good, but man that spice. It comes out of the gate like a pissed off bull. I'm hanging on and praying for the eight second horn. This isn't Garcia blast territory. This is I ignored the three peppers on the menu territory.
The burn line is wavy, but this thing is tasty. There is a definite cocoa and earth taste under the spice. A fruity sweetness comes in to taunt me and the disappears. Cream tries to move in and tame the beast. The spice laughs in it's face and then shoves it down the stairs. It continues to ramp up and I'm loving it. No, wait this is getting painful. I'm so conflicted right now. I feel like a masochist. Yes, please can I have another?
My throat and sinuses are producing a ton of mucus in response to the spice. Then it starts to ease back and things get a bit creamy to soothe the burn. Cocoa, coffee, earth, and sweetness become more obvious. Then the sweetness bows out and wood comes in playing in the back ground.
Earth slides back and takes most of the spice with it. Wood comes forward to support a solid coffee taste.
Earth comes back and is driving the bus. I no longer feel like it is trying to run me over.
The perfect soundtrack to the first third.
The smoke brings back the cream and the earth switches to wood. The coffee is becoming a dark roasted flavor with chocolate undertones. A bit of sweetness pops in and out in a single puff. This is a study in dynamics. The stick threatened to run away as a brash bully. Then it smoothes out and apologizes. I feel like a battered spouse. I know you feel contrite, but should I trust you?
I have to touch up the stick. The back side starts heading towards a canoe and the front has nearly stopped burning. At this point a 50 - 60 second pace keeps everything smoking like a forest fire. Sixty seconds seems to deliver the best flavor. We're headed back to the medium-full area with a nice does of dark flavors.
The ash falls without warning and I end up wearing it. More importantly I have to touch up the stick again. The wrapper and binder nearly stop burning despite a bright red cherry in the center. The back side is still chugging along a bit faster than the front.
At this point it is mostly coffee, wood, cocoa, earth, and very mild spice. Sometimes the wood disappears and the earth steps up. Sometimes the earth disappears and wood starts driving the bus. It is doing a cha-cha slide on me and the burn is iritating the hell out of me. I have to keep putting flame to various spots to get it burning.
The band came off with very little hassle. Part of it stuck to the wrapper, but it didn't damage anything. The flavors are now mostly dark maduro and Nica puro flavors. Earth, wood, coffee, cocoa, and an occasional burst of fruity sweetness. The spice has completely faded to the background. I am enjoying this thing on cruise control.
Speaking of coffee flavors. AJ knows how to get a great coffee flavor in his cigars. The Man O' War Puro Authentico Maduro had the best coffee flavor I've ever tasted. It was a beautiful and creamy medium roast that reminded me of Starbucks. This one has a much darker roast on the beans, but it is very distinct and pleasant. It tastes like a morning cup of Joe without the acid or bitterness.
The flavors grew darker and the spice started peaking in again. It had lost it's previous tendency towards violence, but still showed it had some bluster left. I was getting mostly coffee, wood, and tobacco at this point. The magic was fading and we were firmly lodged in the full category. I started getting some nicotine feelings in my stomach and head. Even after a breakfast of two eggs, two sausage patties, and a slice of cheese wrapped in an eight-inch tortilla this thing proved to have nicotine to spare.
The big gripe is the burn. It tried to go out on me again and required several touch ups to stop a canoe. The repeated heating of the stick also meant there was a need to keep blowing smoke through the stick. Otherwise it would get a bit bitter. It never became harsh though. The pace did have to be slowed down once it hit the one inch mark and that contributed to the burn issues. This thing requires a steady pace or it grows weary of your laziness. That can be a bit tricky to remember because the finish grows longer and creamier as you smoke. It would be easy to wait longer than a minute as you enjoy the lingering flavors.
Good night sweet prince. At this point I decide it is time to let it go. The flavor has turned to leather and tobacco. The flavor is smeared by constant touch ups. It has been a joy so far and it is better to end it than ruin the memory.
Would I buy this again? Without a doubt in my mind. I see it all the time on Cbid for $3. So, I will probably try to keep two or three around for those times when I just need something to kick me in the teeth. There are times when I just want something bold and powerful to smoke without getting weak from nicotine. On my budget this stick will fill that roll nicely. I found myself smiling more often than not through the first half. The second half would have been the same if there hadn't been so many touch up. It delivered on the spice and it delivered plenty of pleasant flavors. There was enough cream to keep things smooth and tasty without ever getting into the desert category. It was a solid stick. It seems like AJ said, I'll show you how much awesome can be packed into a $4.75 cigar. Too bad 5 Vegas' rollers were a little lackadaisical with their part. Still, it wasn't nearly the worst burn I've experienced and in that department wasn't any worse than several $7 - $9 sticks I have smoked.
I would recommend trying it and maybe keeping a fiver around for when you have a masochistic urge. I'll be picking up a few down the line and letting them sit a couple of months to see how they do with a couple of months on them.
.