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 has 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 torpedo vitola—a shape selected to evoke thoughts of a candle.
Based on an internet search this is the blend:
Wrapper Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder / Filler Nicaragua / Nicaragua
This year’s edition comes in a 45-count box, adding with “one for good luck” and noting that the extra stick “is clad in gold and features a San Andres Maduro wrapper.”
I have reviewed several years of the Birthday Blend.
2017: 91
2019: 91
2020: 90.33
2022: 86.67
The cigar is light brown and has an average feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were cedar, citrus, brown sugar, and leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice start.
At the first third (36 minutes) cinnamon notes emerged. The other notes are about like the started. The cigar is medium to ful bodied. The finish is leather with light lingering black pepper. The black pepper on the front end is much better. I rated the first third 92.
As I moved through the second third (1 hour 10 minutes) the cigar is trying to hang in there. The leather is up and there's a lot of earthiness. But the citrus and brown sugar notes are still pretty nice. The cigar us full bodied. The finish is leather with good lingering black pepper. The cigar lost a little with the increased leather and entrance of earthiness. I rated the second third 90.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 37 minutes. I went very slow to get the best notes I could. The cigar improved some in the citrus and brown sugar category. Not to the point of the first third but better than the second third. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is leather with very good lingering black pepper. With the increase of citrus and brown sugar I raised the score to 91. This year's version is light years better than last years.
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