This cigar with the somewhat odd appellation, I mean when I hear friends and family I think of a sale at Macy's, has had much hype over the last several months in my world. Almost everyone that has tried this has been anxious to tell me it is the strongest cigar they have ever smoked. I am used to this over the top hyperbole in the cigar world it is just par for the course. Every strength whore out there finds the next strongest cigar and shouts from the rooftops about how it's the strongest ever! I have heard it with no fewer than one billion cigars...Ok some hyperbole on my part there, but you get the gist I think.
The cigar presents very well. The wrapper is crisp looking and well applied. The white double band is clean looking and not overwrought with horrible art work. There are very few veins and the wrapper has a rich, dark chocolate color. In looking at the bunch I can see quite a bit of what I believe is ligero in there (Viaje does not disclose their blends) and I am thinking maybe some of what I have been hearing could be true. Then I worry because the recent ligero trend has been to be long on palate tingling strength and short of depth and complexity in the profile. I cast aside those shadowy thoughts and continue my assessment. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and dark chocolate. The pre light draw shows some ligero tickling the palate and a very interesting not of anise and wood.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a real palate blaster. The blend immediately kicks the palate in the face, the tingle at the back of the throat is reminding me of the onset of a sore throat. Something interesting is happening though, there is actually some complexity and depth showing through here. The core profile has miles and miles of flavor as it shows some nice notes of dark chocolate, dark wood and red pepper. None of these flavors exhibit any subtlety at all, they are right up in your business, nose to nose with you from the get go. The back of the palate and through the nose show some more very satisfying wood notes and there is still a hint of anise coming through here that adds something nice to the mix. The burn is very solid right away. The draw is firm, but smooth and it delivers plenty of smoke from the first pull.
The first half of this cigar is certainly strong, as advertised. Is it the strongest cigar I have ever smoked? No, I will always reserve that distinction for the first Pepin JJ Maduro I smoked many years ago when my palate was not used to full bodied and full strength smokes (I was green during that experience). This cigar though is up there in strength for me, and out of the cigars I have smoked in the last year it ranks amongst the strongest. The core profile is still very complex though, and I am so pleased that it is not losing this feature as so many other strength bombs do. The are still some hints of dark chocolate and there is a tone of black cherry showing through here now as well, this is all combined with the continuing show of dark wood that binds it all together. The back of the palate is holding a very smoky wood characteristic that I find interesting and it makes me feel kind of rural, like I should be camping or something. The draw is still nice and firm and it performs well. The burn is still on the money and I don't see any issues down the line.
The final half of this cigar is a real ass kicker. The strength really ramps up and the nicotine tingle swathes the palate all the way to the back of the throat. The beauty of this cigar though is that it is not losing the profile at all, in fact the profile gets better the stronger the cigar gets. The core notes here a still dark chocolate, but they are turning more like cocoa as the process continues to the end. Additionally the pepper notes here are profound. I am getting some red pepper at the back of the palate, but a softer white pepper note in the front part of the tongue and mouth. The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice dark wood flavors and there is a touch of mineral here that I am not finding hateful (which is unusual for me, I am usually lost at mineral flavor). The draw is solid right through to the end. The burn shows nary an issue throughout.
The finish is long and holds pepper and wood notes for some satisfying long moments after the conclusion of the smoke.
All in all this is the best Viaje blend that I have smoked.
Appearance- 94 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 92 I was very impressed with a complex and balanced approach
Construction- 94 the only thing stopping perfection was a firm draw
Strength- 93 a very nice full bodied/full strength offering
Overall- 93.25 just wonderful
No comments:
Post a Comment