Cigar Review: Viaje 5th Anniversary

Blend Profile

As with most Viaje cigars, the Viaje 5th Anniversary is a Nicaraguan puro.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 1/4 x 52 box-pressed perfecto

The cigars are packaged 25 to a box. The box has a white matte gloss finish and features a sliding top.

Appearance

The wrapper of the Viaje 5th Anniversary has a milk chocolate color with a slight red tint. The cigar is box-pressed with a good fill and not spongy. There are some visible wrapper seams and small veins. The wrapper looks dry and not oily.

As with the HHG I used a straight cut. The pre-light draw had some hints of wood, pepper and cedar but it was very light.

Flavor Profile

The start first 1/3 featured the cedar and wood with a hint of pepper. The pepper gave a slight tongue bite that I like. The HHG bite was very strong compared to the 5th. The pepper picked up a little as the smoke progressed but was not at all overpowering. There is a slight floral note with the wood in the front.

The second 3rd still has the wood in the backround and floral notes are more pronounced and there is now a sweet tobacco flavour. The final 3rd is a little more peppery and a nice tongue bite with the wood still in the backround.

Burn and Draw

The burn was cool, straight with no touch-ups needed and the final nub was a little soft but not wet. The cigar produced a grey and black ash that held up well.

Strength and Body

The cigar begins out as medium, strengthens a little in the middle and then medium-full in the final third. The body is in the medium range. I usually consider the taste that is left in the back of my throat and I find it more pronounced with fuller cigars but there was very little with this cigar.

Final Thoughts

The 5th beats the HHG hands down. This cigar is very smokable now but I can see it really improving with some time to rest to let the flavors come together more. My review of the HHG was kind to say the least. I should not have to age a cigar to make it smokable as with the HHG. I felt entirely differently with this one. I could not wait to finish the HHG, this one the exact opposite. I purchased 2 boxes of these at $264.00 and do not regret the purchase as I did with the HHG. On another post this cigar was described as "acrid" but I did not find that to be the case in my opinion. I understand that we all have different tastes and flavour profiles so I only offer my opinion in this regard. This is not a morning cigar, but with a hearty meal and mildly sweet wine or beverage, this is a very good evening cigar.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Very good
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to medium-full
Body: Medium
Finish: Nice

Thanks for the review Zito! not sure how I missed this before.

Looks like they forgot to print the band!

It's blind-embossed (no ink or foil).

Zito, glad you liked it and I hope they are all that way for you. We all have different tastes and it makes no sense for Viaje to put out a bad cigar for their Anniversary.

I have only had the one (and it was definitely acrid to the point of not being able to taste any other flavors) so I guess it could be an anomaly but I won't be buying more. Too many other smokes for $10 that I enjoy.

DED

I understand completely. I bought the box of HHG Shiv's and I felt as you with them as you do with the 5th's. I barely finished the HHG and am in no hurry to smoke another.