News: Viaje Friends and Family Le Joueur Ships to Retailers
Viaje’s ultra-secretive Friends and Family is being released to the public for the third time, and this time something has changed. The most recent release of Friends and Family is called “Le Joueur” and listed at 5 x 52. Ever since its first public showing at ICPPR 2011, and subsequent shipments in February and December of last year, the cigar was a 7 x 48 Churchill labeled “Cadeau.”
As noted early today by CigarBrief, retailers have been invoiced for a shipment that includes the second release of Honey & Hand Grenades, the third release of WLP St. Patrick’s and a new Friends and Family.
Viaje has yet to return comment on the new release, which is not shocking given in the past it has refused to acknowledge anything other than the cigar’s existence. Le Joueur is French for the player, whereas cadeau translates into gift. Invoices have the cigar listed with an MSRP of $217.50 per box of 15, or $14.50 per cigar, a slight decrease over the original Churchill’s $15.00 plus asking price.
Most interesting, is that at least one retailer was invoiced for more Friends and Family Le Joueurs than the other two releases, a change from Viaje’s prior restrictions of a single box per retailer.
Ned -
Something you have to keep in mind is that smaller cigars burn hotter because most cigar smokers take the same kind of draw regardless of what size they are smoking, and with less surface area to spread that heat over, smaller ring gauges end up burning anywhere between 12-18 degrees warmer than their larger counterparts.
I encourage you to try another of those Illusione cigars but concentrate on taking smaller, slower draws and letting it rest a bit between puffs and see what kind of experience you have with it. I'd be intrigued to hear your results.
Patrick
Speaking of small cigars, yesterday I smoked the illusione 68. It had a really good effect on my mood. However, it burned way too hot. I can't stand the overhot taste Of badly burning tobacco. One cigar that does not have that problem is the Aquitaine Knuckle dragger. while the burnline on the aquitaine Leaves a lot to be desired, it's very difficult to smoke it too hot.
Aside from the vega fina master 2012, the other this is a man's man's man's world cigar is the quesada Seleccione Espana. The latter is the more complete package though. Speaking of which, often times when I finish a cigar it just ends, without any sense of completion. However, one small cigar that gives a sense of completion, is the Garmirian 15th anniversary petite Bombone I can't really say that for any other small cigar, not even the tatuaje petite Cazador, Which is like the platinum standard.
I smoked this back to back with a vega fina master 2012 and all I can say is, wow, what a lesson. I really learned a lot from the contrast. The Farkas cigar shows him to be a real confectioner. The grupo de maestros blend is super adult, I can see why it might be popular in Spain. The master 2012 is Like the James Brown song, it's a man's, man's, man's world.
Okay, today I must fall on my sword. I made an experiment and smoked a cigar that was right next to the family and friends in my humidor. Same problem with burn. Obviously the problem is the humidor and not the construction of this cigar. My bad. If the cigar had continued the way was going, I can well see how it was given the high score. Incredible billowy smoke. Very sweet and tangy. An excellent non-Cuban. Absolutely packed with first rate tobacco. The thing weighs a ton. And the perfect amount of draw. I could weep that I ruined it with bad humidification.
Okay, I just smoked one of these cigars. I have to give it a failing grade of 50. That is, the first half of the cigar was pure delight. Incredibly sweet and tasty. But then the whole thing broke down. The burn was appalling. I tried fixing it every which way with my lighter. The center just wouldn't burn. It kept going out. It kept smoking too hot. It was a Disaster. With friends and family like these, who needs enemies
more yawn.....