I recently drove to Philadelphia with some friends, and hung out with Pete at Holt’s on Walnut before heading to the Oyster Bar for dinner. Over the course of the day we discussed his music career, future releases, and IPCPR. When I arrived there were only 4 non-dress boxes left, and within 5 minutes those were gone.

Cigar: Tatuaje Wolfman (Monster Series #4)
Size: 7.5 x 52 (Box Pressed Torpedo)
Wrapper: Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 4

Tatuaje Wolfman

Appearance and Construction: Coming in at 7.5 inches the Tatuaje Wolfman has more of an “A” feel to it and not the torpedo it is. The foot of the cigar has a clean-looking shaggy foot to it, which should light easy. The wrapper is gritty and coarse under the fingers with some thin veins present. Like earlier “Monster” releases, the stick has a nice scary look to it. The box pressed cigar (oh how I love a box pressed cigar!) has an average weight to it, and an ugly red on tan band.

Tatuaje Wolfman Foot

Flavor & Notes: There is an amazing amount of cocoa like notes coming off the wrapper that one doesn’t have to work on getting. Even sitting on my desk in front of me as I write this I can catch the wonderful aroma. The foot of the cigar is meaty to the nose, and once we clip the cap the draw reminds me a bit of marshmallows and cedar. When you light the cigar, the notes are different until you get to the wrapper. This shows just how important a wrapper is. Once the wrapper is breached there is a sweetness present with some wonderfully rich notes of cocoa and cedar that join the spice of the foot. As we smoke the first third the spice slowly fades and the sweetness intensifies. In the second third of the cigar the wood notes really take control of the stick with a sweetness in the background that reminds one of chocolate. The wood notes stay on the finish but are heavier than cedar bordering on pine or maple. The last third of the cigar picks up some coffee notes, that compliment the remaining notes chocolate and wood, which a slightly dry earth like finish.

Tatuaje Wolfman First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: The draw of the Tatuaje Wolfman is slightly loose, and as a result smokes a little fast. This has been the case on all the samples I have smoked even with a small clip of the tip. The ash of the cigar is marble like with a mix of dark and light color ash. It is also fairly weak as I lost the ash about every inch or so in my lap. The cigar burns slightly jagged, but never once showed signs of getting out of hand. The aroma was both sweet and woody.

Tatuaje Wolfman Second 3rd

Conclusion: While none of the Monster series have disappointed, some stand out more than others. For me the Frank remains the best in the series while the Wolfman is a close 2nd. The profile of the cigar is right in my wheelhouse and that makes this a cigar that was worth the effort in tracking down.

Tatuaje Wolfman Last 3rd

Rating: 92
Price: $15.00

According to UpDown Cigar (one of the retailers selling this smoke),

The first exclusive Tatuaje cigar for the Tobacconist’s Association of America, Pete Johnson only made 1,500 boxes total for only a handful of cigar stores. A beautiful U.S.A. grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is left with a shaggy foot and wrapped over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Boxed pressed at 5 5/8″ by 54, the flavor has plenty of typical Tatuaje spice but is complimented by a rich sweetness from the wrapper. They smoke great now, and will age beautifully.

Here is our take on the latest from Pete Johnson…

Cigar: TAA 2011 Exclusive by Tatuaje
Size: 5 5/8 x 54
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Tatauje TAA 2011

Appearance and Construction: The TAA Exclusive Tatuajue is a box pressed and is very square. The cigar has one medium-sized vein and the roll is a bit porous on the sample I am using to write my review. On the first cigar I smoked I only jotted down the notes of the smoke, so I can’t compare it to others. The foot of the cigar is closed, and under the fingers there cigar is smooth almost having a vinyl like feel to it. There are a few soft spots on the top side of the smoke, but the cigar does have a nice weight to it. The band off the cigar has the TAA logo and like other exclusive Series Tatuaje cigars, the band reminds me of the belt from the movie Rocky.

Tatauje TAA 2011 Foot

Flavor & Notes: The cigar has a wonderfully sweet nose to it that borders on milk chocolate with a dose of earth thrown in. Once the cap is clipped the cold draw serves up some more sweetness with a bit of leather in the mix. Once the cigar is lit a nice spice quickly develops with an underlying sweetness and cedar. Working into the first third of the smoke the spice remains and is the focal point, but there is also a nice coffee note and some leather especially on the finish. As we enter the second third, a sweetness begins to take over of the Tatuaje TAA 2011 on the draw, but the finish remains leathery. The last third of the cigar the spice and strength kicked it up a notch with a nice woody finish.

Tatauje TAA 2011 First Third

Smoking Characteristics: The Tatuaje TAA 2011 Exclusive burned pretty fast for me lasting just over an hour, and I am generally a slow smoker. The draw of the cigar was a bit on the loose side with a straight cut, so I would suggest going with a punch cut if you smoke one of these. The ash of the cigar was a medium gray and held on for a bit less than a quarter of the stick before falling off into my lap. The aroma of the cigar was a bit woody and it was a major league smoke producer.

Tatauje TAA 2011 Second Third

Conclusion: When I smoked this cigar I couldn’t get over how much this reminded me of the Barclay Rex 100th Anniversary stick. Pete has stated this cigar is a take on that cigar and the Pork Tenderloin. To me it reminds me of the Barclay with some extra ligero in the mix. The cigar is rich and powerful with the nicotine catching up on me in the last third. The cigars aren’t too difficult to track down and if you like the full-bodied this on is for you.

Tatauje TAA 2011 Last Third

Rating: 90
Price: $11.00

The “Little Puff” is Draper’s signature fundraiser, an intimate gathering of cigar lovers (limited to 300 people). Proceeds from ticket sales and the auction benefit three local academic scholarships (The Erik Kristensen Memorial Scholarship in honor of a Navy SEAL killed in action; The Pat Krimm Scholarship & The Anne Berman Memorial Scholarship).

 

Attendees can interact with representatives from the best names in cigars (i.e., Ashton, Fuente, Padron, La Flor Dominicana, La Aurora, CAO, Carlos Torano, Rocky Patel, Camacho, Davidoff, Zino Platinum, Cuesta-Rey, Gran Habano, Hoyo de Monterrey). Past attendees have included: Carlito Fuente, Arturo Fuente; Arielle Ditkowitch, La Sirena Cigars; Janny Garcia & Jose Ortega, My Father Cigars; Nestor Miranda, Miami Cigar & Co.; Pete Johnson, Tatuaje Cigars and Jorge Padron, Padron Cigars among many others.

 

Well, there’s an event called “Breakfast at Drapers” tomorrow, Wednesday, August 10 at Drapers DC & Bethesda! This is where you can be the first to get your little puff tickets! The two different locations have different operating hours: Drapers DC opens at 9:30 AM; Drapers Bethesda opens at 10:00 AM

So it looks like the first 25 walk-in customers to either Drapers DC (640 14th Street NW) or Drapers Bethesda (4916 Del Ray Avenue) will be among the first to get their tickets to the coveted 12th Annual Drapers Little Puff. Gee, I wonder if there will be a line out the door, Apple store style…

Tickets for “Breakfast at Drapers,” are $225.00 and customers are limited to two tickets per customer.

The Breakfast includes:

• a Smoker’s Ticket to The 12th Annual Drapers Little Puff
• a light breakfast and
• cigars courtesy of The Ashton Family of Cigars.

Via W.Curtis Draper Tobacconist

The Fausto is available in 4 sizes; FT127 – 5 x 54 (MSRP: $8.00), FT140 – 5.5 x 52 (MSRP: $8.25), FT153 – 6 x 50 (MSRP: $8.50), and the FT166 – 6.5 x 48 (MSRP: $8.75).

The advertising for Fausto says, “This one goes to 11″ with a dial that goes beyond the standard number ten. So with a big dinner in my belly, I reach for my Fausto and offer my thoughts…

Cigar: Fausto
Size: 5 x 54 (F124 )
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Fausto

Appearance and Construction: The Tatuaje Fausto has a nice dark Habano wrapper from Ecuador that has a few veins and subtle amounts of essential oils showing out of the humidor. In the hand there is a silk like feel to the cigar and a subtle amount of tooth as well. There are no soft spots, a firm foot and a nice weight to the cigar. The band is red and black with the words Fausto above a black dot that appears to have a slightly raised iron cross in it. Underneath it states Esteli. The band has a Cuban feel to it which isn’t a surprise as Pete Johnson is a collector of Cuban bands.

Fausto Foot

Flavor & Notes: I wanted to cut the cigar with a punch to limit the intake on this strong cigar but both times I lit one up I couldn’t find it. I opted for a straight cut of a narrow variety. I find if a cigar is strong, sometimes you can help offset it by limiting the smoke intake. The foot of the cigar serves up notes of spice that reminds me of wasabi. The cold draw has some sweetness to it, but when resting the cigar between the lips there is a slight tingling sensation. Once the cigar is lit the onslaught of spice begins, but it is not the most potent I’ve ever smoked. Beneath the peppery spice there is some subtle sweetness before being joined by some hearty wood notes at the end of the first third. In the second third the spice remains but it’s a little more subtle than in the first third. There is some wood and leather in the mix as well. The last third of the cigar the strength was there, and the spice kicked it up a notch but the primary note was a strong cuban style coffee with a touch of dark chocolate and an earthy finish.

Fausto 1st Third

Smoking Characteristics: The Fausto starts off in your face with a an amazing amount of spice and slows down only to slowly work its way back to an ass kicking finish. The burn of the cigar was pretty even throughout with a solid light ash that held for a third at a time. The draw was ideal and didn’t need to be re lit. The aroma of the spice has a spicy kick as well.

Fausto Second Third

Conclusion: Numerous times I heard the cigar referred to as the T110 blend. Then many times I heard it was based on the T110. My memory tells me the T110 was more of a spice bomb from start to finish then the Fausto. If you are expecting the T110 you could be disappointed until the last third when the similarities are uncanny. That being said the Fausto delivers if you are looking for a powerful cigar with spice and flavor.

The End!

Rating: 89
Price: $8.00 ($180 box/25 @ Atlantic Cigars)

“La Verite began as an idea that Pete had when he first saw the tobacco growing in the Garcia Family first wholly owned farm in 2007. He realized the tobacco was going to be spectacular and after the tobacco was harvested and undergoing the fermentation process, it dawned on him that it was perfect for a single farm vintage cigar. Much like a single vineyard wine, La Verite showcases the soil where the tobacco was grown. The seed varietal varies from year to year based on the crop planted and the tobacco yield.

The cigar comes in two sizes,The Churchill is a traditional 7 x 47 and the blend is 45% Habano Nicaragua, 40% Criollo ’98, and 15% Pelo De Oro. The Robusto is 5 x 50 with 50% Habano Nicaragua, 40% Criollo ’98, and 10% Pelo De Oro tobaccos.

Cigar: La Verite Vintage 2009
Size: 5 x 50 (L’Espirit de Verite Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano)
Binder: La Estrella Habano Criollo
Filler: Habano Nicaragua (50%),Criollo ’98 (40%), and Pelo De Oro (10%).
Strength: Medium/Full
Number Smoked: 3

La Verite 2009

Appearance and Construction: The Habano wrapper of the La Verite Vintage 2009 has a nice brown hue to it, with some reddish undertones. There are some veins present but none of them appear to be out of the norm. There are a fair amount of oils present and the roll is flawless. In the hand the cigar feels slightly coarse and light. There are no pockets under the wrapper and the cigar feels firm with the exception of the slightly spongy foot. This year a secondary band denoting Tatuaje in white and silver has been added under the vintage year.

La Verite 2009 Foot

Flavors & Notes: The foot of the cigar has a nice nose of earth and sweetness with a touch of pepper as well. The cord draw of the cigar has some cocoa notes with a touch of cedar and a lingering earthy component. Once the cigar is lit there are some subtle pepper notes and a background sweetness.  As we progress into the first third of the smoke there are some warm spices, toast and cedar present. The second third of the cigar some sweetness remains, bordering on cocoa with leather and cedar in the mix as well. In the last third there is a lot going on and the complexity really takes hold of the cigar. However, you can tell here the cigar needs a bit of aging as nothing is really defined. It’s almost meaty and pulpy the notes, but I can’t put my finger on it. At times I was questioning my sanity as there was a note that reminded me of grape.

La Verite 2009 First Third

Smoking Characteristics: For the most part the cigar smoked perfectly even with a nice lean carbon line. Whenever the cigar started to burn slightly uneven it corrected itself perfectly. The salt and pepper ash held on extremely well even in the end. There was a nice volume of smoke and the aroma was enjoyable.

La Verite 2009 Second Third

Conclusion: The 2009 is ready to smoke out of the box, but you can tell it is still a little young and needs some time to age. The La Verite series is one of those cigars that really shine with aging. The 2008 right now is smoking as good as it gets, and in a few months you can easily tell that the 2009 will totally outshine the 08 vintage. The concept for the cigar is ideal, but i wonder what will happen if Nicaragua experiences an abundance of rain or a lack there of. It can really change a tobacco. With that said and done this vintage will be very hard to beat.

La Verite 2009 Last Third

Rating: 92 (with potential to really increase with age!)
Price: $120.00 a box of 10 at Atlantic Cigars

The Wolfman will be a 7 1/2 x 52 Box-pressed torpedo, with a Sumatra wrapper grown in Ecuador. The band will be brown with red writing which Pete describes as “Ugly”. Production is set to be at the same number as last year, 666 numbered dress boxes and 1300 plain boxes.

I also forgot if Pete posted this, tweeted this or if I got it from someone else but the cigar is allegedly based on the Gran Cojonu.

Cigar: Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial
Size: 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper: Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Number Smoked: 4

Tatuaje Capa Especial

Appearance and Construction: The cigar sports a flawless looking dark Sumatra wrapper that is sweating oils that are easily detected by the naked eye. The cigar is well rolled right down to the Cuban style triple cap out of the My Father Factory in Nicaragua. Under the fingers the wrapper is as smooth as silk. There are no soft spots, but there is a lightness to cigar in terms of weight. There is a dual band system in place, the first being the classic brown and white and a secondary band denoting Capa Especial in white and gold.

Tatuaje Capa Especial, Foot

Flavors & Notes: Once I clipped the cap with my Palio cutter (yes Charlie, I own more then one cutter and don’t always bite the cap off) I was treated to a cold draw of that nice Nicaraguan zing, and a touch of leather on the cold draw. The nose of foot was similar with maybe a slight hint of mocha present. Once the cigar is lit there is that classic spice that the Garcia’s are famous for. As we work into the first third the cigar has notes of pepper, mocha and leather with some cinnamon on the finish. As we breach the second third of the cigar the sweetness begins to develop some more, but the focal point here is leather and nuts. The final third of the cigar picks up significantly in strength. The spice remains with a strong but tasty pepper note. Joining the mix is notes of nuts and a a continued leather.

Tatuaje Capa Especial, First Third

Smoking Characteristics: One thing about the sticks that come out of the My Father factory in Nicaragua, you know the draw, burn and ash will be impeccable. That is the case here as for the most part the burn is razor sharp with an ultra thin carbon line. The ash is sold, and medium to dark gray in color with no flake. The draw is perfect and the aroma is slightly spicy.

Tatuaje Capa Especial, Second Third

Conclusion: I’ll be honest, as much as I love Tatuaje cigars recently I haven’t been thrilled with some of the stuff to come out. I look forward to the stuff to be released at IPCPR as the La Casita Criolla is a grand slam. But this cigar has allowed me to reconnect with a brand that I love so much, and I am thankful for that.

Tatuaje Capa Especial, Last Third

Rating: 92
Price: $9.00

1) I guess the big question is, why? What made 2011 the year of your retirement?

After almost 30 years I felt it was time first of all to take a break, to also address some personal matters, and evaluate what the future holds for me. But one thing you can be sure is that tobacco runs through my veins and I will always be supportive of the industry and the rights that people have to smoke, so we will run into each other for sure within the industry. To begin with I will be present at the IPCPR in Las Vegas this Summer and do my blending seminar.

2) What moment of your career would you consider to be the top highlight?

For the celebration of the 100th anniversary of La Aurora Guillermo entrusted me to work with the blends of this important project for the company. For more than a year and after 40 blends we picked the one that we liked the most, and I remember that one afternoon Jose Padron called Guillermo to inform him that the 100 Anos Belicoso had been chosen as the number 2 cigar on Cigar Aficionado’s top 25. That will be a day I will never forget.

3) You were around when Cuban Cigars were still legal in the USA. Yet a lot of people still call the current time, the Golden Age of Tobacco… How has the cigar industry changed in your eyes over the years?

In my years of experience I can say that Cuba has had its ups and downs, and the Cuban cigars of the 70′s and the 80′s were much better than those of the 90′s and part of the 2000′s. However, the industry has changed because today Dominican Republic is the largest of premium cigars in the world; Nicaragua and Honduras have also had great advancements. In the last 5 or 6 years cigars have become more complex, better made, more balanced, just overall better smokes from all the tobacco-producing countries.

4) With a growing movement to ban smoking, and the beginnings of what some people consider to be prohibition 2.0 where do you see cigar industry in the next 10 years?

If at the federal state and city level they continue to impose smoking bans and high taxation definitely there will be a decrease in consumption, but in time the States will realize how much revenue they are losing and might reverse some of the bans even though I believe that taxes will always be an effect. In this order I am a firm believer of the rights of people to smoke so consumers should join and support organizations that are fighting for the rights of people to smoke. I would also like to talk about the consolidation of the big cigar companies, these companies will continue to acquire smaller companies with good brand awareness and quality to increase each of their market share. Also, today and naturally in the future the consumers are more demanding and knowledgeable. So I believe that those who will continue producing quality cigars and innovation will survive.

5) Lastly, what are some of the best cigars you have ever smoked?

100 Anos Corona; R&J Petit Belicoso 1999 Cuban; Padron 45th Anniversary; Opus X Lancero Maduro;  Partagas D Reserva 2004 Cuban; Guillermo Leon Corona Gorda; Ashton VSG; Litto Gomez Oscuro Especiales; Pete Johnson La Riqueza Corona Gorda; Pepin Garcia Limited Edition 2010; Benji Menendez Partagas; Davidoff Millenium Robusto; Jose Seijas Original Toro; Drew Estate Liga Privada; Illusione 888; Fonseca Limited Edition 2003 Belicoso (Ed. Thanks to Michael Herklots of Nat Sherman for Year Confirmation);  Rocky Patel 92 Original; Avo 22; Camacho 11/18; La Aurora Preferido Cameroon Robusto; Nestor Miranda Collection; Alec Bradley; Joya De Nicaragua. I have so much respect for all the manufactures and to name my favorite cigars is very difficult. Like I tell everyone at my seminars, the best cigar is the one that you enjoy.

Jose, once again, we thank you for all you have done for acigarsmoker.com and myself over the years. We will see you soon, even if not in Las Vegas.

The M80 is a limited edition cigar made for 2 Guys Smoke Shop in New Hampshire. Rumor has it the blend of the cigar is based to the T110 which is popular among Tatuaje collectors.

Cigar: Tatuaje M80
Size: 4 x 58
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Number Smoked: 3

Tatuaje M80

Appearance and Construction: Part of the Exclusive Series, the Tatuaje M80 sports the Rocky Balboa championship belt with M80 in the center. The Ecuadorian wrapper has a nice amount of oils with a nice firm roll that is flawless. The cigar is topped off with a long fuse like cap that runs under the band and for shits and giggles I’ve smoked part of the fuse until the band had to come off. The foot is well packed, and for a small cigar there is a nice weight to the stick.

Tatuaje M80 Foot

Flavors & Notes: Once I clipped the cap there were notes of red pepper, and a faint chocolate sweetness in the background on the cold draw and the foot. Once the cigar is lit you are greeted by some in your face notes of pepper that fade some after a 1/4 of an inch. As we work into the first third notes become a subtle chocolate and an abundance of leather. As we enter the second third of the smoke some notes of wood develop, with pepper notes overtaking the leather of the first third. The final third becomes a bit more complex as the notes of wood are joined by some licorice, leather and some chocolate

Tatuaje M80 First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: Of the 3 samples I smoked to date they all had one thing in common, I had to touch it up a bit in the last third, right where the band was as they all had a piece of fuse stuck to the cigar where the “glue” is used to hold the band in place. Other than that, the cigar had a nice ash, although slightly flaky. The draw was excellent and the stick produced a nice volume of smoke.

Tatuaje M80 Second 3rd

Conclusion: An M80 is a quarter of a stick of dynamite, and is maybe a little smaller than this cigar. They create a big bang, and do not wow onlookers with an explosion of colors. The same can be said for this cigar, as it has a nice strength, and a bit of a nicotine kick. However it fails to impress when compared to so many other cigars that Tatuaje has on the market. If you like full strength  smokes, this one should be right in your wheelhouse.

Tatuaje M80 Last 3rd

Rating: 87
Price: $7.99

The Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco is a limited release of 100 boxes made for a shop in Fresno, CA named Cigar Mas Fino. The cigar which is based upon the Havana VI Noble has a subtle change to it which Pete Johnson describes as making a huge difference. He went on to add that the cigar is “an age worthy smoke”. At this point I am having second thoughts about lighting up my only stick.

Cigar:Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium/Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 1

Appearance and Construction: The Celebracion De Cinco has a dark Habano wrapper which could be from a higher priming then normally used on the Havana VI. The amount of oils that glisten on the cigar is amazing and it feels like silk under the fingers. There are some veins but none of which detract from how good this looks. The foot of the stick is closed which I happen to love and the cap is perfection on the exquisitely rolled cigar. There is a dual band in use here which reminds of me of the Verocu series and takes me down memory lane to when I smoked my first Tatuaje, the Exclusivo Lado Occidental aka Verocu No. 1. It was here that the seeds were planted for my love of Tatuaje.

Foot of the Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco

Flavor & Notes: The closed foot of the cigar reveals a nice strong note of chocolate/mocha to the nose while the cold draw has a sweetness to it with an earthy edge if that makes sense to anyone but me. One the cigar is lit there is some of that spice that is to me a trademark of the My Father factory. As I progress into the first third of the smoke there is notes of leather with some mocha and spice thrown in for good measure. The second third continues down the leather path, with some coffee notes in the mix as well. As we work further into the center part of the Celebracion De Cinco there is meatiness to it that has me craving a T-Bone steak. I actually wonder how this cigar would pair with that a nice glass of wine. The final third of the cigar picks up in strength and there is some nicotine noticeable as well. The cigar continues with leather though it is muted at this point. The dominant notes are spice and a dark chocolate with a long espresso finish.

The first third of the Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco

Smoking Characteristics: The higher priming wrapper seemed to be thicker then most and as a result it burned very slow. The robusto lasted me just under 2 hours which was a nice way to end my evening. As a result of what seemed to be a thicker wrapper it did burn a little uneven, and while at times I was tempted to touch it up I never had to. There was an ample amount of smoke with a nice spicy aroma. The ash was marble like and held on strong despite some flake and the appearance it might fall at any moment.

The second third of the Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco

Conclusion: I would liken the cigar to a Havana VI on steroids. While I enjoyed the cigar I found myself wondering if it was better than the traditional release. While I enjoyed it I would not go crazy to get another. However, if I did I would sit on it for at least a year to see what the aging potential of the cigar is and I have a feeling it would become an exceptional smoke instead of a very good one.

The final third of the Tatuaje Celebracion De Cinco

Rating: 90
Price: $10.00

Disclaimer: The cigar was gifted to me by Steve Valle of Smoking Stogie.