Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time 648 (6 x 48)

 

 

 

 

 

Video review HERE.

 

Just prior to the 2013 IPCPR Viaje announced it's latest installment in the Late Harvest line, the Late Harvest Hang Time. It features the same blend as the core Late Harvest line, but with a wrapper from a higher priming.  I recently had an opportunity to smoke the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time. The Hang Time uses a higher priming, meaning the leaf spends even more time on the stalk - resulting in a more intense smoking experience.

 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

LH550: 5 x 50
LH648: 6 x 48 (reviewed today)

The cigar is a very dark brown and has a nice feel in the hand. The cap is finished with a pigtail...

 

And the foot has a nice looking density.

The test draw after clipping the pigtail was slightly firm but very workable. The initial flavors were lots of coffee notes which could be called espresso, earth, sweet cedar and orange citrus notes. There are also some hints of nutmeg. The pepper is rated at an 8 and it's a red pepper. The predominant flavor is a dark coffee  note. I went back and forth between black coffee and espresso; it's that close. The earth notes are a close second followed by the sweet cedar/citrus combination.


About 3/4 inch in the cigar settled down slightly different from my initial assessment. There are still heavy coffee notes that I would definitely call black coffee. The earth  has decreased a little. The cedar is very sweet with some richness but the citrus notes and nutmeg notes have gone away. Perhaps they will come back. The pepper is about the same. The finish is a straight sweet cream with some lingering pepper. The cigar is medium bodied at this point.



A couple inches in the nutmeg notes are back. The cedar is very sweet with a nice amount of richness. The coffee and earth notes are a little subdued. Now the first thing you notice is the sweet cedar and nutmeg with the richness. Then you get the coffee and earth notes. The finish has changed to a sweet, creamy caramel. The cigar is still medium bodied with hints of moving to medium to full bodied.






With about 2 1/2 inches remaining the nutmeg notes have really moved forward. They have some nice sweetness and richness which is probably coming from the subdued cedar notes. The coffee notes are subdued also but noticeable. There are now also some dry charred oak notes. The earth notes are very much decreased. The finish is about the same and very nice. The cigar could be called medium to full bodied now but it's a stretch.



At the end there were some charred dry oak notes that were very noticeable. The cigar reverted back to a sweet cedar with some richness and the nutmeg decreased. The coffee notes were still there in a limited roll. The pepper remained very good throughout. The finish had some of the charred oak notes mixing fairly well with the creamy caramel. I found this to be another very good Viaje cigar. Look for them on shelves now.

Score: 92