5 Vegas Miami Torpedo

5 Vegas is turning into one of my 'go to' brands. Everything I have smoked from them has been pure gold. Also, the torpedo shape is turning into one of my favorite sizes. For whatever reason I find that every torpedo I smoke has the best draw. Even the lightest draw produces mountains of rich smoke.
I purchased a box of the 5 Vegas Miami back on Jan 1st from the Sprint Sale for an amazing discount. The line was hailed as the 'best of the best' of the 5 Vegas lines besides the Lmitada and the Cask Strength. I smoked one within a week of getting the box and was severely underwhelmed. The draw was good but the flavor was just above average without much nuance.
I put them away and kind of forgot about them and kept buying. Today I had one of my Friday evening smokes that I enjoy so much and was going through my collection and saw them. I pulled one out and grabbed my Cuban Crafters cutter and brand new Bugatti B1 lighter and headed out to the patio.
I made my cut and lit the cigar (I love my new lighter) and took my first few puffs. My first thought 'This thing is a fire cracker!'. Waves of pepper hit my palette. I noticed that the cellophane had a very slight yellowish tint to it, it appears that six and a half months have begun the aging process. I had been keeping these things at 70% RH and the cigar had a very slight give and a squishy feel to it.
The draw was the easiest draw I have ever encountered besides the 5 Vegas Gold which is in my top 5 cigars. The flavor was pepper blast after pepper blast which receded after about half an inch. The flavor settled into leather, earth and rich tobacco. The flavor profile did not change a whole lot but I didn't want it to!
Half way through it mellowed out a bit more but still had strong notes of earth, leather and oak. The tobacco taste was top notch. It held it's ash very well for several inches and burned very well and even.
With a third of the way to go I kept right on smoking. The smoke started getting overly hot but that is to be expected. It killed the flavor somewhat but it never got harsh. I smoked it right down to about an inch a half left.
Smoke time was 55 minutes (I smoke fast) and I paired it with plain water and coffee.

I was disappointed back in January but now I view this box purchase as quite an investment. Especially since I got around 45% off due to the awesome Sprint Sale.
I am also learning that the torpedo needs to start being my go to size. I have the best luck with it. I recently purchased four boxes about 10 days ago and unfortunately my purchases were Churchill's and Robustos. From here on out it is going to be straight torpedoes when I can find them.

I give todays smoke a 90 out of 100. The flavor could of changed a bit more and been more complex but the construction, burn and especially the draw were simply outstanding. These appear to be quite a good sleeper stick and I am thrilled that I have 18 left to go.

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Comments

Vision

Other then the Gold Maduro, I would have to say I also havent had a bad one. Price will keep me coming back and the flavor will keep me there.

rudel.dietrich

Vision:
Other then the Gold Maduro, I would have to say I also havent had a bad one. Price will keep me coming back and the flavor will keep me there.

Yeah, price plays plays a big part in my ratings. I mean, a Cohiba is a better cigar (for the most part). But if a Cohiba is a 93 and a 5 Vegas is a 90, but the Cohiba is 2.5 times more expensive, then shouldn't it taste 2.5 times better?
Don't get me wrong. I love a good Cohiba, Montecristo and Ave Maria but they are super premiums and are 'treat' cigars. If I get them in a sampler then that is all well and good. But I have a lot more fun seeking out value sticks that as enjoyable. 5 Vegas, Est. 1844, Perdomo Fresh rolled, CCom house blends and a few others are 90% are enjoyable as super premiums at 50% the cost. I don't feel guilty about making them my everyday cigars.

Not sure if any of the above makes any sense or not. But 5 Vegas has skyrocketed up my list of admired companies. It shows you don't have to charge a premium price for an excellent cigar. They are by no means $2 sticks but at around $4-5 a stick they represent probably the best 'mid-tier' value.

Gray4lines

5 Vegas makes some of my favorites too, though I'm getting low on A's and Miami's! I agree, after letting them sit for just a little while, the Miami's are one of my all time favorites. I enjoyed them right after I purchased em, but after almost a year they just turn into something I find amazing. I am gonna be hunting sprint sale for more, as I just noticed they pop up frequently

blurr

Nice review. From what I've heard others say, the Miamis get especially impressive with 1 to 2 years age on them. I find that to be my impression of most of the 5 Vegas lines, they're ok early on, and they come across as budget sticks (which they are price-wise). Certainly not bad tasting, and they are enjoyable, but if you put a box away for 2 years of Miamis/Classic/Series A/etc they are an impressive smoke after age.