In May of 2010, Viaje cigars released their first in what would eventually become an almost comically large number of Skull and Bones cigars. Named after a popular bomb that was retired in 2008, the Daisy Cutter was one of the cigars, along with the original release Exclusivo Robustos and the original release Holiday Blend that really put Viaje on the map.

Here is what I said in my original review of the Daisy Cutter back in May of 2010:

This cigar is a perfect example of how great quality tobacco can enhance a smoke. You can taste the quality in every puff, and while the cigar is not the most complex in the world, the flavors that are present are so velvety smooth and refined, it is hard to find fault with it, add the great burn and draw, and this ended up being an incredibly pleasing smoke. This is definitely the best (and strongest) Viaje I have smoked, and while I wish the pepper had stayed on a bit longer, that is a fairly minor quibble in the grand scheme of things. It was a really great cigar.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Viaje Skull and Bones White Daisy Cutter
  • Country of Origin: Honduras
  • Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Sun Grown Criollo)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Length: 4 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 54
  • Vitola: Petite Robusto
  • MSRP: $9 (Box of 25, $225)
  • Release Date: May 2010
  • Number of Cigars Released: 150 Boxes of 25 Cigars (3,750 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

The Viaje Skull and Bones Daisy Cutter is a rustic-looking cigar with a dark espresso slightly reddish-brown wrapper that is toothy without being rough, and still has a bit of oil present. It is hard when squeezed, but not enough to worry me, and it looks well constructed. The Nicaraguan wrapper smells very strongly of tobacco, black coffee, pepper and a bit of leather.

The Daisy Cutter starts out strong with flavors of slightly bitter espresso, dark chocolate, leather, cedar and black pepper on the retrohale. There is just a tiny amount of spice that comes and goes, but it is not enough to make a huge difference on the profile. There is very little sweetness noticeable, but some creaminess present that shows up for short periods throughout the smoke. The second half retains much of the same profile, although I notice a fleeting flavor of a cinnamon note towards the end.

Viaje Skull and Bones Daisy Cutter

Construction is excellent overall with a wonderful burn and ideal resistance for the draw. In fact, the only problem I have with the construction is that the cigar burned a bit hot at the end, forcing me to put it down before I want to—but probably after I should have anyway. Strength starts at a solid medium and ends the cigar at a strong medium. The final smoking time is right at one hour and 10 minutes.

90 Overall Score

There is a reason the Daisy Cutter is one of the cigars that put Viaje on the map. Dark, rich flavors that combine excellently with the pepper that is present to produce an extremely balanced cigar. While this is still a very good cigar after two years, the main changes in the two versions are quite noticeable: there is very little sweetness left in the profile and the overall strength has obviously toned down. Having said that, these are still easily the best Skull and Bones to date and they also remain among the very best that Viaje has ever released.

Original Score (May 2010)
91
Redux Score (August 2012)
90
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Brooks Whittington

I have worn many hats in my life up to this point: I started out as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, then transitioned to photographing weddings—both internationally and in the U.S.—for more than a decade. After realizing that there was a need for a cigar website containing better photographs and more in-depth information about each release, I founded my first cigar blog, SmokingStogie, in 2008. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars, and it was one of the predecessors to halfwheel, which I co-founded.