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| SC: | How long has Viaje Cigars been in business or been involved in the cigar industry? |
| AF: | Viaje was conceived about two years ago. Viaje Cigar Co. opened its doors June 2007. |
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| SC: | What inspired you to create your own brand of cigars? |
| AF: | In the many years I had been in the cigar business, I had always wanted a cigar to call my own. I wanted a cigar that embodied my idea of what a cigar should look and taste like. |
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| SC: | What is the blend of the cigars and where are they rolled? |
| AF: | Viaje Oro is a Nicaraguan Puro rolled in the Tabacos Puros de Nicaragua factory. The cigar is medium to full body. |
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| SC: | What are some of the future plans for your brand, anything on the horizon like a stronger, more mild or limited release cigar? |
| AF: | We have in the works Viaje Plata, which will be a medium bodied smoke. Its make up will be revealed upon its release. |
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| SC: | What is the current production level of the Viaje Oro? |
| AF: | Viaje is a boutique cigar company. Although demand is making it hard to stay small, we are doing our best. Our goal is to keep the quality and consistency as high as possible. We pride ourselves on quality not quantity. 2008 production will be around 40,000 cigars. |
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| SC: | What trends do you see developing in the cigar industry? |
| AF: | I see many cigar makers creating new niches in the industry. For example, Camacho’s Triple Maduro or more recently, the new Nub from Oliva. I love the creativity. We are only limited by our minds. I like to see cigar makers exploring new ways of creating a cigar. |
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| SC: | What is your favorite size cigar? |
| AF: | I love the elegance of a Lonsdale. Thinner, longer cigars such as the Lonsdale and Lancero have been getting more attention recently. I have plans to add it to my current line. It has a wonderful feel and has tons of flavor packed into a small ring gauge. |
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| SC: | With the limited production of the cigars, how many retailers do anticipate? |
| AF: | I’m really not sure. I will never allow the demand for Viaje to influence the quality of our cigars. Even now, due to demand, we have had to institute a waiting list for retailers who want to carry the line. I have seen many companies produce far too many cigars which led to poor quality. This will never be the case for Viaje. |
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| SC: | What was the single biggest challenge in the creation of the cigar or brand? |
| AF: | The formulation of the blend took a very long time. I really knew what I wanted when I set out to create Viaje, so there were many tweaks until the final blend was reached. Nothing good comes from rushing, so I really took my time until I felt it was perfect. |
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| SC: | Full cut, V-cut or punch? |
| AF: | Full cut |
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| SC: | Favorite snack and drink while smoking a cigar? |
| AF: | You will never find me eating while I smoke a cigar. In my opinion, smoking a cigar is something that is meant to be savored. Food only masks the complexity of a fine cigar. I will however have a drink with my cigar. You might find me with a glass of aged port or possibly rum. It just depends on the mood. |
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