Vitola: Corona Gorda?
Size: 4.5″ x 48 ring gauge
Price ~$7
Obtained From SmallBatchCigar.com as a review sample
Background
Today will be the second in my series on the Viaje Chicharrones cigars. The Original blend review can be found here. Today I’ll be taking a look at the Bold blend. From what I can tell the binder and filler are the same Aganorsa leaf tobaccos, only the wrapper is different. The wrapper on the Bold is a maduro, I’m guessing from Nicaragua. This was the second one I was able to smoke.
Prelight
The wrapper is a nice dark chocolate brown in color with some darker mottling to it. The wrapper also showed a good amount of oils along with some tooth to it as well. When I gave it a squeeze it had a slight amount of give without any soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I detected barnyard with leather and nuts from the foot. The filler definitely smelled different than the Original blend. I don’t know if is just that it is a different cigar or if they used different fillers in each blend. After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got a good draw with some nutty flavor.
Flavor
Like almost all Viaje cigars I’ve had this one started off with a fairly intense blast of red pepper spice on the tongue and retrohale. After a few puffs I started to get the flavors of coffee and leather. Towards the end of the first third I started to get some wood and cinnamon flavors as well. The cigar was definitely medium-full strength to start. When I got into the second third the spice had definitely toned down with flavors of grilled meat, coffee, leather, and earth with a sweet finish coming through. Even though the spice toned down it was still a medium-full strength cigar. As I got into the final third the flavors changed slightly to cocoa, grilled meat, earth and coffee with a slightly sweet finish. The spice did start to come back, but it wasn’t as strong as the first third. The cigar definitely built to full strength by the end.
Construction
The cigar was a little bit reluctant to burn at the beginning and I think that created a slightly wavy burn line. I had a perfect draw throughout. I think that the Chicharrones line has been the most consistent in regards to good construction of all of the other Viaje lines I’ve tried.
Value
As with the Original, a $7 is a great price for this cigar.
Conclusions
When I had the first one of these it was after my first one of the Original blend and I was a bit underwhelmed. However when I smoked this one as my first cigar of the day I can definitely say I was impressed with it. I definitely liked the darker, sweeter and earthier flavors that this blend brought out. I’ll wait to see how I like the Spicy blend to figure out how many more of each blend I want to pick up. If you want to try this blend SmallBatchCigar.com still has them in stock.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
So what was it rated?
Thanks for catching that. I’ve fixed it.
Sounds good. Maybe with a sweeter drink for pairing.
A hidden gem!
With that flavor profile and price point… I’m in!!
This smoke might just work, maybe a little strong for me, will have to see.
This looks like a dare to me, will give it a try when I have the chance
Bold they say. Hmmm. Must try !
This sounds pretty good, nice price, and you say Viaje construction issues don’t apply, I need to grab a couple of these.
Both of these are great, but I actually like this one better than the original.
I’m not too familiar with Viaje lines (it seems like there are a million of them) but this one sounds really good size and flavor wise.
Heard a lot of good and a lot of bad forvthese. Worth a try !