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Size: 5×50, Robusto

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran

Strength: Mild/Medium

Price: Box of 20, $55

Grade: 8.8

We are big fans of 5 Vegas here at Toasted Foot – their lines are consistent in construction and flavor, and they are always available at an exceptional value. We’ve bought and enjoyed boxes of the Classic and the Gold, and also enjoyed the Series A. So, when the Gold Maduro was released, we hopped at the chance to split a sampler – the filler is the same as that found in the Gold line, which is the best selling cigar within the 5 Vegas lineup.

The stick utilizes a Pennsylvania Broadleaf, which we were also excited about. Most people are accustomed to finding Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrappers on powerhouse smokes, such as the Diesel, 5 Vegas AAA, and the La Herencia Cubana Oscuro, among others. The 5 Vegas Gold Maduro presents a less powerful version, allowing milder smokers to enjoy this excellently flavored wrapper.

Nestor Plasencia and the folks behind 5 Vegas have been working on the Gold Maduro blend for nearly five years. The Plasencia family grows around 3,400 acres every year, spread across Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras, and has worked with each of the 5 Vegas line of cigars.

We’re excited about this one, so let’s get to the toast.

Pre-light, 1.7:
The dark maduro wrapper is consistently colored from head to foot and has an excellent touch with no soft spots – the darkness and consistency of color made the wrapper seam dyed, but it is in fact just a great looking and well colored wrapper. The black, copper, and gold band was an excellent choice and pops off the maduro wrapper. The veins are minimal and hard to notice on the dark wrapper, and the seams are well rolled. There is some definite texture to the Gold Maduro, with a rough, dry exterior and some bumps beneath the wrapper, causing it to rise in several spots. The cap is a bit sloppy, but tripled none the less. The aroma is very pleasant, with a sweet cocoa aroma that only increases toward the foot. There are also some black cherry notes alongside a mild nuttiness. On the draw, it reveals an appropriate resistance with flavors that do not stray from the aroma.

Burn, 1.6:
On the light, the aroma is very pleasing, with a sweet berry and thick tobacco. It lights quick and a good pull gets it started evenly. The draw proves to be loose, presenting a likewise loose ash and quick burn. The ash is evenly colored and the burn line is consistent throughout, all while maintaining a cool burn.

Flavor, 2.7:
On the initial light, the flavor is of dried berries and a mild cocoa. These flavors provide a steady introduction into the first third, which does not vary much from the initial few puffs. The Gold Maduro has a dry texture to it, causing the flavors to separate from each other, rather than creating a creamy, united core. Moving into the second third, a bit of the dryness fades a mild creaminess compliments the continued cocoa. Along the edges some barnyard notes arrive, mostly of dry hay. Closing out the smoke, the final third does not provide much transition, as this is not a shifty or complex smoke. The primary notes continue to be creamy, as the second third was, and are more gentle than before.

Overall, 2.8:
The 5 Vegas Maduro is a very textured cigar, with a sandpapery finish in the back of the throat that at times can be a distraction to the flavor profile. The construction was decent and the flavor profile was enjoyable. I’ve enjoyed this line of cigars, especially for the value. The Gold Maduro is no different, coming in at under $3 a stick. I would recommend this cigar as a box purchase, especially if you frequently entertain guests that are not frequent smokers – they’ll enjoy this one.

(Total: 8.8)
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Great review Matthew. This may be one maduro I cannot bring myself to try. Wasn't a fan of the Gold, not sure it would taste any better with a maduro wrapper.
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Yeah, I don't know that you would like it Mac - it was in line w/ other mild Maduros - CAO Gold Maduro, Cu Avana Maduro, etc...
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Skywalker said the one he smoked left dye on your hands. Any probelms with that?
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:-) The regular Gold is pretty lame. Love the Classic, the A has been very inconsistent, IMO; but the AAA is very nice.
Nice review, though, Matthew. :-)
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Debatable. Seems to be some conflicting reports on the blend. Assuming your post has the accurate blend info then...

5 Vegas Gold is only Honduran filler w/ Honduran binder.
5 Vegas Gold Maduro is Honduran & Nicaraguan filler w/ Nicaraguan binder.

It's possible that some of the Honduran leaves in the 5 Vegas Gold Maduro are the same as those used in the 5 Vegas Gold, or maybe not, but past that, the blend is different.


Another seller lists the blend as all Honduran though.

Typical fubar...
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Just goes to show you- different strokes for different folks. I really enjoy the Gold on the drive in to work with coffee. I can't stand the Classic or any varient of the 'A.'
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Thanks for the review! I liked the original Golds, I would like to try the maduros.
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I just checked with someone at the company, the 5 Vegas Gold and 5 Vegas Gold Maduro are most definitely not the same filler & blends, and Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars, 2009 ed. is incorrect when it lists the 5 Vegas Gold as strictly Honduran filler (as I posted above when taking the info from PPCoC '09), as there is a small amount of Nicaraguan filler in there.

The 5 Vegas Gold Maduro has much more Nicaraguan filler in it.

In addition to that, bear in mind that there are a number of growing regions in these countries and by going to a different region and/or taking a different priming from the plant, it's no longer the same fillers. And, of course there is the obvious that they might not even be the same variety of tobacco to begin with.
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I agree Jeff!!!! :-)

Thanks for the info Adam...might tempt me into changing my mind. :-)
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The wrapper was super dark and evenly colored, so I expected to get some dye - I was shocked when I didn't, and I was looking for it...
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Thanks Adam, so the Maduro still has Nic and Hon in it, just more Nic than the regular Gold did?
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That is correct. It was also implied that the leaves used for the two cigars are different, so the commonality is simply that they were grown in the same two countries.
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