I was wandering through a Tampa B&M recently and I came across something that looked like a box of road flares. I cautiously checked out the surroundings. Cedar walls, glass entry door, boxes of cigars and the hum of a humidifier all suggest that I am actually in a humidor and not in some hardware store or a place for various auto equipment. So, I wonder, what is with these damn flares? Imagine my surprise when I pick one up and realize that it's no flare at all, but a cigar instead! It dawns on me that this must be the Viaje Roman Candle and after quickly checking the box provenance I realize that it is one and the same. Needless to say, this now has my attention. I quickly select one and head for the register. I was not sure when I would fine time to smoke a nice inch cigar, but I was sure that someday I would.
That day came recently during the RNC, I knew that at some point I would be listening to some speeches that would drone on and on and I would need a long smoke to get through it with my mental faculties still in tact. I was not wrong and I decided to head for the Roman Candle one of the nights. After removing the red flare paper I am confronted with a cigar that is certainly every bit of nice inches long, but I am concerned about the ring gauge being a touch smaller than the fifty that is advertised. I slap in on my iPhone app, yes there is an app for this, and measure the ring gauge. It comes in at closer to a 48 or 49 so in my mind it comes up short of what is advertised, but it does not bother me because I prefer a thinner ring anyway. The cigar is otherwise unadorned and I find that to be refreshing, sometimes a cigar should just be a cigar, in this case I guess the maker thought the Roman Candle theme was enough. The cigar appears to be well made and I can't find any issues in it that have me concerned. The pre light aroma smacks of dried peach and apricot. The pre light draw has some pepper and spice notes.
This cigar opens with a profile that is nice. The core flavors are some nice spice and crisp, rich tobacco flavors. Not very complex and not very deep, but the flavors are nice. What does get my attention is the power here. This cigar is strong, coming from me that is a huge strength factor as I smoke strong cigars all the time. This one however, has strength that I have not encountered in some time and I find it is making me a touch dizzy early in the smoke. The back of the palate is woody and has some earthy tones that are nice, but not overwhelming or particularly deep. The draw is exceptional for a cigar of this size. The burn is off right from the beginning, but I don't see any reason to touch up this early in the smoke.
The first half of the cigar has some profile shifts and I am enjoying the experience. The profile has spice and dried fruit notes and there are some tobacco flavors that bind it all together nicely. The strength is still buzzing me a little bit and I am still shocked by this, it just shows that no matter how experienced a smoker is each cigar can have a different effect on anyone. The back of the palate continues to be coated in earthy flavors that become richer as the cigar carries on, there are some nice balances of wood here as well. The draw is still very good. The burn has deteriorated and I am forced to purge and relight three times in the first half of the smoke. This is not a good sign as I absolutely despise a cigar that won't stay lit.
The final half of the cigar becomes somewhat muddled as the flavors lose definition and character, but the cigar is still enjoyable, just not a connoisseur's dream. The core profile has some mint, spice, fruit and tobacco flavors, but they are not joined in any significant way at all. The strength is still humming along and I am still in awe of the power of this smoke. The back of the palate still holds some wood and earth flavors but the richness has disappeared here and that is disappointing. The draw is still right on the money, but the burn has issues and three more relights are required in the last half.
The finish was strong, with heavy spice and earth flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice appearance, but a bit too gimmicky
Taste- 87 some nice flavors here, the muddling of ideas in the last half hurt the score
Construction- 82 the constant burn issues really took away from the cigar
Strength- 86 ultra powerful, but that power did nothing for the overall presentation of the cigar
Overall- 85.25 a very average experience in the end
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