Back on Episode 192 of Stogie Geeks, Viaje Cigars’ President Andre Farkas broke news on the Viaje Birthday Blend – a cigar designed to be Farkas’ own birthday celebratory cigar. The cigar made its debut at the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show.

The cigar features a 6 x 52 belicoso with a San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar is produced out of the TABSA factory with a total allocation of 300 boxes produced.  The cigar is packaged in 38 count boxes with a total allocation of 300 boxes. Farkas had stated on Stogie Geeks the plan was to increase the box count by one with each subsequent year – analogous to candles on a birthday cake.

The Viaje Birthday Blend was also shipped with Viaje White Label packaging because the final packaging wasn’t ready.

A recent court ruling on labeling and packaging filed by three large tobacco companies against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can have an impact on this project. The good news it appears that Viaje will be able to change the white label packaging as the court has said a label change does not constitute a product change and thus does not require FDA approval. On the other hand, the court ruling said a box count change does constitute new product, so it is unclear if Viaje will implement changing the box counts.

At a glance, here is a look at the Viaje Birthday Blend:

Blend Profile

Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacos Valle de Jalapa – TABSA)

Vitolas Available

The Viaje Birthday Blend is available in one size -a 6 x 52 Belicoso

Photo Credit: Cigar Coop