Video review HERE.
(Description taken from halfwheel.com website)
The Viaje Birthday Blend celebrates company founder Andre Farkas’s birthday on June 6. The Viaje Birthday Blend debuted in 2016 as part of the company’s White Label Project (WLP), though it quickly moved to its own line with dedicated branding the following year.
It also last appeared in 2020 with an undisclosed blend, but the 2019 version used a Nicaraguan criollo 98 wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It’s a blend that has evolved over time, having started with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper before moving to the Nicaraguan leaf in 2017. While Viaje isn’t disclosing blend details, it has confirmed that it is returns in a 6 x 52 belicoso vitola—a shape selected to evoke thoughts of a candle—that is priced at $11.30 per cigar.
Based on an internet search this is the blend:
Wrapper Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder / Filler Nicaragua / Nicaragua
The cigar also comes in a limited edition called Birthday Blend Gold which uses a maduro Nicaraguan wrapper which will be reviewed at a later date.
The cigar is nice looking and well made. It has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was a little firm. I used the PerfecDraw tool top open the draw. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, cinnamon, dry nutmeg, and leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. There seems to be hints of toffee but only hints. I want to see if they develop.
At the first third (29 minutes) the flavors have shifted. There is more citrus peel than citrus, quite a bit of nutmeg, brown sugar, light cinnamon, and plenty of leather. The notes have changed but not for the better. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is leather with average lingering black pepper. I rated the first third 91 but that score is lower than what I would have put it at the light up.
Moving through the second third (1 hour 7 minutes) the citrus peel and leather said "hold my beer". These two went crazy along with earthiness and bitterness. There is a flash of citrus at the outset but it quickly gets overtaken by the citrus peel, earthiness, bitterness, and leather. It gets wiped out quickly. The finish has hints of citrus peel and a lot of leather with average lingering black pepper. The cigar is leaning toward medium to full bodied. The cigar took a big step downward. I rated the second third 87.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 41 minutes. I went very slowly to give the cigar every chance possible to deliver. It did not. In the final third I had no citrus, hints of brown sugar, citrus peel, and leather with earthiness and bitterness. The finish is citrus peel and leather with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied. I assume Andre likes this cigar since it's his birthday blend but it's definitely not for me. The cigar went downhill from the light up. I rated the final third 82. I had high hopes for this cigar thinking "this is the year. This will be the year the Birthday Blend is good". Sadly, it was not.
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