5 Vegas Series 'A' Maduro Archetype

The 5 Vegas brand (read "cinco vegas") is one of our favorite top shelf premiums. Consistently superior construction and blends, the man behind the brand is Cuban born Henry "Kiki" Berger, a legend in Esteli, Nicaragua and one of those unique personalities that always seems to be liked by everyone. In a recent Cigar Aficionado tasting, 5 Vegas was recognized as the best, non-Cuban cigar, scoring an outstanding '90'. The Series 'A' line up features sizes and shapes whose names all begin with, you guessed it, the letter A. The Apocalypse, Atomic, Alpha, Anomaly, Apostle, Archetype, and Artisan are all great smokes that leave you thinking, "if these are just the A's, there's a whole lot of alphabet left to look forward to!" Our panel was particularly taken by the Archetype Maduro; encased by a cedar wrap that protects an oily Costa Rican wrapper, it's a box pressed beauty worth admiring. A three nation long leaf filler blend of four year aged tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras delivers notes of robust, medium-to-full-bodied flavors, including subtle spices and coffee-like notes, with a highly distinctive charred smokiness on the palate. The finish is long lived and features a light blend of sweetness of spice. Try it with a slightly smoky Wee Heavy style beer, such as the version produced by the Belhaven Brewing Company.