If there was ever a surprising Viaje release, it was Super Shot. Debuting first in the Super Shot 10 Gauge, then a smaller 12 Gauge version and coming back this year in the form of Zombie Super Shot, the small line delivered. It wasn’t perfect out of the box, but it had a lot worth nothing.

Here’s what I said a little over a year ago:

Full? Yes. Flavorful? Yes. Complex? Ehh. The Viaje Super Shot 10 Gauge is one of the better Viajes I’ve smoked in the past year or so, particularly out of the box, but it fails to compare to some of the more storied Viaje releases. It reminds me a bit of the original Skull and Bones Daisy Cutter, but it just doesn’t have the complexity flavor-wise. This is a stark contrast to the body, which is truly one of the more unique full plus creations on the market, not just from Viaje. However, the ultimate problem with Super Shot 10 is that half of the people reading this review will be sick before they finish a Super Shot 10, and to a large degree that is a problem. Still, I enjoyed it, and will probably pick up a dozen or so more to keep around.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Viaje Super Shot 10 Gauge
  • Country of Origin: Honduras
  • Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L. (Raíces Cubanas)
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 3 1/2 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 54
  • Vitola: NUb
  • MSRP: $6.40 (Boxes of 25, $185.00)
  • Date Released: February 23, 2012
  • Number of Cigars Released: 300 Boxes of 25 Cigars (7,500 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

A year later and the Super Shot doesn’t look a whole lot different, maybe a bit less oils, but other than that not much has changed. The aroma has definitely lost a lot without cellophane, leaving faint hints of barnyard and cedar. Fortunately, the cold draw still delivers with the Viaje providing some nuttiness and a touch of dry pepper over some earthy tobacco notes. 

Once the Super Shot 10 Gauge is lit up, a sweet nuts and cocoa fill the mouth while barnyard notes enter the air. It’s a great start and amazing to see how much the cigar has changed in the past year. It’s significantly more medium with less unrestrained power and more finesse. The dry pepper note remains throughout the cigar and amplifies via layers, it’s still the dominating note, but it’s controlled. Towards the end, a cedar returns—getting close—but never overtaking the pepper.

Viaje Super Shot 10 Gauge

I don’t have any major qualms with construction, but it definitely could be improved. The draw is a bit open, while smoke production is below average, never problematic, but definitely not a shining moment. Elsewhere, the burn requires some touching-up, nothing serious, but also not perfect. Strength-wise, it’s medium with touches of medium-full, a significantly different profile—particularly when paired with the change in flavor—than that of when the Super Shot debuted.

91 Overall Score

If you have one lying around, smoke it. It's been a while since a cigar that was already good to begin with got this much better. It's not one of Farkas' five best, but the improvement was shockingly good to me. So many times with Viaje it's the same old story, fortunately, the Super Shot tells one a bit different.

Original Score (March 2012)
87
Redux Score (April 2013)
91
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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.