Viaje Zombie Super Shot (2014)

In late April of 2011, Viaje released a completely new brand at events that took place at Tobacco Grove and BURN, both in Minnesota, on consecutive nights. The Zombie was first offered in a 4 3/4 x 52 robusto with a totally closed foot and cap. Only 100 boxes of 25 were released to be sold at both stores, with each box retailing for $210.

While another regular Zombie release followed the next year, 2012 also saw the introduction of a combination of two Viaje releases, the Super Shot and Zombie, which formed the Zombie Super Shot. At 3 1/2 x 52 and sans band, the release was more akin to the Super Shot line.

The backstory in Farkas’ blends has become quite a bit more convoluted as the years have progressed. First came the WMD — i.e. nuclear bombs —, then came the Zombie, the name of which Farkas said “…comes from people’s transformation into Zombies after being exposed to radiation from the WMD release.”

The next release was the Zombie Super Shot, which presumably is a weapon used against the Zombies. Finally, the soon to be released Zombie Antidote will presumably be what cures those same people that turned into Zombies back into humans again.

Like the 2012 release, the 2013 version of the Zombie Super Shot is a 3 /12 x 54 petit robusto gordo, limited to 10,000 total cigars retailing for $7 each. Rolled at Raíces Cubanas, the blend is said to be the same as well: a Nicaraguan criollo ‘98 wrapper including tobacco from Nicaragua used in the binder and filler.

Including the soon to be released Zombie Antidote, there will soon be nine different Zombie 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 — Unreleased*

*Not pictured.

In addition, there have also been nine releases in the Super Shot line.

• Cigar Reviewed: Viaje Zombie Super Shot (2014)
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo ‘98
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: 3 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Petit Robusto
• MSRP: $7.00 (Box of 25, $175.00)
• Date Released: April 14, 2014
• Number of Cigars Released: 400 Boxes of 25 Cigars (10,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 3

The dark chocolate brown wrapper covering the Viaje Zombie Super Shot is noticeably dry with quite a bit of tooth to it, but no oil is present at all. Like all of the Super Shot releases, there is no band to be seen, but it does have a covered foot. The cold draw brings strong notes of barnyard, leather, cedar and black pepper.

The Viaje Zombie Super Shot starts out with some of the same flavors as the cold draw: gritty earth, leather and a strong black pepper on the retrohale. However, there are other notes interspersed as well, namely dark chocolate, black licorice and cedar, as well as a fairly distinct maple sweetness that comes and goes throughout the first third. The finish noticeably dry and tastes predominately of leather and generic sweetness. The smoke production is slightly above average for this size of cigar and the draw is just a bit on the loose side, but still well within normal limits while the burn is decent buy wavy so far. Strength-wise, the Zombie Super Shot ends the first third already in the solid medium range, and does seem to be getting stronger as it burns down.

Coming into the second third of the Zombie Super Shot, the maple sweetness that was mostly in the background in the first third has really been bumped up a notch, moving it to one of the dominant notes along with leather, earth and dark chocolate. While the smoke production has increased by leaps and bounds, I can feel the cigar getting a bit hot every time I puff on it, and I am really hoping it does not become a problem as I get closer to the end. Construction-wise, the draw is still a bit loose for my taste, but the burn has really evened up nicely, almost razor sharp for most of the second third. As expected, the strength continues to increase, but not as fast as I anticipated, and it barely goes over the medium mark by the end of the second third.

 

The overall strength really ramps up in the final third of the Zombie Super Shot, and while the profile seems to lose some of the sweetness that was present in the middle third, it gains quite a bit of earthiness as well. Other flavors of creamy leather, cocoa, espresso, peanuts and cedar flow in and out, but none come close to becoming strong enough to be dominant. While the draw is still a little loose for my tastes, the burn remains excellent, and the smoke production continues to flow out like a house on fire. There is a big jump in the strength, and it ends the cigar firmly in the medium full category. The nub gets a little hot at the end, and I have to put it down with about two-thirds of an inch left.

Final Notes

• The backstory on the Zombie releases seems to be getting a bit overwhelming, and I am not sure where he can go with it after the Zombie Antidote is released.
• As is the norm with Viaje, the Zombie Super Shot shipped with two other releases: the Exclusivo Corona Gorda and the Trifecta.
• Interestingly, on all three samples I tried, the cigar became quite hot when I smoked too fast, but never became overly bitter flavor-wise. With this release, you will know when to slow down.
• The finish was quite good, a combination of creamy leather and sweetness that lingered on the palate, but it was extremely dry as well, almost to the point of being distracting.
• The maple sweetness is definitely strongest in the middle third, but is present throughout the smoke in various amounts.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• The final smoking time for all three samples averaged a fairly slow one hour and 20 minutes.
• Site sponsor Atlantic Cigar has singles of the Zombie Super Shot in stock here.