Vijae Private Bale Bird on a Branch is probably my second Viaje in 15 years. Before I moved to Miami, I only knew one store that carried the brand and that was Smoke Inn in NYC at the time. Since then I have never seen Viaje in a retail cigar shop. The Andre Farkas owned cigar company simply lacks the physical foot print and I have been in over 100 cigar shops in my lift.
I once asked a retailer why they didn’t carry Viaje and he stated that it stemmed from their business model a long time ago when they got away from regular production cigars and were only doing limited editions. According to the unnamed retailer (he was in the southern part of the US), by the time the next limited edition came out I was stuck with the old one and if that cigar sucked it would go into my discount bin just to break even if he was lucky.
As far as today’s cigar according to their Facebook page, “You never know when or where inspiration will strike. In the case of Private Bale, a simple drawing set the course for what would be an eight-year journey from start to finish. The tobacco selection process is different for this project. First, only the oldest tobaccos are chosen, but bales aren’t simply selected. Each Bale is pulled apart and inspected for quality. Leaves that don’t meet the criteria for Private Bale are set aside. This is a rigorous process, but necessary to produce a blend of superior quality. Once production has ended each cigar rests for nearly 9 months before review and packaging can begin. Private Bale’s anatomy is extremely complex, comprised of our best Nicaraguan secos, visos and ligeros grown in Esteli and Jalapa. Surrounding these aged fillers are two Corojo99 binders from Jalapa. Finishing the cigar, we selected a very special Habano cover leaf from Ecuador, chosen for its complex flavor and rich color. Two shapes were rolled for the project’s debut which best showcase the intent of the blend. Pajaro 6” X 50 and Pajarito 5” X 52. It is said that art is in the eye of the beholder.”
Cigar Review: Davidoff Grand Cru
Size: 5 x 43 (No. 3 / Corona)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Dual Nicaraguan (Corojo ’99 from Jalapa x2)
Fillers: Nicaragua (Esteli & Jalapa)
Factory: Aganorsa
Release Date: August 2024
Box Count: 34
The Cigar: Packaging overkill is the first thing that comes to mind with the cigar being covered in wax paper south of the band, and gold foil at the top of the band. You can still see some of the gold foil in the picture because I wanted to keep the band on for the pictures. The reddish brown Ecuador Habano wrapper has some brindling ito it and a nice amount of oils. In the hand the cigar is firm and well balanced with no voids of tobacco and a hefty weight.
The Taste: The cold draw of the Viaje is loaded with spice consisting of cayenne pepper, red pepper and a subtle sweetness in the for of molasses. The foot of the cigar is definitely sweeter with an abundance of raisins and a subtle cocoa with some sneeze inducing red pepper. I can already tell this could be one of the strongest cigars I have smoked without even lighting it up.
Once the courage is gained we toast and light the cigar, we are met with high hear like you would get from a barrel proof bourbon. Once you adapt the cigar has an abundance of red pepper, cinnamon and wood notes. The retrohale is pure fire in terms of heat and I am fairly confident that Andre Farkas must be really into spicy food. As the first third comes to a close some subtle raisin sweetness begins to emerge.
Moving into the second third the nicotine level begins to ramp up. Notes of cayenne pepper, red pepper and leather notes dominate the palate with the occasional sweetness to provide some contrast. Around the halfway point, the aroma of the cigar is spicy which is only intensified on the retrohale of the cigar which also sees some cedar added.
The final third of the Private Bale sees some nuttiness added to the mix on both the front end and back end of the cigar which still has a lot of red pepper and cayenne pepper. There are also notes of leather, rye and earth mixed in. The retrohale is not for the weak as it loaded with pepper causing my eyes to water and sneeze.
Conclusion: I’ve always associated Viaje with being strong cigars. Some of which are just too strong to be enjoyed. But I will say they it has been a long time since I smoked one so thing might have changed. The Viaje Private Bale however does nothing to change my opinion in terms of strength but it is balanced with some nice nuances of flavors. It did leave me jittery but wanting more. I’m definitely going to have to revisit the brand. If you like strong cigars, this one is right up your alley
Score: 91
Price: $13.25 (Before any local or state taxes)
You can find this cigar at Small Batch Cigar which has a big selection of Viaje Cigars on their website. Just remember to use the coupon code BARRELBURNER and save 10%. You must be logged into their site for the code to work.
