Viaje Brings Back TNT, C-4, Roman Candle for 4th of July, Adds Flashing Thunder

Viaje has announced that it will have a quartet of cigars arriving on store shelves in the coming weeks as it prepares to celebrate the 4th of July holiday.

Headlining the group is a new cigar called Flashing Thunder, a  6 1/2 x 52 toro extra that uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper atop a Nicaraguan binder and filler. While a Flashing Thunder is a type of Roman Candle firework that packs a notably loud bang, it is not related blend-wise to a cigar by that name that’s also getting a new version this year.

The Viaje Roman Candle is a 9 x 50 giant robusto that debuted in 2012 with subsequent releases in 2014, 2017 and 2019. The cigar debuted as a Nicaraguan puro, but the company has not disclosed its blend in some time. What it has said is that this year’s installment received a year-and-a-half of aging in the box before being released, which the company said was to help it achieve a more harmonious balance of flavors.  The cigars appear to return in the same 15-count boxes that bear the word Fireworks on the lid.

The Viaje C-4 and TNT, both of which have been around for more than a decade, also return, both using what the company described as a “rare Nicaraguan corojo 99 maduro” wrapper leaf. The TNT is a toro extra that measured 6 1/2 x 56 in its most recent vitola, while the C-4 is a 5 x 56 box-pressed robusto gordo. Both cigars are known for being capped at both ends. Both of the 2023 versions appear to be offered in the same 75-count boxes used by previous installments.

The TNT was one of Viaje’s earliest cigars created in celebration of Independence Day, debuting in 2010 and getting follow-ups in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021, when it went to a 6 1/2 x 56 vitola after being a 6 1/4 x 54. The C-4 debuted in 2011, and getting subsequent releases in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019, while the 2021 version received a Collector’s Edition designation as it was offered in a 5 1/2 x 58 robusto gordo as a one-time release.

The company has not yet announced pricing, but did say that the cigars are set to begin shipping on June 19th.

Update (June 23, 2023) — Pricing of the cigars has been obtained by halfwheel, it is as follows:

• Viaje TNT — $11.44 (Box of 75, $858)
• Viaje C-4 — $11.44 (Box of 75, $858)
• Viaje Roman Candle — $14 (Box of 15, $210)
• Viaje Flashing Thunder — $11.57 (Box of 60, $694)

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.