Double Torpedo, 5.75" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $12, Burns
Seems like every time you turn around there are a bunch of new "limited" release from Viaje. Not that they are alone in this practice, but they are one of the most prolific. The longer it goes on, though, it seems like many of these limited releases are variations on themes of previous limited releases. To date, I know of three different Skull and Bones releases, counting black and red versions, and from what I hear both will be released again before the year is out. Summerfest and Holiday Blend have shown up at least two years in a row each. And the number 2 cigar of the year from Cigar Aficionado magazine has been re-released in a different size as well. This particular stick is not that cigar, but it is a "sister" cigar of sorts. Both the #2 cigar and this one are based on regular releases of Viaje...the Platino and Oro. All tobacco is Nicaraguan from Aganorsa and they are made the famed Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras.
First things first...this Platino Reserva looks absolutely fantastic. The "double-edged sword" vitola with finished torpedo tips on both ends was cool enough, without even considering that the body of the cigar was mildly box-pressed. The wrapper was smooth and oily to the touch and the eye. I got an aroma of sweet tobacco on the wrapper and since it was a pointed end, there was no foot to get an aroma from...until I clipped it, which I would do before attempting to light up. I snipped about a quarter inch from the foot and got a rich chocolatey aroma. I clipped a little more than than from the other end and noticed that the draw was kind of tight, but with a double torpedo that's almost to be expected and would be hard to really tell if it was endemic until I had burned at least half an inch or so. Flavors on the cold draw were typical of those I have gotten from other Viajes in the Platino line: cedar, earth and a little spice.
Was this cigar the hardest to light all year? Possibly. I tried with the original cuts on both ends and got nothing...ran one lighter out of fuel...I recut the head, getting a little better draw, still couldn't get the foot to combust properly. Fearing that I might damage the wrapper with too much super-hot torch use, I went and got a soft flame lighter and was able to finish the job...barely. At this point the cigar was barely going and I got a minuscule amount of smoke from it. It was not until I had burned a quarter inch of the cigar that I got enough smoke to really taste it.
Those first few real puffs were cedary and earthy on the palate with a stinging pepper spice on the nasal passages. It wasn't long before I got some almost bready notes on the tongue and a subtle sweetness crept in. By the time the burn line got past the narrower torpedo end, the draw was just about perfect, producing plenty of smoke, but it is a shame that a $12 cigar causes you to work so hard to enjoy it at the beginning. I would trade cool-looking vitolas for less irritation and more smoking enjoyment any day of the week.
As the second third started I noticed that the body was medium to full and the smoke continued to be plentiful, thick and fairly harsh on the back of the throat. Flavors of cedar and earth continued to dominate for the most part, with a fair amount of spice on the palate although most of the spice on the retrohale had died out.
Heading into the final third I was having draw issues again. Despite having been just about perfect through a third and a half, now I just could not get enough smoke production. On the other hand, the VPR DT was showing just how much nicotine it had, so maybe I really did not need a lot more smoke. The flavor was more or less exactly what you might expect from a regular run Platino, in my opinion: lots of cedar, some earth, some spice...and somehow just not my thing--balanced poorly for my palate, maybe. I vastly prefer the Oro as a regular Viaje smoke and this cigar did nothing to change my mind on that issue. I have to say that if the Platino is your thing, you will probably love this cigar, otherwise, it's an expensive way to spend an hour and a half.
Body: 8/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 7/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 6.5/10
Seems like every time you turn around there are a bunch of new "limited" release from Viaje. Not that they are alone in this practice, but they are one of the most prolific. The longer it goes on, though, it seems like many of these limited releases are variations on themes of previous limited releases. To date, I know of three different Skull and Bones releases, counting black and red versions, and from what I hear both will be released again before the year is out. Summerfest and Holiday Blend have shown up at least two years in a row each. And the number 2 cigar of the year from Cigar Aficionado magazine has been re-released in a different size as well. This particular stick is not that cigar, but it is a "sister" cigar of sorts. Both the #2 cigar and this one are based on regular releases of Viaje...the Platino and Oro. All tobacco is Nicaraguan from Aganorsa and they are made the famed Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras.
First things first...this Platino Reserva looks absolutely fantastic. The "double-edged sword" vitola with finished torpedo tips on both ends was cool enough, without even considering that the body of the cigar was mildly box-pressed. The wrapper was smooth and oily to the touch and the eye. I got an aroma of sweet tobacco on the wrapper and since it was a pointed end, there was no foot to get an aroma from...until I clipped it, which I would do before attempting to light up. I snipped about a quarter inch from the foot and got a rich chocolatey aroma. I clipped a little more than than from the other end and noticed that the draw was kind of tight, but with a double torpedo that's almost to be expected and would be hard to really tell if it was endemic until I had burned at least half an inch or so. Flavors on the cold draw were typical of those I have gotten from other Viajes in the Platino line: cedar, earth and a little spice.
Was this cigar the hardest to light all year? Possibly. I tried with the original cuts on both ends and got nothing...ran one lighter out of fuel...I recut the head, getting a little better draw, still couldn't get the foot to combust properly. Fearing that I might damage the wrapper with too much super-hot torch use, I went and got a soft flame lighter and was able to finish the job...barely. At this point the cigar was barely going and I got a minuscule amount of smoke from it. It was not until I had burned a quarter inch of the cigar that I got enough smoke to really taste it.Those first few real puffs were cedary and earthy on the palate with a stinging pepper spice on the nasal passages. It wasn't long before I got some almost bready notes on the tongue and a subtle sweetness crept in. By the time the burn line got past the narrower torpedo end, the draw was just about perfect, producing plenty of smoke, but it is a shame that a $12 cigar causes you to work so hard to enjoy it at the beginning. I would trade cool-looking vitolas for less irritation and more smoking enjoyment any day of the week.
As the second third started I noticed that the body was medium to full and the smoke continued to be plentiful, thick and fairly harsh on the back of the throat. Flavors of cedar and earth continued to dominate for the most part, with a fair amount of spice on the palate although most of the spice on the retrohale had died out.
Heading into the final third I was having draw issues again. Despite having been just about perfect through a third and a half, now I just could not get enough smoke production. On the other hand, the VPR DT was showing just how much nicotine it had, so maybe I really did not need a lot more smoke. The flavor was more or less exactly what you might expect from a regular run Platino, in my opinion: lots of cedar, some earth, some spice...and somehow just not my thing--balanced poorly for my palate, maybe. I vastly prefer the Oro as a regular Viaje smoke and this cigar did nothing to change my mind on that issue. I have to say that if the Platino is your thing, you will probably love this cigar, otherwise, it's an expensive way to spend an hour and a half.
Body: 8/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 7/10
AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 6.5/10
What makes this one so special? The third band?
ReplyDeleteI want to give these a fair chance but like you reference how many more Edition Limitads can we endure.
Charlie
Charlie, I wish I had a good answer for you. "Not just one, not two, but three, count 'em THREE bands!" This is based on a regular blend, but is apparently NOT the exact same as that blend, but is similar...maybe? The Viaje way of disseminating little information doesn't really help on this. The Oro Reserva Double Torpedo review is posting Thursday, though...much different outcome on that one.
ReplyDelete