Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the 2021 Edition of the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time in the LH 550 (Robusto) size. This is a cigar previously assessed back in August 2013.

Wrapper: Not Disclosed
Binder: Not Disclosed
Filler: Not Disclosed
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacs Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA)
LH 550: 5 x 50

At the end of 2021, Viaje announced a return of a couple of small batch released cigars that had not been seen in eight years – the Viaje Late Harvest and the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time. Late Harvest draws its inspiration from the wine industry – specifically for those wines where the grapes remain on the vine longer. This results in a more intense, sweeter version of the grape used for wine. The Viaje Late Harvest borrows from the concept, building a blend from picking the leaves from the primings that have been on the plant the longest. Hang Time refers to the length of time the grapes remain on the vine. In the case of the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time, Viaje owner Andre Farkas said the wrapper used is from even higher priming – which results in an even more intense smoking experience. Viaje Late Harvest was introduced in 2011, but the Late Harvest Hang Time made its debut in 2013 and neither the Late Harvest or Late Harvest Hang Time had not been released again until 2021.

When Viaje Late Harvest and Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time was introduced in 2013, they were both described as Nicaraguan puros. The blend specifics of the 2021 versions were not specifically disclosed but because these cigars come from the TABSA factory, it is safe to assume the 2021 editions use analogous blend components, but for official purposes, we are listing them as Not Disclosed. The Late Harvest Hang Time LH 550 is one of two sizes measuring 5 x 50. The other size was the LH 648 (6 x 48).

The Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time LH 550 started out with a blast of mixed pepper. The pepper receded and gave way to notes of coffee, natural tobacco, earth, and grass notes. The coffee notes became primary with the natural tobacco, earth, grass, and pepper notes going to the background. There was an additional layer of white pepper on the retro-hale. By the second third, the earth and grass notes moved into the forefront and the coffee moved into the background. As the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time entered the final third, there was an increase in the pepper. This continued into the final third where the pepper closed in on the earth and grass in the forefront.

The Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time LH 550 lives up as advertised when it came to boldness. The flavors were medium to full-bodied, countered by medium to full strength. Both the strength and body balanced each other nicely. As for the burn, it was excellent, requiring minimal touch-ups. The draw had a touch of resistance on it making it ideal.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The 2021 edition of the Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time LH 550 had a fantastic start in the first third, but then the cigar turned rather ordinary and uneventful. The resulting score for this cigar was a respectable 88, but the problem is that this cigar scored high early on, and benefited from an excellent burn and draw. In the end, there simply was not enough on the final two-thirds to say I should recommend this cigar. However, if you can find one, this is the perfect “Try a Sample” category to see if this cigar is in your wheelhouse.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Natural Tobacco, Grass, Earth, Mixed Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Very Good