Welcome back to another edition of cigar reviews here on Puff.com. For you Maduro fans, we will kick things off with the Bahia Gold Maduro. To wrap things up, we’ll take a look at the new and highly affordable Alec Bradley Mataza.

Bahia Gold Maduro Robusto

Bahia re-blended its Gold Maduro line back in 2003. These full-bodied smokes from the boutique brand are said to be smooth and complex. I’m basically a Bahia virgin, as I’ve never had one of their cigars in the past. If all goes well here, they may have themselves a new customer. Enough chit-chat, let’s get into the actual review.

The Bahia Gold Maduro Robusto measures 5 x 50. Other sizes in the line include the 6 x 54 No. 2 Belicoso and the 6 ¼ x 52 Gran Corona. The cigar features an interesting composition that begins with a filler blend Dominican Ligero Semilla Cubana and Nicaraguan Seco tobaccos that have been aged for three years. The binder is of the Dominican Semilla Cubana variety, and the wrapper is U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf. Both the binder and wrapper are aged for four years. Once the cigars are rolled, they are held for an additional six months prior to being released to the public.

In terms of its looks, the Bahia Gold Maduro gets a passing grade. The wrapper reminds me of dark chocolate, and it has plenty of oil on the surface. There are a few minor veins, but no major flaws that are noticeable. The colorful red band near the head is a nice touch and really stands out against the dark wrapper. It displays the Gold Maduro label along with some eye-catching graphics. The subtle box-pressed shape looks good as well. The cigar feels firm from head to toe with zero soft spots. I pick up an earthy aroma before lighting. The cold taste, on the other hand, is spicy.

Once lit, the Bahia Gold Maduro Robusto burns like a charm. The draw is excellent and there’s a large volume of smoke. The ash is gray in color and stays firm. The burn does act like it wants to get troublesome, but it never does thanks to some self-correction. The cigar requires no re-lights whatsoever.