It's a love/hate kinda thing...
Viaje Exclusivo Double-Edged Sword
The Viaje Double-Edged Sword (DES) was one of Viaje’s limited release cigars in 2010. It is a re-release of the Viaje Exclusivo but in a perfecto shape. Harked as being Viaje owner Andre Farkas’ personal cigar, 100 jars of the original Exclusivo were released to select retailers in early 2010(Tat Black, anyone?). Andre has a resume full of blatant unoriginality and unchecked arrogance – many of his limited edition sticks are astoundingly similar to ones by Tatuaje and other brands. Andre released the DES to five retailers, and each retailer got 25 boxes (that’s 125 total boxes for you mathematically-challenged folk). It’s a great-looking perfecto, and was nice and oily as well.
Pre-Light: Ben and I both note how Cuban-esque this cigar smells, as we are hit with that typical sweet barnyard smell. Some light cedar and cocoa notes came through as well, but we had to dig fairly hard to pick them out.
First Third: The DES starts out very buttery. Right off the bat this cigar is smooth as silk. Spicy black pepper pops up shortly after this, accompanied by a pleasant leathery taste. Ben also gets some sweet cream from his cigar. This doesn’t last for very long, though – a heavy clove and earthy flavor soon take over. As this third dwindles down, the clove turns into that pepper we had in the beginning and the earthy notes remain strong.
Second Third: This third was fairly simple. A sweet caramel and coffee dominates, and a regular exhale provides us with a nice graham cracker taste. Although very one-note, the caramel and coffee flavors in this third are exceptionally tasty.
Final Third: The flavors from the second third keep going for another inch or so, and then turn to more of a hazelnut or almond flavor. All of a sudden this cigar becomes incredibly complex, and we are hit with a variety of different flavors. At this point the DES is mostly a rich, creamy chocolate, with undertones of graham cracker, clove, caramel, and an acidic coffee bean. It finishes with these same complex flavors, and at this point you can definitely feel the nicotine punch from this medium-full cigar.
Viaje’s DES was surprisingly complex and rich in flavor. Ben and I were both thoroughly impressed with this cigar. We feel that this cigar is well worth the $10 price point it had upon release, and even feel that $11 or $12 per cigar would have been appropriate.
where to find: Private collectors, cigar forums, and possible Summer 2011 re-release
expect to pay: $10-20
Viaje Exclusivo Double-Edged Sword
The Viaje Double-Edged Sword (DES) was one of Viaje’s limited release cigars in 2010. It is a re-release of the Viaje Exclusivo but in a perfecto shape. Harked as being Viaje owner Andre Farkas’ personal cigar, 100 jars of the original Exclusivo were released to select retailers in early 2010(Tat Black, anyone?). Andre has a resume full of blatant unoriginality and unchecked arrogance – many of his limited edition sticks are astoundingly similar to ones by Tatuaje and other brands. Andre released the DES to five retailers, and each retailer got 25 boxes (that’s 125 total boxes for you mathematically-challenged folk). It’s a great-looking perfecto, and was nice and oily as well.
Pre-Light: Ben and I both note how Cuban-esque this cigar smells, as we are hit with that typical sweet barnyard smell. Some light cedar and cocoa notes came through as well, but we had to dig fairly hard to pick them out.
First Third: The DES starts out very buttery. Right off the bat this cigar is smooth as silk. Spicy black pepper pops up shortly after this, accompanied by a pleasant leathery taste. Ben also gets some sweet cream from his cigar. This doesn’t last for very long, though – a heavy clove and earthy flavor soon take over. As this third dwindles down, the clove turns into that pepper we had in the beginning and the earthy notes remain strong.
Second Third: This third was fairly simple. A sweet caramel and coffee dominates, and a regular exhale provides us with a nice graham cracker taste. Although very one-note, the caramel and coffee flavors in this third are exceptionally tasty.
Final Third: The flavors from the second third keep going for another inch or so, and then turn to more of a hazelnut or almond flavor. All of a sudden this cigar becomes incredibly complex, and we are hit with a variety of different flavors. At this point the DES is mostly a rich, creamy chocolate, with undertones of graham cracker, clove, caramel, and an acidic coffee bean. It finishes with these same complex flavors, and at this point you can definitely feel the nicotine punch from this medium-full cigar.
Viaje’s DES was surprisingly complex and rich in flavor. Ben and I were both thoroughly impressed with this cigar. We feel that this cigar is well worth the $10 price point it had upon release, and even feel that $11 or $12 per cigar would have been appropriate.
where to find: Private collectors, cigar forums, and possible Summer 2011 re-release
expect to pay: $10-20
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