Wrapper: Mexican San Andres

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitola: Toro (6 x 54)

Purchase Link: Viaje Circa 45 Reserva

Pictured is the Reserva No. 1 (5 x 52)

VIAJE CIRCA 45 RESERVA REVIEW – CALIFORNIA

Summary:  This cigar kicks off with leather and pepper--the latter bringing some serious spice to the retrohale.  Earth and floral notes work their way in.  Was a new pontiff elected?  Because the smoke output on this thing is prodigious.  Seriously.  I'm getting a kink in my neck from turning sideways like I'm swimming freestyle just to breathe some fresh oxygen.  

The pepper has dissipated, leaving me with a leather bomb (so a Hail Mary in football?).  Brown sugar and coffee start turning around this cigar for me in the second half.  Decent.

If You Like That, You Might Like This:  Belt buckles.

Pairing Suggestion: Rum.

Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Fiver.

VIAJE CIRCA 45 RESERVA REVIEW – WISCONSIN

Summary:  This cigar brought flavors of dark chocolate, earth, clove, black pepper, caramel, hay, grass, and espresso. I found that it dried out my mouth and was somewhat harsh on the back of my throat.

The construction gave no real problems. It didn't always burn quite evenly, but it corrected itself each time it got out of whack.

If You Like That, You Might Like This: Dry spices.

Pairing Suggestion: Rum.

Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Single.

VIAJE CIRCA 45 RESERVA REVIEW – OREGON

Summary:  This cigar... is gonna take a minute. It has a dark, mottled wrapper.  Not a lot from the wrapper for scent.  Raisins, black tea and rich tobacco notes from the foot.  

Starting off with oak, charred pork, tobacco, black pepper and some bitter chocolate.  The retro hale is nice.  A creamier mix of chocolate ad tobacco with a strong black tea finish.

Middle.  Just a hint of mineral in the profile, but a nicely balanced mix of charred meat, leather, coffee, raisin and salted nuts.

More mineral notes in the last section are beginning to overpower the other flavors. Lots of salted nut flavor with basic tobacco flavors and some earth notes.  Basic.  That’s the description.  The first two thirds were very good with the end falling flat.  Also, this size of cigar isn’t my jam, but maybe it’s yours.

If You Like That, You Might Like This: A three-day weekend, with rain on the last day.

Pairing Suggestion: Irish ale.

Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: 5-pack.

Participants in this blind review were completely unaware of the cigar they were evaluating until all submissions were received and processed. Each participant was asked to answer a summary paragraph, an if/than statement, a pairing suggestion, and a purchase suggestion. Cigars were provided by Small Batch with only the expectations of candid responses. All pictures, information, and formatting were completed by a Coordinator outside of the reviewing process. 

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