Pre-light Experience

The Viaje Exclusivo Reserva Robusto has a great looking wrapper and it has this beautiful Colorado coloring to it. There is some faded brown with red clay and it is a consistent color throughout. There are some medium sized veins present on the wrapper and you can see what the leaf looked like, and that is always cool. The cigar is finished with a great triple cap and the cigar has a nice firmness throughout. The wrapper is giving off a nice manure aroma, and it has some damp wood and leather qualities also. The foot is closed, so I am getting that same aroma on the foot.

First Third

The first third opens up with some great flavors and I pick up black currant notes with stone fruit qualities on top of that. There is plenty of heavy spice notes with that, but it is not overly peppery but showing some more Asian spice qualities with touches of cinnamon and anise. There is a lot of leather with that and the finish is meaty with strong tobacco and rich earth notes. It has a great flavor profile and it is complex with a lot of depth. So far, the cigar has an amazing start. I would classify the strength as being at a medium-full level and the body is right there at a solid full. It is full flavored and this is a cigar for a passionate and experienced cigar smoker.

Second Third

As I enter into the second third of the cigar, I find that the Reserva shows some transitioning from the first third. There are few signs of stone fruit flavors present but it is focused more on the Asian spice qualities with a lot more pepper present. It is pairing with those core leather and rich earth flavors from before, meaty qualities also and the finish has a touch of coffee beans and chocolate. The increase in spice and pepper has been a nice change and as I said before, this is a cigar for a seasoned smoker. I would classify the strength as being closer to full in this third and it is almost in line with that of the body. The flavors are still full as well and I am enjoying every minute of this cigar. It is delivering quality Nicaraguan tobacco flavors and I am nothing short of impressed.

Final Third

I am in the final third now and I find that it is a combination of the first and second third. The stone fruit and currant flavors return and they return with those strong pepper notes. There are still those core leather, rich earth and coffee bean flavors present as well, and the cigar encompasses so much. It really captures so many great qualities and they are qualities you find in a great cigar, not a good cigar. Like before, I would classify the cigar as being on the full side of the spectrum for body and strength, and it is full flavored as well. The cigar has a beautiful finish that is cool and flavorful, and this is a special cigar.

Burn

From beginning to end the cigar needed no touch-ups. It smoked well and while the burn line was not always perfect or razor sharp, it never presented any problems. It corrected itself which allowed me to enjoy the cigar without concerns. The ash held on firmly throughout, and it was a solid dark charcoal colored ash. The expected coloring you would find with a Viaje.

Draw

I always prefer a cigar that has a slightly tighter draw. I think it helps in concentrating the flavors and it slows down the cigar smoker. This cigar had those qualities and that resulted in a great smoking experience from start to finish. The draw slowed me down which got me to focus on all of the flavors being produced. It also resulted in a cooler and longer smoke time.

Overall

I have always enjoyed the Viaje Exclusivo line. I think it is one of the most consistent and best lines from Viaje and it is a terrific Nicaraguan puro. The flavors presented are always stellar and the cigars smoke great young and even better with age. He has truly expanded the line, making it more mainstream, but at the same time not sacrificing anything that he has had with the Exclusivo name. I think the Exclusivo Reserva is one of the best Exclusivo offerings I have had and I love the line when pressed. Pressing the cigar makes such a difference, and I would love to see the Leaded pressed, since I am talking about it. A box worthy cigar, if you find them, do not hesitate in purchasing.

Seth Geise

SCORE

9.53

Cost/Point

$1.00

Scoring System