Viaje Announces New Batch of Birthday Blend and Debut of Phat Scotch Bonnet (Update)
Viaje took to social media on Monday to announce the upcoming shipment of two cigars, the Phat Scotch Bonnet and Birthday Blend.
The Viaje Phat Scotch Bonnet is part of the company’s Pepper Series, a collection of cigars named for various types of peppers including Jalapeño and Carolina Reaper. The Scotch Bonnet debuted in 2019 in a 4 7/8 x 50 perfecto that came with its upper half wrapped in gold foil paper. Neither the blend, the factory producing it, nor pricing were disclosed, but the first release was priced at $8.56 per cigar.
Now, the Scotch Bonnet joins the Phat Pepper Series, meaning it will be a 5 13/16 x 55 perfecto. Not only is this a larger version, it is also the first release of the cigar since its debut. It will come in boxes of 25 cigars.
As for the Birthday Blend, the company said that this year’s edition comes in a 45-count box, adding with “one for good luck” and noting that the extra stick “is clad in gold and features a San Andres Maduro wrapper.” The line debuted in 2016 and all of the cigars to date have been released in a 6 x 52 torpedo vitola, a shape selected because it resembles a lit candle that would be found on a birthday cake.
In 2022, Viaje released two versions of its Birthday Blend, one being the “regular” version that used a Nicaraguan criollo 98 wrapper, and another called the Birthday Blend Gold, which used a San Andrés maduro wrapper. Both cigars used a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The line debuted in 2016.
Both the Scotch Bonnet and Birthday Blend will begin shipping to retailers on May 22.
A company spokesperson declined to provide any details about the cigars, but said additional information may be announced via comments on the company’s social media posts.
Correction (May 18, 2023) — The original version of this article indicated it was the original size of the Scotch Bonnet that was shipping, when it is the larger Phat Scotch Bonnet. We have updated the article and regret the error.
Update (May 23, 2023) — According to invoices sent out by the company, the Birthday Blend 2023 contains 46 cigars per box, with boxes priced at $518, meaning individual cigars are priced at approximately $11.26. The Phat Scotch Bonnet is priced at $236 per box of 25 cigars, which works out to $9.44 per cigar. Additionally, “preferred retailers” were sent a single box of the regular sized Scotch Bonnet, which is priced at $214 for a box of 25 cigars, or $8.56 per cigar.
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
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