It seems that there is no end to the Viaje lineup, every time I think that I have reached the promised land I find another blend that I have not tried. Why does this matter you may ask? Well, I have two reasons. First, I have made a commitment to you my friends, I will smoke every new cigar I can get my hands on and bring you my usual hard hitting reviews that I believe are some of the most honest in the blogosphere. After all, I am beholden to no one in the industry and I spend my own duckets on these smokes so I feel free to say what I experience. Second, I personally like to smoke as many new cigars as I can, I find it an entertaining way to expand my cigar horizons after twenty three years of smoking. With Viaje going the way they seem to be I will never be out of new smokes to sample.
This cigar is a short, thick log. The wrapper has a beautiful red/brown coloration that reminds me of a Colorado. It has a great sheen to it and looks good enough to eat. The band work is kind of simple, but I like the lack of pretension, almost as if the manufacturer would like the cigar to speak for itself without fancy adornments. The foot is unfinished which makes for some interesting visuals. The wrapper is well applied and has very few veins. The construction seems very nicely done to me, I can't find any voids or firm spots that would cause me concern. The pre light draw is fluid and smooth while imparting nice favors of coffee and cocoa. The pre light aroma also shows coffee and some nice spice.
The cigar opens with a profile that lacks some complexity and depth, but the core flavors are of coffee and light cocoa. I would like some more flavor to bind the early experience together a bit, but it is still nice for now. At the back of the palate there is a nice tobacco flavor and a light white pepper that provides a nice backdrop for a subtle opening experience. The draw is dead solid perfect, it is very seldom that I find a cigar that draws this way. The burn is pure and razor sharp producing a firm ash that doesn't fall off until about halfway through the smoke.
The first half of the cigar maintains a core profile of coffee flavors with some wisps of cocoa, but the depth of these flavors picks up a bit, which is a nice development. At the back of the palate a nice cedar flavor comes in and it complements the crisp tobacco flavor and intensifying notes of pepper in a nice little flavor package. As far as development of flavors goes I am very happy with the progression here. The draw continues to be a dream as it imparts perfect amounts of smoke with ease. The burn is still very solid and the construction of this cigar is a real highlight.
The final half of the smoke really does not progress much further. The core profile maintains coffee and cocoa flavors, but there is a bitter note that sneaks in during the last third that has a wet wood aftertaste to it. The back of the palate continues to show some cedar notes that become sharp which is a distraction in the last third. There also continues to be some nice pepper and tobacco notes in the last half. The draw and burn stay very solid right through to the end and construction is by far the most impressive attribute of this cigar.
The finish was a touch short and showed sharp cedar and wet wood flavors.
As far as the Viaje line goes this is not my favorite effort.
Appearance- 91 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 87 some nice moments in the first half, but the open and final half were sub par
Construction- 97 a real winner in this category
Strength- 88 a nice medium, Viaje claims it is full, I find that it misses that mark
Overall- 91.25 when a cigar performs this well construction wise it is always a winner, it could have been classic with a more developed profile
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