Viaje Zombie Biohazard Green

Less than two months after releasing four new cigars in its Zombie lineup, Viaje Cigars shipped two additional releases that had never been seen before: the Zombie Biohazard Red and Zombie Biohazard Green.

As the names indicate, there are two different blends, with the Biohazard Red incorporating a Nicaraguan maduro wrapper while the Biohazard Green is covered in a Nicaraguan criollo leaf. While both cigars measure 5 x 52 and are based off of the regular Zombie blend, the newest incarnations are the first releases in the five-year old line to be box-pressed. Both versions of the new release are packaged in 20-count boxes, with each cigar carrying a retail price of $11.50 regardless of wrapper.

In addition, only two retailers in the county were chosen to receive the new Biohazards: College Station, Texas-based Cavalier Cigar Co. and the two JR Cigar locations in New Jersey. Cavalier was sent 24 boxes of each blend, while JR Cigar told halfwheel they were sent 25 boxes of each.

With the addition of the two new Biohazards, Viaje’s Zombie line now encompasses 19 different releases.

• Viaje Zombie (4 3/4 x 52) — April 2011 — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie (2012) (4 5/8 x 52) — May 2012 — 150 Boxes of 20 Cigars (3,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Super Shot  (3 1/2 x 54) — May 2013 — 400 Boxes of 25 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Black Box (5 x 52) — May 2013 — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Natural Box (5 x 52) — May 2013 — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Green (5 x 52) — April 2014 — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Red (5 x 52) — April 2014 — 100 Boxes of 20 Cigars (2,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Super Shot (3 1/2 x 54) — April 2014 — 400 Boxes of 25 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Antidote (6 1/4 x 44) — 500 Jars of 24 Cigars (12,000 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Green (2015) (5 x 52) — April 2015 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Red (2015) (5 x 52) — April 2015 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Super Shot (2015) (3 1/2 x 54) — April 2015 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Antidote (2015) (6 1/4 x 44) — April 2015 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Green (2016) (5 x 52) — March 2016 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Red (2016) (5 x 52) — March 2016 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Super Shot (2016) (3 1/2 x 54) — March 2016 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Antidote (2016) (6 1/4 x 44) — March 2016 — n/a
• Viaje Zombie Biohazard Green (2016) (5 x 52) — May 2016 — 49 Boxes of 20 (980 Total Cigars)
• Viaje Zombie Biohazard Red (2016) (5 x 52) — May 2016 — 49 Boxes of 20 (980 Total Cigars)

• Cigar Reviewed: Viaje Zombie Biohazard Green
• Country of Origin: n/a
• Factory: n/a
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo
• Binder: n/a
• Filler: n/a
• Length: 5 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Perfecto
• MSRP: 11.50 (Boxes of 20, $230)
• Release Date: March 21, 2016
• Number of Cigars Released: 49 Boxes of 20 Cigars (980 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The Viaje Zombie Biohazard Green is covered in a dark espresso brown wrapper that is silky smooth to the touch and exhibits a touch of oil. In addition, there are multiple vines running up and down the length and the cigar features a very obvious box-press as well as a covered foot. Aroma from the wrapper is a combination of sweet oak, creamy leather, manure, fresh ground coffee and pepper, while the cold draw brings flavors of aromatic cedar, sweet citrus, leather, earth and black pepper.

Starting out, the Biohazard Green features some of the same flavors found in the cold draw, including sweet cedar, earth, leather and green peppers, as well as a significant amount of black pepper on the palate. I am noticing some maple sweetness on the retrohale, as well as some spice on my tounge. After a straight cut, the draw is fairly tight for the first ten puffs or so, which is not unusual in a cigar with a closed foot, but opens up nicely after that, and the burn is giving me no issues at all so far. The smoke production is about average off of the foot, while the strenth is well integrated but fails to hit the medium mark by the end of the first third.

The second third of the Viaje Zombie Biohazard Green is similar to the first, with the same earth, sweet cedar, green peppers and black pepper, but the profile has added a bit of a creamy almond note that is noticeable on the finish, as well as some hay that comes through on the retrohale. The maple sweetness is still very much present, but the spice that was so prevalent in the first third is completely gone by the halfway point. Construction-wise, both the burn and draw continue to impress, while the smoke production remains about the same. The overall strength has increased noticeably, and easily reaches the medium mark by the time the second third comes to a close.

The profile mellows out a bit in the final third of the Biohazard Green, but still retains some nice flavors, including a dominant earth and almond combination, followed by notes of hay, leather, dark chocolate, espresso beans and a touch of meatiness. The maple sweetness that has helped the profile is still very present on the retrohale, but the black pepper level has been reduced about about half compared to the first two thirds. While the draw remains excellent, the burn begins to waver, and I touch it up a few times to make sure it does not get any worse. Strength-wise, the Biohazard Green does reach a point just above the medium mark, but continues to hover there until I put the nub down with a little less than an inch to go.

Final Notes

• I have been critical of the construction in a number of Viaje’s releases in the past, but I have to give credit where it is due: all three samples of the Zombie Biohazard Green I smoked featured both an excellent draw and a burn that gave me almost no issues at all.
• As we have mentioned in the past, the Zombie series came out of one of Viaje’s earlier releases, the Skull and Bones series, which are sometimes named after bombs. Supposedly, the story is that once the bombs drop, the radiation from the explosions cause people to turn into zombies. If you are wondering, this is always where the Zombie Antidote releases factor into the series.
• The while the final third of the cigar was not as good as the first two thirds in each sample, it was still decent enough to not bring the entire profile down.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• The final smoking time for all three samples averaged one hour and 30 minutes.
• Both Cavalier Cigar Co. and JR Cigar are sold out of the Zombie Biohazards.