Valentine’s Small Group Review 2011
Following on the heels of Santa’s Small Group review, we have another 3 person review panel for the Valentine’s Small Group Review 2011.
(Details on the contest can be found here: http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=49210 )
(The next Small Group Review is coming soon….Stay tuned!)
Our Valentine’s panel is:
Tony (aea6574)
Graig (Craig Mac)
Neil (Fourtotheflush)
Here are their reviews in no particular order
Fourtotheflush
Viaje WLP
5 5/8 X 46
Corona Extra
Paired with Water
(I had a coffee going too, but cleared w\ water before for the tasting)
Color is a uniform brown no spots.
Nearly invisible seams
Veins are minimal except for the MAIN VEIN which is fairly prominent.
This cigar has a neat closed foot.
Cigar appears to be well made with no soft spots or hard plugs.
Cut with a Xicar
-Cut was clean, but the cap and loose tobacco kinda exploded when I cut.
-Didnt prove to be a problem at all. Didnt get any loose bits in my mouth.
Cold Draw
Cold draw is of sweet tea and a slight spice.
--I wrote down sweet tea, but Im thinking it maybe a dry black tea.
Draw is fairly loose.
Cigar lights smoothly and evenly
First few puffs are of a dry black tea and slight spice.
There is a realy hot spice on the retrohale - For me - Think Cayenne.
Popped a burn hole right through my sinus.
Smoke is volumonous, hot and dry.
Aftertaste is a hot pepper spice.
1st ash falls at 1/4 inch and falls every 1/8th to 1/4 inch thereafter - a Few in my Lap.
(Let me interject here, there is a guy in G. St. yapping at me that I shouldnt be smoking this cigar, it needs to rest and has all these problems... blah blah blah...I would like to say it didnt interfere with my review, but no guarantees).....
Burn gets a little wonky and the ash continues to fall in small clumps in the second third.
Flavors are approximately the same.
Power starts picking up a little bit.
Pepper on the retro hale settles down and is more of a pepper spice, than a hot pepper spice.
So the tobacco is definately aged and has some great flavors.
The burn continues to be odd and needs a couple corrective lights in the 2nd half.
Cigar was very enjoyable, despite its flaws.
I put it down with about an inch left.
Smoke time 1 hour 15 minutes.
Craig Mac
Today I'll be reviewing the Viaje WLP as part of Clint's Valentine's Small Group review. I have very little experience the Viaje brand having only smoked a handful of different Viaje cigars. I found them to be hit and miss with the regular production lines to be a little flat in my opinion. I had heard that these were a little "wet" so I decided to "dry box" it the night before, thought it funny to use a certain cedar lined tubo for this, lol.
This Corona Gorda sized cigar has a nice Nicaraguan Cafe Rosado wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler as well. Wrapper features minimal veins, however this particular cigar I am smoking has a blemish in the wrapper. Another thing that jumps out at me is the closed foot on the cigar. I have seen this before on several cigars but the difference on this cigar is the closed foot is actually a cap that was put on the foot then closed up, never seen it done like that before and honestly to me it looks like a half assed after thought.
Pre-light the cigar has a toned down sweet tobacco taste to it, I don't know if it is the closed foot or a tight draw but something is keeping me from getting a good pre-light draw, but oh well, lets fire it up.
One lit the cigar was drawing great and the initial profile is medium bodied/strength with a little bit of pepper and spice that is typical of Nicaraguan tobacco I have found. There is also a sweet tobacco taste. Nothing really overly present with flavor but enjoyable so far.
As I get in the second third I don't know if it is just me but the cigar got really boring really quick. The peppery/spice taste has faded a bit and just a boring sweet tobacco taste to it. Burn and draw have been good, just seems to be lacking something now after showing some potential at the start.
Final third has been same as the second but the odd thing is I can't seem to pull anything in particular out of this cigar. It reminds me of when I tried the Rocky Patel 15th Anni, flavors were there but I can't seem to pull anything distinct out of it. I get pepper on the retrohale and still a heavy sweet tobacco taste, but nothing unique or discernible. I smoked this to the band and then put it down.
As I smoke through this cigar I have to say it kind of reminds me of a harsh version of a DPG Cuban Classic. The cigar got off to a good start but after about 20 mins it kinda flattened out for me. I try not to get to opinionated about a company in a review but I have to say I have not been too interested in Viaje as a whole. For starters, they aren't available at any local shop. Secondly, it seems there is a super exclusive release every month. I know this has been said about another brand as well, but this to me seems like the extreme of it. With the white label project it just strikes me as a "here's what didn't make the cut, enjoy!". Cigar was average at best and don't think I would seek it out.
aea6574
Howdy All:
I hope you are doing great this Valentine’s week. I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in Clint’s Valentine’s Small Group Review- Valentine’s Small Group Review
I received my Viaje White Label Project cigar and was really excited. I know that these are very hard to find and was hoping to get the chance to try one. I am guessing some of you already know the details but for those that do not here they are-
Country of Origin- Nicaragua
Wrapper- Nicaragua (Café Rosado)
Binder – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaragua
Size – 5 5/8 x 46
Vitola – Corona Gorda, covered foot
Amount released – 50 bundles of 25
Information on the setting for the review-
In my garage in Northville, Michigan with an outside temperature of around 30f. Garage door open about a foot so the fan can push the smoke out. An electric heater to try and warm things up a bit. Some motorcycle magazines to read. A few fingers of Bookers at 127.9 proof with one ice cube and half a six pack of Bell’s Hopslam at 10.0 proof.
Getting started went with my xikar v-cutter that I got from Secret Santa this year. I really like the way this cuts it is a little deeper than the Wolf and the construction of the cutter is great. At 1:15 pm EST I lit the Viajes covered foot with one wooden match. It lit perfectly, nice and even across with lots of smoke.
1st third- Smooth, soft taste not what I had expected. From the Holiday Blend and Skull and Bones that I have had I was expecting a fuller knock down smoke. But the WLP started out smooth and soft and continued this way for most of the cigar building up a bit towards the final third. The burn was smooth and even and I was only ever able to get about an inch on the ash before it would fall.
2nd third- Still smooth with a light hay flavor and a bit of suede. I really am enjoying this cigar. The pairing of the Booker’s and the Hopslam work well although with the hoppiness of the Hopslam I might have gone with the Bell’s Winter White to balance better with the SLP. The cigar still was burning evenly, it did go out once but I probably neglected it while reading about the new Ducati Diavel.
Last third- The flavor increased while nearing the end. I was really enjoying this smoke and did not wish for it to end. I smoked it until my fingers started to get hot. If I had a pipe I probably would have finished it off with that. The cigar continued to burn evenly all the way to the end.
Really an enjoyable smoke that lasted close to 2 hours with a finish time of 3:10pm EST. Clint said in his note that this release is based on the Summerfest blend and I have a few of those I have not had yet so will be looking forward to trying one of those as well.
Following on the heels of Santa’s Small Group review, we have another 3 person review panel for the Valentine’s Small Group Review 2011.
(Details on the contest can be found here: http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=49210 )
(The next Small Group Review is coming soon….Stay tuned!)
Our Valentine’s panel is:
Tony (aea6574)
Graig (Craig Mac)
Neil (Fourtotheflush)
Here are their reviews in no particular order
Fourtotheflush
Viaje WLP
5 5/8 X 46
Corona Extra
Paired with Water
(I had a coffee going too, but cleared w\ water before for the tasting)
Color is a uniform brown no spots.
Nearly invisible seams
Veins are minimal except for the MAIN VEIN which is fairly prominent.
This cigar has a neat closed foot.
Cigar appears to be well made with no soft spots or hard plugs.
Cut with a Xicar
-Cut was clean, but the cap and loose tobacco kinda exploded when I cut.
-Didnt prove to be a problem at all. Didnt get any loose bits in my mouth.
Cold Draw
Cold draw is of sweet tea and a slight spice.
--I wrote down sweet tea, but Im thinking it maybe a dry black tea.
Draw is fairly loose.
Cigar lights smoothly and evenly
First few puffs are of a dry black tea and slight spice.
There is a realy hot spice on the retrohale - For me - Think Cayenne.
Popped a burn hole right through my sinus.
Smoke is volumonous, hot and dry.
Aftertaste is a hot pepper spice.
1st ash falls at 1/4 inch and falls every 1/8th to 1/4 inch thereafter - a Few in my Lap.
(Let me interject here, there is a guy in G. St. yapping at me that I shouldnt be smoking this cigar, it needs to rest and has all these problems... blah blah blah...I would like to say it didnt interfere with my review, but no guarantees).....
Burn gets a little wonky and the ash continues to fall in small clumps in the second third.
Flavors are approximately the same.
Power starts picking up a little bit.
Pepper on the retro hale settles down and is more of a pepper spice, than a hot pepper spice.
So the tobacco is definately aged and has some great flavors.
The burn continues to be odd and needs a couple corrective lights in the 2nd half.
Cigar was very enjoyable, despite its flaws.
I put it down with about an inch left.
Smoke time 1 hour 15 minutes.
Craig Mac
Today I'll be reviewing the Viaje WLP as part of Clint's Valentine's Small Group review. I have very little experience the Viaje brand having only smoked a handful of different Viaje cigars. I found them to be hit and miss with the regular production lines to be a little flat in my opinion. I had heard that these were a little "wet" so I decided to "dry box" it the night before, thought it funny to use a certain cedar lined tubo for this, lol.
This Corona Gorda sized cigar has a nice Nicaraguan Cafe Rosado wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler as well. Wrapper features minimal veins, however this particular cigar I am smoking has a blemish in the wrapper. Another thing that jumps out at me is the closed foot on the cigar. I have seen this before on several cigars but the difference on this cigar is the closed foot is actually a cap that was put on the foot then closed up, never seen it done like that before and honestly to me it looks like a half assed after thought.
Pre-light the cigar has a toned down sweet tobacco taste to it, I don't know if it is the closed foot or a tight draw but something is keeping me from getting a good pre-light draw, but oh well, lets fire it up.
One lit the cigar was drawing great and the initial profile is medium bodied/strength with a little bit of pepper and spice that is typical of Nicaraguan tobacco I have found. There is also a sweet tobacco taste. Nothing really overly present with flavor but enjoyable so far.
As I get in the second third I don't know if it is just me but the cigar got really boring really quick. The peppery/spice taste has faded a bit and just a boring sweet tobacco taste to it. Burn and draw have been good, just seems to be lacking something now after showing some potential at the start.
Final third has been same as the second but the odd thing is I can't seem to pull anything in particular out of this cigar. It reminds me of when I tried the Rocky Patel 15th Anni, flavors were there but I can't seem to pull anything distinct out of it. I get pepper on the retrohale and still a heavy sweet tobacco taste, but nothing unique or discernible. I smoked this to the band and then put it down.
As I smoke through this cigar I have to say it kind of reminds me of a harsh version of a DPG Cuban Classic. The cigar got off to a good start but after about 20 mins it kinda flattened out for me. I try not to get to opinionated about a company in a review but I have to say I have not been too interested in Viaje as a whole. For starters, they aren't available at any local shop. Secondly, it seems there is a super exclusive release every month. I know this has been said about another brand as well, but this to me seems like the extreme of it. With the white label project it just strikes me as a "here's what didn't make the cut, enjoy!". Cigar was average at best and don't think I would seek it out.
aea6574
Howdy All:
I hope you are doing great this Valentine’s week. I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in Clint’s Valentine’s Small Group Review- Valentine’s Small Group Review
I received my Viaje White Label Project cigar and was really excited. I know that these are very hard to find and was hoping to get the chance to try one. I am guessing some of you already know the details but for those that do not here they are-
Country of Origin- Nicaragua
Wrapper- Nicaragua (Café Rosado)
Binder – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaragua
Size – 5 5/8 x 46
Vitola – Corona Gorda, covered foot
Amount released – 50 bundles of 25
Information on the setting for the review-
In my garage in Northville, Michigan with an outside temperature of around 30f. Garage door open about a foot so the fan can push the smoke out. An electric heater to try and warm things up a bit. Some motorcycle magazines to read. A few fingers of Bookers at 127.9 proof with one ice cube and half a six pack of Bell’s Hopslam at 10.0 proof.
Getting started went with my xikar v-cutter that I got from Secret Santa this year. I really like the way this cuts it is a little deeper than the Wolf and the construction of the cutter is great. At 1:15 pm EST I lit the Viajes covered foot with one wooden match. It lit perfectly, nice and even across with lots of smoke.
1st third- Smooth, soft taste not what I had expected. From the Holiday Blend and Skull and Bones that I have had I was expecting a fuller knock down smoke. But the WLP started out smooth and soft and continued this way for most of the cigar building up a bit towards the final third. The burn was smooth and even and I was only ever able to get about an inch on the ash before it would fall.
2nd third- Still smooth with a light hay flavor and a bit of suede. I really am enjoying this cigar. The pairing of the Booker’s and the Hopslam work well although with the hoppiness of the Hopslam I might have gone with the Bell’s Winter White to balance better with the SLP. The cigar still was burning evenly, it did go out once but I probably neglected it while reading about the new Ducati Diavel.
Last third- The flavor increased while nearing the end. I was really enjoying this smoke and did not wish for it to end. I smoked it until my fingers started to get hot. If I had a pipe I probably would have finished it off with that. The cigar continued to burn evenly all the way to the end.
Really an enjoyable smoke that lasted close to 2 hours with a finish time of 3:10pm EST. Clint said in his note that this release is based on the Summerfest blend and I have a few of those I have not had yet so will be looking forward to trying one of those as well.
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