Viaje Plata Lancero

A year ago, if you had told me that we would see the release of the Viaje Trifecta, I would have been a bit surprised. Given how things in the cigar business generally work, I had assumed that Trifecta would not be released, particularly not in the manner that was intended.

Trifecta’s history traces back to 2011 when some retailers began to talk about a project regarding Viaje’s lanceros. At the time, the company had one lancero release on the market in its Platino blend. The plan was to do three new lanceros: one in Oro, which Andre Farkas confirmed, presumably Exclusivo and another blend. Farkas also told me that he was considering making the release in a humidor at the time.

Later that year, the company released the Exclusivo Lancero to Atlantic Cigar Co. and shortly thereafter the company began to indicate that the project’s status was becoming murkier and it seemed like the project was put on the indefinite back burner.

Turns out, Andre Farkas was still working on it. Late last year, he revealed that Trifecta would be a 2014 release and the 30-count boxes shipped last month with 10 cigars of three different blends. Since 2011, the company has removed Oro and Platino as regular production items and the Platino Lancero is much more challenging to find.

Trifecta, which is limited to 200 boxes, contains 7 1/2 x 40 Lanceros in Oro and Platino blends, as well as Plata, a new blend created at Casa Fernández Miami, the first time Farkas has used that factory. The factory, which is related to Aganorsa and TABSA, which should not surpass anyone that Plata is a Nicaraguan-puro with Aganorsa tobacco.

With the release of the Oro and Plata, there are now four 7 1/2 x 40 Viajes.

• Viaje Platino Lancero (7 1/2 x 40) — Regular Production & 200 Boxes of 10 Cigars (200 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Oro Lancero (7 1/2 x 40) — 200 Boxes of 10 Cigars (200 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Exclusivo Lancero (7 1/2 x 40) — 150 Boxes of 25 Cigars (3,750 Total Cigars) & 96 Boxes of 25 Cigars (2,400 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Plata Lancero (7 1/2 x 40) — 200 Boxes of 10 Cigars (200 Total Cigars) 

• Cigar Reviewed: Viaje Plata Lancero
• Country of Origin: USA
• Factory: Casa Fernández Miami
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: 7 1/2Inches
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Vitola: Lancero
• MSRP: $10.00 (Boxes of 30, $300.00)
• Date Released: April 18, 2014
• Number of Cigars Released: 200 Boxes of 10 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 3

Plata is arguably the lightest of the Trifectas, but unless you are looking at them in a box with the cigars side-by-side, you are likely not to notice this. What’s striking is the reflectiveness of the band and foot band, which honestly looks like foil. Notes of sweet cocoa with touches of sourness scream that this cigar features an AGANORSA wrapper, which should not be shocking given this is made at Casa Fernández Miami. From the foot, it’s a similar story with a bit of Worcestershire sauce in the mix. The cold draw once again features cocoa, but there’s also a sugary twang and some nuts.

It starts the first third dominated by some burnt earth and cedar. There’s a lot of spice on the gone and through the nose, somewhat constrained. A sweet core is at the front of the Viaje Plata with cedar and nuts around it and a potato chip flavor on the finish. Pepper is present, but barely. Construction is very good, occasionally getting over an inch of ash before unpredictably falling. The Plata Lancero burns cool and even.

A gingerbread creeps into the profile with the cedar sticking around and grassiness coming to play. There’s still a noticeable lack of cocoa and pepper, two things I oftentimes find in Viajes. Smoke production is becoming somewhat erratic, although the rest of the construction remains fine. The Plata is still medium-plus, easily the lightest of the Viaje lanceros I’ve smoked to date.

Unfortunately, the final third does not hold up all the way through. At the two inch mark the cigar begins to fade, which is not something that I necessarily appreciate. The notes become harder to discern from one another and the cigar begins to lose its complexity. A salmon note emerges on two of the samples, it’s something I find every once in a while. A new caramel note also shows its face, but it’s relatively mild and short-lived, although present in all three samples.

Final Notes

• Plata means silver. Oro means gold and platino is platinum. Bronze is bronce in case you were wondering. 
• The Exclusivo, Plata and Platino all use some sort of silver/platinum band. Telling them apart might be a bit challenging, but the bands are all different.
• Exclusivo features black lettering and a black Viaje logo.
• Plata uses material that is akin to foil.
• Platino has green lettering, but does not look like it was printed on foil.
• Ultimately, the cigar starts medium and ends medium-full, I would describe it largely as medium-plus, fairly light as far as Viajes go.
• Trifecta shipped alongside Exclusivo Corona Gorda, another cigar Viaje once kept it much more limited form, and Zombie Super Shot.
• Construction was great. Good smoke production, easy burn and an enjoyable draw.
• If I had to guess, I would suspect that we see more Viajes made at Casa Fernández Miami.
• This is the third factory Viaje has used. It is noted for what it makes at Raíces Cubanas, but the company’s first cigars were actually made at Joya de Nicaragua.
• Cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was one hour and 45 minutes.