Zen & the Art of the Cigar » Tatuaje

Tatuaje Anarchy

sprenj01 — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:35:20 +0000

Size: 6” x 54

Vitola: Perfecto

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Origin: Nicaragua

Age: a week

This is one heck of popular cigar… and it’s not even released yet. The Tatuaje Anarchy is a special Limited Edition cigar that is a collaboration between Pete Johnson, Pepin Garcia and the Abe “Ming” Dababneh at Smoke Inns in the Palm Beach area. It features an all new blend and is one of the most interesting looking cigars I have seen in a long time.

The foot is slightly tapered and the cap looks like a cinnamon bun. Holding it upright, it resembles a baseball bat and sports one of the coolest bands I’ve come across.

The cigar is a rusty dark brown and is firm to the touch. It seems to be exuding oils which always bodes well in the flavor department.

After light, the aroma of the smoke is very strong and makes you dizzy upon inhale. The first half inch is very spicy and peppery, reminding you this is a Pepin/Pete cigar. It immediately backs off on the spice and delivers a nice pleasant leathery, woody flavor with a hint of citrus and licorice on the finish.

There is also a dominant aura of earthiness o the palate that lingers past the halfway point.

The last half has a bit of bittersweet chocolate and leather with a hint of pepper. Very nice!

I’d like to thank the folks at Smoke Inn Cigars for the chance to try such a unique and tasty cigar!

Here’s the link with all of the info.

Rating: 91 (A-)

Filed under: Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Smoke Inn, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Anarchy

Tatuaje Espirit de Verite 2008

sprenj01 — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:46:12 +0000

Size: 5” x 50

Vitola: Robusto

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo

Origin: Nicaraguan, single farm origin

Age: 2 years

I got the chance to smoke the new Espirit de Verite from the crazed mind of Pete Johnson creator of Tatuaje, Cabaiguan and El Triunfador cigars. This project, from what I understand, is a labor of love and something Pete has heavily invested his time in. The idea behind the Verite’s is to create a single cigar from a single vintage crop. The 2008 Vintage is available in either a Churchill (as the Verite) and as a robusto (the Espirit de Verite). All tobacco was harvested from Don Pepin’s farm in Nicaragua.

These cigars are pretty pricey, so I paid extra close attention to the wrapper and construction. The wrapper is exquisite with just the right amount of oil and tooth finished off with a lovely triple cap. It took a cut well and there was ample pre-light draw.

This cigar gave me voluminous smoke and a mustiness that was present from the first exhale. My first impression was that this was different than any other cigar Pete has created. It was very smooth and refined, but still with that telltale Pepin flavor, which is way muted than in other blends.

The mustiness is what some would call “cubanesque” but it’s there along with leather and a nice floral aroma.

The burn was dead even as I smoked it further, the cigar picked up a little in intensity but not much.

It wasn’t terribly complex, but it was absolutely excellent.

For me, I can see many Tat fans coming off a little disappointed in this cigar as it does not have that “oopmph” many have come to love and expect, considering the rather steep price as well. But this is clearly one of the finest smokes Pete has ever made!

Rating: 93 (A)

Filed under: Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Don Pepin Garcia, Espirit de Verite, La Verite, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje

Tatuaje Monster Series The Frank – One Year Later

sprenj01 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:49:41 +0000

Size: 7 5/8″ x 49

Vitola: Double Corona

Wrapper: a frighteningly toothy Connecticut Broadleaf

Origin: Nicaragua

Age: just arose from its coffin

The Frank. You may have heard of it. The Frank (short for Frankenstein’s monster of course) is 1^st of a hopefully long line of Monster Series cigars released by Pete Johnson of Tatuaje fame for Halloween. Thirteen evil cigars are stuffed into a blood-splattered coffin and were distributed to only 13 ghoulish retailers randomly selected from a drawing, 666 terrifying boxes total. Empire Cigars was lucky enough to be one of the thirteen stores selected to carry the Frank.

The Frank is adorned with an eerie green band that separates it from all of the other Tatuaje lines. The Frank is slightly box-pressed (very Frankenstein-y) and is long and big. Pete has revealed (at Brothers of the Leaf) that the Frank is actually a Tatuaje Taino with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

Here’s a picture from last year’s review:

As I write this and smoke another Frank, I am also looking at last year’s review at the same time for comparison.

Looking at last year’s post I say, “Right away the Frank shows me it is truly a monster. I am punched in the face with a strong pepper core. Also present is an underlying sweetness in the aftertaste, which must be due to the CBL wrapper.” A year has definitely made a difference with the pepper factor. That is noticeably gone from my first few puffs of the old Frank.

I go on to describe the burning characteristics, “The ash holds tight and is dark gray and black and holds on for over an inch. The burn is spot-on even.” Not surprisingly, this has not changed in a year. This stick lights easily, takes a flame like it wants to burn and delivers voluptuous plume after plume of smoke. The ash stays on for as long as I felt comfortable having it on.

I go on and about the flavors I taste saying, “… I know this is going to sound pretentious but I can only describe [the flavor] as marzipan, a combination of cream and nutty (almond) flavors. It’s unusual, but good.” I didn’t get a lot of nuttiness this time around. What I got was some orange peel and tea notes, reminiscent of a standard Pepin-made cigar. There is also something there that is a bit surprising. I taste some Ecuadorian Habano type flavors. There is a smooth and subtle earthiness with just a touch of sweetness and leather. Almost makes me think I’m smoking a La Flor for a minute!

I ramble further and add that, “As I smoke the first third of the cigar, I am slightly surprised that there are no cocoa or coffee flavors yet, which I would expect out of a CBL-wrapped cigar.” This has changed, there is definitely some cocoa present in this cigar from the get-go.

I then try to get real creative with my description and ask, “Have you ever tried some of that funky gourmet chocolate, the one with dark chocolate and cayenne peeper, that’s all the rage these days? Or maybe Mexican chocolate? This to me is what I’m getting in the second third of the cigar… with a strong helping of coffee.” Sigh. I hate reading my own “work”. I always find it annoying. Am I reviewing the cigar or reviewing the review of the cigar? To get back on track, there isn’t much pepper still, more of a slight bitterness like a dark or bittersweet chocolate.

I go to describe the second half of the cigar writing that, “Halfway in, the cigar has changed again, the spicy pepper has now moved to the backburner, but you know its still there when you blow the smoke through your nose. Now it’s mostly cocoa powder and coffee with some nuttiness with a little leather that gives it a tannic bite.” Hmm, not a bad sentence or two – whoops, reviewing my writing again. Thankfully that tannic bite isn’t as prevalent as I have not grown fond of that at all, the flavors described above are still present just smoother and more muted.

As I near the home stretch a year ago, I describe the last third of the cigar as a gentle giant saying that it “is a little smoother and a little more refined. But there is more than just cocoa; there is a subtle strength, which lets you know this fellah could open up at any minute.” Don’t get me wrong, this is still a full-bodied cigar, tons of flavor and complexity, it just doesn’t tell you anymore by it’s up front spice – it let’s you feel it.

I conclude my original review by saying that, “I really enjoyed this cigar right down to the end. Pete has provided yet another great cigar (albeit in sadly limited quantities). My only complaint was that every now and then I got just a little bit of youth to the cigar, which will certainly disappear as the cigar ages. I want to wait and smoke the rest, one every subsequent Halloween until I’m out!” Well, one year is through and the youthfulness is gone, but so has some of the “flash and zip”. What I liked about the fresh Frank was the sweet and chocolatey-ness of the Broadleaf wrapper paired against the zippy and peppery blend in the filler. So in a way, the Frank is now lacking a little bit. It will be fun to keep tracking this cigar as the years go by. Until next Halloween!

Rating: 91 (A-)

Posted in Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Don Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Monster Series, Tatuaje The Frank

Tatuaje Monster Series The Drac

sprenj01 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:34:50 +0000

Size: 6 3/4” x 52

Vitola: one bloody sharp Torpedo

Wrapper: a spooky Habano Maduro

Origin: Transylvania via Nicaragua

Age: Centuries, but pulled right outta the coffin!

The most sought out cigar for the Halloween season has risen from it’s coffin and come to terrorize the neighborhood! The Drac, the second in the Tatuaje Monster Series, is a dangerous looking torpedo with an upside down band at the foot – which when flipped over to read the band, the cigar looks like a fang!

As I mentioned this is another limited cigar, with a few more available than last year’s Frank. There are 1300 coffin’s available of 13 cigars each. But these are really hard to find.

As I hold this cigar, I get an ominous feeling that this cigar is going to have a lot of bite!

Its dark Habano wrapper is very nice looking and smooth to the touch, not much tooth on the wrapper.

As I light the cigar, I expect to get a kick of Pepin pepper and spice, but I get a smooth earthiness mixed with leather and tobacco notes.

There is a bit of white pepper in the exhale, but this is definitely smoother than I thought it was going to be.

As I smoke further I begin to get an idea of what this blend is all about. Like the vampire, it lures you in to its lair, and then “Bam!” The flavors really begin to pick up. A little more spiciness, some cayenne mixed with cinnamon, with a nice cocoa aftertaste on the finish.

What is especially strong is the aroma, very peppery and meaty, the burn is almost dead even, and I only need to touch it up once to get to the finally few inches.

The last third comes not out of Transylvania, but Hershey, PA. Milk and dark chocolate fleet in and out as the intensity of the flavors build to a diabolical crescendo.

I liked this cigar, but compared to the Boris, it still fell short for me. There was really nothing specific to complain about, just a preference to the Boris over the Drac. That said, the Drac was still a very good cigar overall.

Rating: 89 (B+)

Posted in Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Don Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Monster Series, The Drac

Tatuaje Monster “Out of Costume” Series Boris

sprenj01 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:20:35 +0000

Size: 7” x 49

Vitola: Churchill

Wrapper: Rosado Ecuadorian Sumatra

Origin: Nicaragua

Age: 2 months

This is a pretty popular cigar right now, it’s also pretty hard to find. This is the first of the Monster “Out-of-Costume” Series from marketing mastermind Pete Johnson of Tatuaje cigars (Havana Cellars). The “Out-of-Costume” (OOC) series concept is to take the last year’s Monster Series cigar, put it in new packaging, sans coffin-shaped box, a name it as the actor who famously played the Monster. So, since last year’s Monster was The Frank (after Frankenstein’s Monster), the first OOC will be called Boris – after Boris Karloff. The Boris cigar is slightly shorter than The Frank, and has a different wrapper. The Frank had a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper; the Boris has an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Of course these are super-duper limited; only 1000 boxes of 10 were made.

As an aside, I’d like to point out what my local owner did with the Monster Series this year. Instead of selling boxes of Boris and Dracs to whom ever showed up first, he broke them up into little samplers, giving many more people an opportunity to try a cool limited cigar. Nice job, Hal!

So due to their limited availability, I could have squirreled it away only to peak at it and giggle with glee, but instead I just smoked it. It is a cigar after all (plus I have a few more).

This was a very dark cigar; I was hard pressed to find any Rosado like shade to it at all. The wrapper was a little “rustic”, good rich color and tooth, but fairly veiny. The cigar gave a little in the middle, which found me hoping it wasn’t under filled and/or would tunnel on me.

The Boris took a light easy and delivered ample smoke in the first few puffs. The burn was nice and slow, so I was able to sit back and enjoy the flavors.

One thing that struck me at first was that there was no Pepin “bite” to the cigar. Most cigars wunderkind Don Pepin Garcia blends have a distinct bite to them. It’s almost like that feeling you get in your mouth when you bite into a tart Granny Smith apple. I’m not a fan at all of this, so it was a pleasant surprise to find it absent.

The first third was full bodied but not overpowering, rich with black coffee, leather, white pepper and a bit of almond on the finish.
Midway though, my fears were realized when the cigar began to tunnel on me. The middle was clearly under filled, so much that I could almost squeeze the cigar completely together. But I labored on and it corrected itself after an inch and a half.

The second half of the cigar was exceptional. After the tunneling was over, the burn corrected itself and the cigar mellowed a bit in oomph but ramped up in flavor. Tons of bittersweet cocoa, espresso and leather exploded across my palate at every puff. The aroma was earthy and meaty, and the finish was very long with licorice abound.

I smoked this one to the nub, savoring every puff. What a great tasting cigar!

So the construction had issues, but the flavor made up for it. This was a better cigar than The Frank by a mile. So if you were lucky enough to get a Boris – find a nice cozy chair on Halloween and smoke it!

Rating: 91 (A-)

Posted in Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Boris cigar, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Boris, Tatuaje Monster Out of Costume Series, Tatuaje Monster Series

Tatuaje Monster Series “The Frank”

sprenj01 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:00:25 +0000

Size: 7 5/8″ x 49

Vitola: Double Corona

Wrapper: a frighteningly toothy Connecticut Broadleaf

Origin: Nicaragua

Age: just arose from its coffin

Now about this wrapper: this has to be the toothiest wrapper I have ever felt and seen. Seriously! It feels like coarse sandpaper! I couldn’t wait to try it!

It’s been a while since I tried the Taino size, so as far as comparing the Frank to the Taino; I am working off memory (a poor one at that), so please bear with me.

Right away the Frank shows me it is truly a monster. I am punched in the face with a strong pepper core. Also present is an underlying sweetness in the aftertaste, which must be due to the CBL wrapper.

I know this cigar is going to be good quality (as Pete says, “I don’t make sh!t cigars!”) and I am rewarded with a nice long finish that has some interesting characteristics to it. I’ll get to those in a second. The ash holds tight and is dark gray and black and holds on for over an inch. The burn is spot-on even.

It took me a while to characterize that “interesting” flavor I mentioned above and I know this is going to sound pretentious but I can only describe it as marzipan, a combination of cream and nutty (almond) flavors. It’s unusual, but good.

As I smoke the first third of the cigar, I am slightly surprised that there are no cocoa or coffee flavors yet, which I would expect out of a CBL-wrapped cigar.

What this cigar really shows me is the effect of the wrapper on the overall flavor of the cigar. It’s really shows how special Pete’s and Pepin’s Corojo ’99 wrapper is (man I hate dangling participles). The Corojo wrapper really helps even out a lot of the pure strength with its earthy and leathery flavors. That seems to “hide” (in a complimentary yet subduing way) some of the outright pepper to the blend. With the CBL wrapper, you have a competition between filler and wrapper. Some puffs I get more pepper, while others I get more sweetness.

Have you ever tried some of that funky gourmet chocolate, the one with dark chocolate and cayenne peeper, that’s all the rage these days? Or maybe Mexican chocolate? This to me is what I’m getting in the second third of the cigar… with a strong helping of coffee.

Halfway in, the cigar has changed again, the spicy pepper has now moved to the backburner, but you know its still there when you blow the smoke through your nose. Now it’s mostly cocoa powder and coffee with some nuttiness with a little leather that gives it a tannic bite.

A third of the way through this now “gentle giant” is a little smoother and a little more refined. But there is more than just cocoa; there is a subtle strength, which lets you know this fellah could open up at any minute.

And if on cue, the last quarter of the smoke really picks up with loads rich spice, leather and licorice.

As I smoke this to the nub, I note that the burn is still even just as the last bit of this cigar envelopes me with flavors of rich chocolate, espresso, and licorice.

I really enjoyed this cigar right down to the end. Pete has provided yet another great cigar (albeit in sadly limited quantities). My only complaint was that every now and then I got just a little bit of youth to the cigar, which will certainly disappear as the cigar ages. I want to wait and smoke the rest, one every subsequent Halloween until I’m out!

Rating: 93 (A)

Posted in Don Pepin, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Don Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Monster Series, The Frank Cigar

El Triunfador Lancero (SEP 08)

sprenj01 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:54:06 +0000

Size: 7 1/2″ x 38

Vitola: Long Panetela

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Origin: USA or Nicaragua

Age: Fresh off the truck (0 months)

Some of you may have heard of this cigar. Those that heven’t, and have been living under a rock, check out this blurb I wrote earlier this week.

This is a very well made cigar, it’s triple cap with a pigtail and easy pre-light draw let me know this cigar was made well (although I will say some others at Empire Cigars that tried it had some construction issues).

With its dark brown rustic looking wrapper and ample ligero visible from the punch hole, it is no surprise this starts off kinda strong and peppery. This is not the good kind of strong. The El Triunfador shows some youth, the strength is probably the presence of some ammonia that gives it a slight metallic taste and sourness in the back of the mouth. This does fade after the first inch and fades away as I smoke it further.

After the cigar gets going, I get a strong tobacco flavor and this lancero has a long finish. There is some earthiness that lingers, but is overwhelmed by the tobacco flavor.

Midway through this long stick, the El Triunfador really mellows out. This is slightly surprising but is kinda neat, as this shows some complexity (which better be present in a 7 1/2″ cigar). There is some nose spice in the exhale, but the tobacco flavor really mellows out and the earthiness comes to the foreground.

This is a fairly strong cigar, but the strength/spice is different than in most Don Pepin/Pete Johnson cigars. Usually I expect an outright Cayenne pepper spiciness and some bitter notes, but this is something different. I’ve been trying to think of a way to describe this, but I am having problems. This strength/spice is similar to what I get from the Tobacos Baez. Its almost a woody spiciness, like a piece of hickory laced with Tobasco. For right now I’ll refer to this as the TBF (Tobacos Baez Factor).

A third of the way through, the cigar really picks up again. I am begining to enjoy this evolving, complex cigar. The tobacco flavor somes back to the front but brings a friend, a nice bit of anise/licorice.

Towards the end this cigar is going full-bore, rich with roasted coffee beans and a dusting of cocoa powder. This is finishing off fantastically!

This cigar may have been rushed to be released, due to some trademark rules, but I think this will be a really good cigar with some age. It’s a solid “B”, but in 6 months or so this could be an “A” cigar for sure!

Rating: 89 (B+)

Posted in Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin, Limited Editions, Tatuaje Tagged: Don Pepin Garcia, El Triunfador, Pete Johnson

La Riqueza No. 2 (AUG 08)

sprenj01 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:36:06 +0000

Size: 5 1/2″ x 52

Vitola: Torpedo

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Origin: Nicaragua

This cigar is made by to very popular men: Pete Johnson of Tatuaje fame and Don Pepin of half of every new cigar that’s come out in the pst two years.

The La Riqueza is a departure for these two collaborator. This is not a typical Tatuaje or Don Pepin cigar.

The dark Broadleaf wrapper is silky to the touch and actually looks a lot less veiny and rough than many other Broadleaf wrapped cigars.

It has a slightly sweet taste with a woody earthy aroma and flavor with dashes of cocoa throughout. It draws very well with ample smoke and a salt and pepper ash. The burn is a little uneven.

This is a lot smoother and more refined than the other Tatuaje blends. Many have compared it to the Padron Anniversaries. If you are a big fan of Don Pepin and Tatuaje cigars, you may be disappointed if you expect antother cigar that tastes a lot like a Tatuaje. This is a different cigar. That’s why tatuaje is not on the label. You will enjoy this cigar if you don’t think of Tatuaje while you smoke it.

Rating: 88 (B+)

Tatuaje Black (Jun 2008)

sprenj01 — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:03:46 +0000

: 5 5/8″ x 46

Vitola: Grand Corona

Wrapper:Nicaraguan Corojo ‘99

Origin: Nicaragua

This is THE cigar right now. Everyone and their mother is trying to get their hands on a Tatuaje Black. I was fortunate enough to get a few at my favorite tobacco shop, Capital City Cigars, and I couldn’t wait long to smoke one for myself after hearing great reviews about this cigar already.

This cigar, with its unfinished foot, took a light real easy and from my first puff I was hit with a tasty wave of lather and tobacco with not nearly as much spicy pepperiness as I would have expected from Pete Johnson’s Private Reserve.

As I bring the smoke in through my sinuses I get flavors of rich dark chocolate and espresso bean with not a touch of harshness at all. It has a nice long salt and pepper ash that seems like it could hold on forever.

The smoke is actually dry, which is somewhat surprising, as well as smooth and refined, I expected a lot of oomph from this cigar, but its real nice and refined.

As I smoke, the espresso flavor intensifies but fades to a nice anise and woody mix with rich tobacco at the heart.

The draw was nice and easy as I began to really enjoy this smoke. The burn was dead-on even the whole way through, a sign of top notch construction.

My take home message from this cigar is that what Mr. Johnson likes and what niche he is trying to fill are not the same. The Black is waaay different from the Tatuaje Cabinet (brown label), it’s smooth and mellow while the Cabinet is peppery and in your face. This does make sense to me, because there is no way I could smoke cabinets all day (even as much as I like them). The Black is smooth enough to be enjoyed at breakfast but hearty in flavor to be enjoyed with a steak dinner.

I can’t wait to review this again in a year. This is a perfect cigar for aging.

Thankfully despite all of the hype, this cigar lives up to it and then some. Woo-hoo!

Rating: 90 (A)

La Riqueza No. 5 (JUN 2008)

sprenj01 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:52:02 +0000

Size: 4 3/8″ x 42

Vitola: Petite Corona

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Origin: Nicaragua

Pete Johnson? Pepin Garcia? Have you heard of these guys before? Well if you haven’t, then you must have clearly stumbled upon this blog by accident. The creators of Tatuaje (tah-to-ah-hey) and Cabaiguan (kah-bei-gWAHN ) have joined forces again to bring back a long dead brand from Cuba. La Riqueza means “the wealth” or “the riches” in Spanish, and guessing by the two individuals involved in this cigar, I can only guess how this is going to be a rich, full-bodied cigar. These are not available at Capital City Cigars yet, but I’m sure you’ll find them there soon. Here’s a brief write up on the line.

Now there has been buzz on this cigar for quite a while, so I couldn’t wait to be one of the first few to review it. Normally I wait a month or so before firing up a fresh cigar, but I couldn’t wait!

I punched the tiny little cigar and it drew very easy. After lighting it, the first puff gave me the impression of a sweeter version of the Tatuaje Cabinet blend. The burn was dead even, and this is always surprising with the thicker broadleaf strain.

Spicy and peppery with a core of leather and tobacco with just a nice touch of sweetness form the wrapper… we’re in business now!

Halfway thru I began to taste how “not fresh” the cigar was. There was definitely a touch of harshness on the palate that required me to “sip” the cigar a little more. It certainly will lose that edge thru proper aging and humidification. La Riqueza is going to be yet another winner in Mr. Johnson’s and Mr. Garcia’s stables.

Rating: 87 (B)