5 Vegas Classic Torpedo (6x54)

I have had this 5 Vegas torpedo and a robusto hanging out in the humidor for awhile now, just waiting for me to pick them out to smoke. They seemed to get left behind after each trip I made to the humidor, each time new cigars were added they were pushed deeper and deeper. I found them after work one day and rescued them for review. The robusto was first to be burned so the torpedo was left for the formal review and photo shoot.

The 5 Vegas Classic sport a milk chocolate brown Sumatra wrapper that houses a Cuban-seed blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long fillers. The mildly oily wrapper has minimal veins and a touch of tooth to it. The body is firm and well packed with no soft spots or flaws to be found. This is one of the pointiest torpedo cigars I have ever seen. The wrapper offered only a mild note of coffee and foot offered a notes of sweet tobacco. I went with a v cut, as I usually do with a torpedo, and found a near perfect cold draw with a touch of sweetness. I used my Xikar Executive II to toast the foot with no problems, and I was on my way.

The first third opens up with a nice light roast coffee flavor and notes of roasted nuts and a mild sweetness to support it. There is a fair amount of spice on the retrohale but the sweetness balances it out nicely. The finish is medium and has a roast nut tone to it and a bit of that mild sweetness lingers on the palate.

Just before the start of the second third, the spice calms a bit as the smoke takes on a more creamy characteristic. The coffee notes gain some depth and become more of an espresso. There are a few dark chocolate notes forming in the background and they bring with them a slight bitter sensation. The ash was a bit on the flaky side but strong enough to hold on to just over an inch and a half.

As I started into the final third there were some woody notes that popped in and out. The sweetness has faded some as the bitter sensation of the dark chocolate sees a bit of an increase. The woodiness has developed into an oaky flavor note and the espresso is still present. The oaky wood note moves into the forefront as I progress through the last third. The sweetness is still present but only in enough capacity to balance the bitterness that the dark chocolate brings. The bitterness isn't overpowering and doesn't detract from my enjoyment of this stick.

Final verdict for me: This was a solid cigar. The body stayed consistently medium with a full flavor. The burn was a bit wavy but never bad enough to warrant a touch up on the robusto or the torpedo smoked for this review. I have one more robusto hiding in the bottom of the humidor and think I will leave it be for a future humidor diving trip. I love finding sticks I forgot I had in the bottom of the humidor. This would be a smooth enough medium body cigar to introduce to a new smoker or one that is newish and wants to journey beyond a mild offering. i say it has enough body and complexity to satisfy a seasoned smoker as well. This was a decently complex stick with good flavors and solid construction and the price point makes it an excellent value. These can be had for around 3.50-4.50 depending on whether you are buying a single or a box. StogieBoys has these available as a single and in boxes. I can see myself grabbing a box of these in the future, especially at only 70 bucks for a box in the torpedo size. The torpedo size was a slow burn and smoked for close to 2 hours.

Diesel Unholy Cocktail (5x56 torpedo)

I received a Diesel Unholy Cocktail in a CI sampler I ordered some months back. I stuck it in the bottom of the humidor and forgot about it till recently. I believe it spent about 6 months in the humidor before my rediscovery of it's being there. The attractive band at the foot grabbed my attention and so I picked it for the next victim of cigar arson. This is my first taste of the diesel brand by A.J. Fernandez. This blend is available in 2 sizes, the Unholy Cocktail (5x56 torpedo) and the Short Ltd. (4.5x60). It has a chocolate brown Pennsylvania Broadlead Maduro wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and filler from the different regions of Nicaragua ( Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli). It had a few veins but was smooth to the touch. The body smelled of slightly sweet tobacco with a bit of spice. The aroma at the foot was of hay and a bit of cedar. I chose to straight cut the cap with my scissors, which is my preferred cut. The first third had a earthy core with notes of spice and leather. It produced a generous amount of smoke despite a draw that was a tad on the firm side. The second third built on, what was for me, the medium body from the first third. In the second third the leather toned down a bit and a bit of cocoa and light coffee made their way into the mix. The final third built even more body bringing it to the full side of medium-full. The Final third was more of the second but added a light note of cinnamon and a bit more spice. The earthy core really tied this cigar together with a nice balance of mild sweetness and earthy spice. I had a few burn corrections which weakened the ash, if not for this I believe it's solid salt and pepper ash would have held strong until it was nubbed. It was a very meaty smoke, but not at all harsh, that built body and a tad bit of strength through out the burn. I have to get my hands on a few more of these for the humidor. It was a very enjoyable smoke and a perfect end to the hectic work day. I paired this with water as I do all cigars I smoke for review. The price point on these is around $3.33-$4.40 each, making it a great bargain. You can find them HERE