I tried the Honey and Hand Grenades Rapier by Viaje yesterday. The cigar's red foil outter wrapper stood out on the shelf, and I love to try new things, so I gave it a shot. I'm certainly glad that I did.
Viaje is Spanish for journey and this company's journey is certainly worth noting. They make small batch botique cigars. The Honey and Hand Grenade line is produced in boxes of 25, with only 3,000 boxes of each produced for a total of 75,000 cigars. Their goal is to increase quality and demand by limiting the amount produced.
The cigar I tried was the Rapier (61/2x44) a beautiful vitola (reverse torpedo) that is wrapped in a medium brown criollo wrapper. The wrapper, like the filler and binder, are from Nicaragua. The prelight smell yeilded a spicy aroma. The wrapper had few veins present and I couldn't find any construction issues. It was sealed with a triple cap that had a pinhole in it. Overall I was very satisfied with the construction.
The first draw was a bit firm due to the pointed foot of the cigar. Had I trimmed it a bit the draw might had been more even and once the cigar got going a bit it opened up just fine. The flavor was medium in strength with hints of spice and pepper. Rich tobacco was present in every puff and smoke hung in the air after I exhaled. The first few puffs left me intrigued and looking forward to what was yet to come.
The burn was slow, and very even. I have heard that others had to correct their burn or had found construction issues, but thankfully, I had neither problem. The burn produces a light gray ash which hangs on forever. I have included pictures so that you can see just how impressive the ash is. There was no flaking.
The initial third continued the spice and pepper flavours, along with the richness I mentioned earlier. It didnt take long to realize that this cigar was something special, and I found myself hoping that I wouldn't be let down later into the experience. I wasn't. I should also add at this point that I have been asked a few times whether this cigar has been infused with honey, it has not. Enough said.
Midway the flavours changed. The pepper faded, allowing sweetness and cedar to come through. It was the type of flavor that makes one want to kick back and savor the moment over a brandy or rum. I found this part of the cigar to be relaxing and most enjoyable.
The final portion brought back the spice I mentioned earlier in spades. The sweetness faded and the pepper returned. The richness never left this cigar, and the flavours have to be experienced to be appreciated. I smoked it down to the last inch, when it became to hot to handle, and sadly I set it in the ashtray to die. I immediately wanted more.
This cigar was really enjoyable,and given the limited quantities it is produced in I recommend that you pick some up soon. They are exactly what their name implies, honey and a hand grenade. Quality and flavor, construction and taste. This is a wonderful cigar, and I look forward to hearing more from Viaje in the future.
Construction. 4.5/5
Draw. 4.5/5
Ash/Burn. 4.75/5
Flavor. 4.75/5
Smoke. 4.5/5
Value. 4.75/5
Overall. 4.7/5
No comments:
Post a Comment