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I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been disappointed with the quality and inconsistency of Viaje's releases over the past year. The consensus -- including retailers -- is that he has virtually no quality control, his cigars are overpriced compared to the competition, and there is a sameness to the different cigars that is troubling.

That said...I'm really curious to taste the 5th anniversary and Honey grenades (or whatever the fuck stupid-ass name he came up with). I hope they're a return to form, but Andre's had so many misses lately that even if they are, that doesn't mean his next batch will be.

These just came out and I've got some of each on order. Wondering if anybody here has smoked them...and if so would love to hear your comments. (Or your thoughts on the issues of quality, value and consistency.)

Well I pretty much stay away from all NCs these days but when I was in the HTF chasing game I tried several Viajes. I never recall any QC issues, however I never found a single one that I was impressed with the flavors. Now I have not tried all of the stuff they produced, so it isn't fair for me to bash them but the price & rarity vs reward made me give up hope on this brand. I have heard great things about a couple Viajes I never got around to trying though.

[size=13pt]YURDZ !!![/size]

I think the new releases are the "Honey and Hand Grenades" and the "5th Anniversary Collector Series".  My guess is both will be subpar, and the colelctors series stick is jsut an Oro blend cigar in a fancy box from what I have read and it just ahppens to be the 5th anniversary....so may as well come out with an limited edition low volume stick to pump up the hype.

Viaje is almost completely off my radar though... their overpriced releases have all been misses since early last year, and aside from lacking originality in name and design and marketing, the cigars just weren't that good.  Stuff from late 2010 and early 2011 was good, IMHO, but the 2nd S&B releases were not great, adn the 2011 TNT, C4, and VOR/VPR releases were not as good as prior years.  I gave Viaje a fair chance and tried everything, by either buyign a 5 pack or a box, and I gave them a solid year to work out their bugs... it did not happen.  The Friends and Family did it in for me.  $19 bucks a stick for 2 severely underfilled cigars that coiuld have been robusto length if rolled properly.  That stick was the very last straw.  Since smoking that one, i have liquidated all of my Viajes, selling most for 2-3, even $5 under MSRP.  I have a few left, and I actually smoked my last VOR#5 from 2010 (#2 CA cigar of the year)...and liked it alot.  The problem is that stuff will never be replicated, and none of Andres sticks age well in my opinion.

I am done with Viaje completely, and even if they do make something stellar again, their business model and the way they go about things doesn't seem to allow them to ever replicate a great release.

In the words of GMAN..."YURDZ" which I guess is a combination of TURDZ and YURZ...  :rotf:

[quote author=tksamtec link=topic=15407.msg76216#msg76216 date=1347041730]
I think the new releases are the "Honey and Hand Grenades" and the "5th Anniversary Collector Series".  My guess is both will be subpar, and the colelctors series stick is jsut an Oro blend cigar in a fancy box from what I have read and it just ahppens to be the 5th anniversary....so may as well come out with an limited edition low volume stick to pump up the hype.

Viaje is almost completely off my radar though... their overpriced releases have all been misses since early last year, and aside from lacking originality in name and design and marketing, the cigars just weren't that good.  Stuff from late 2010 and early 2011 was good, IMHO, but the 2nd S&B releases were not great, adn the 2011 TNT, C4, and VOR/VPR releases were not as good as prior years.  I gave Viaje a fair chance and tried everything, by either buyign a 5 pack or a box, and I gave them a solid year to work out their bugs... it did not happen.  The Friends and Family did it in for me.  $19 bucks a stick for 2 severely underfilled cigars that coiuld have been robusto length if rolled properly.  That stick was the very last straw.  Since smoking that one, i have liquidated all of my Viajes, selling most for 2-3, even $5 under MSRP.  I have a few left, and I actually smoked my last VOR#5 from 2010 (#2 CA cigar of the year)...and liked it alot.  The problem is that stuff will never be replicated, and none of Andres sticks age well in my opinion.

I am done with Viaje completely, and even if they do make something stellar again, their business model and the way they go about things doesn't seem to allow them to ever replicate a great release.

In the words of GMAN..."YURDZ" which I guess is a combination of TURDZ and YURZ...  :rotf:
[/quote]

Interesting comments, I have actually heard from several people that more recent viaje sticks improve with age. As for the two new le sticks now out I have heard mixed reviews of the HHG, and the 5th is very young and not close to being ready to be smoked.  I have not had them personally but as was said above most of the time I am unimpressed with the blends, although I had a vor#6 that was pretty decent recently.

@tksamtec

I agree with everything you said except for the aging part. Some of the '10 and '11s are smoking nicely. But I didn't get raped for 19 bucks on an underfilled dog rocket. Sure hope the 5th is ready so smoke ROTT. we shall see...

[quote author=chemforever link=topic=15407.msg76222#msg76222 date=1347048347]
Interesting comments, I have actually heard from several people that more recent viaje sticks improve with age. [/quote]

If they are recent sticks, how could anyone know they improve with age?

[quote author=jimbobber link=topic=15407.msg76230#msg76230 date=1347060864]
If they are recent sticks, how could anyone know they improve with age?
[/quote]

Most of his cigars haven't improved with age, IMHO, except for the 50/50 Reds and the Samarai Maduros (which are only a year old at this point anyway). 

I've yet to smoke anything I'd rebuy with one exception. I've tried pretty much everything, other then the VOR5...and they all blew IMO. The super shot I love though and wish I got my hands on more when I could. For $6, it's a great stick. Everything else over $10, no way...too many ISOM and other fine smokes from padron, Liga, fuente, curivari, kelner, etc... I'm surprised they stay in business with such a subpar product. To me it's not such much subjective taste, as it is poor construction and blends

[quote author=jimbobber link=topic=15407.msg76230#msg76230 date=1347060864]
If they are recent sticks, how could anyone know they improve with age?
[/quote]

touche, just what I heard, I guess age may be an ambiguous term. Maybe a few months rest would be more accurate but I suppose dry boxing could produce the same effect in providing a better draw. The few I have smoked have had some draw problems, specifically the s&b series.  Better from a draw standpoint allows me to pick up more flavor but in that short time I'm sure the actual profile doesn't change much.