Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo ‘98
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 54 Perfecto
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $17.00
Date Released: August 2023

My cigars received 3 months of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
“The three versions—Silver, Gold and Black—all feature a Criollo ’98 wrapper from Nicaragua’s Jalapa region, and are all composed of only Nicaraguan tobacco grown by Aganorsa Leaf, which produces the cigars for Viaje as well. Farkas says that the three blends are distinctly different, but they’re on the fuller side of the strength scale. Each cigar is identical in size, a perfecto measuring 6 inches long by 54 ring gauge. Each 6 x 54 Perfecto blend features a Criollo98 wrapper from Jalapa. All cigars were allowed to age eight months after rolling was completed.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
Allowing the rolled cigars to rest for 8 months helped a very good blend become superb. But you can age a bad cigar forever and it won’t change poor blending.

My soundtrack this morning is Led Zeppelin. I worked at the first Licorice Pizza record store in Long Beach California as a teen. A customer wanted to hear something from their debut album. The owner, Jim Greenwood, told me to drop the needle on “Ramble On.” I vetoed that and played “Moby Dick.” When the kid left, Greenwood lit into me for usurping his command. The rest of my shift was spent sulking and eating all of the free licorice. Until I worked at Licorice Pizza, I had no idea that licorice was a laxative.

The draw is spectacular. My PerfecDraw is distracted as it whittles a likeness of me in balsa wood with a dull knife.

The cigar shines with immediate flavors. But differs with notes of graham cracker, creaminess, black pepper, cinnamon, and espresso.

Fully charged with the necessary richness found so rarely this early in any cigar.
In my college music appreciation course, I got extra credit for bringing my bass guitar in and showing the class some shit. I wrote the notes of “Whole Lotta Love” on the chalkboard. And then jammed away. I also wrote the notes for the bassline of Sonny & Cher’s “The Beat Goes On.” That was a mistake. But I was taking lessons at the time from Wrecking Crew bassist Carol Kaye who wrote that riff during that recording session.

Very slow burn. Money well spent. If this was a dog turd, I’d be kvelling.

Big smoke output. See video.

Same leaf stats as the Black. Totally different experience from my mouth’s perspective. Try saying ‘mouth’s.’ It is almost impossible to say. I must be having a stroke.

Construction is monumental. The burn is archetypal. Or as Bill Clinton would say, “Clean that off your dress.”

Strength wastes no time to hit medium/full. A roller coaster of discovery awaits.
I watched a 2023 music video of Robert Plant doing “Stairway to Heaven” with some English blokes. His voice is gone. Time to pack it in and rest on his laurels. Oh shit. He is only a year older than me. Gulp.

The universe hums with likelihoods. Every moment counts. So do words.

Fucking great cigar, so far. Another marvel of what a Nic puro can taste like in the right hands. This line may just be Farkas’s crowning achievement…so far.

Working blue is good…in the short term.

I’m smoking a Cinnabon.

Complexity was born the moment I put cigar to lips. Richness followed like a lemming deemed dullard by the rest of the class. Again, limited flavor points like yesterday, but density and simplicity are wondrous.

I’d buy more but I still haven’t paid my sponsors for being sponsors this month.

2” burned. 40 minutes. Same as it ever was.

Same shape. Same leaf stats. Different cigar totally, dudes. Like wow, Moon Doggies.
I used the Hippie slang word, “boss” once in 1967. My friends took turns slapping me, so I stopped.

The Black Limited Part II never veered from its core flavor points. Same goes for the Gold Part II. Conjoined in theory but blended with different mindset. How’d he do that. Dunno.

I will review the third and last blend, Silver, on Monday. Can’t wait. Imagine the horseshit I’m going to write. I’m a horseshit kind of guy.

Farkas concentrated on making individual masterpieces. Some of the industry reviewers will give these cigars a hearty hale and good cheer 89.

Flavors don’t expand. They dig deeper as the cigar reaches plutonium compactness.

I was only 15 the first time I went to Europe. Grandpa was banging two women on the tour. I learned how to kiss a girl. Copped my first feel.

Creaminess gains a vanilla momentum. All I think about is slurping a milkshake. Where is Thrifty Drug Store when you need it.

Strength is full on. 3” burned. 75 minutes. Plotz with me.

The balance of sweet v. savory is spot on. Couldn’t be done better. How did he do that.

The spiciness is slightly smaller than the Black Limited. The strength is the same. I don’t care…I’ve lived a fruitful life. So far.

Malt enters. Big fat malt. Think lager. Think Saturday matinee. Think 12th bottle of Blatz.

“Kashmir.” Now we’re talking.

Two weeks at Covent Garden prior to the tour. Zero rehearsal accomplished. Nothing but socializing. They couldn’t stand each other. I was on my own. I did meet Big Brother and the Holding Company’s bassist. I thought he was there to replace me. Later, I wish he had.

Farkas is a monster. Bow down. I will. I need help to get back up.

My psychotherapist said there is nothing she can do. I nodded.

A major sweet spot. Didn’t see this coming. My palate is enveloped in thickness. Fatitude.

Chandler Bing is being referred to as the first of the cast to croak. Gunther died two years ago from cancer. And Chandler OD’d. I know things…

For the Eddie Munster music video, we borrowed John Travolta’s Trans Am from George Barris. He wouldn’t let any of us drive. Besides, none of us knew how to fishtail on command.

For the new year, my sponsors are going to provide all new katman specials.

Construction is the immaculate conception. The burn is clean and holy.

Time to remove the band. I struggle. Don’t know why I am writing like this.

A simple whoosh and the stick is devoid of its paper ad.

Flavors begin to pile. There are pungent notes of root beer, creaminess, graham cracker, vanilla pudding, black pepper, cinnamon, caramel, and a Soupy Sales banana. There might be some wood. I lick my belt to confirm I taste leather.

The Gold Part II is every bit as good as the Black Limited part II. But completely different. 2 hours plus.

Get out your wallet. Tell your wife the levee broke.

You can purchase a variety of Viaje Anniversary blends from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. 10% off with promo code katman.

*The best part, in September 2025, is that the cigars now have 2 years of box aging.

RATING: 97

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: andre farkas, cigar reviews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, katman, Katman Rekap ~ Viaje Anniversary 15th Anniversary Gold Pt. II (2023) | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, phil kohn, viaje cigars