Cigar Review: Tattoo by Tatuaje Cigars

Vitola: Caballero (Robusto)
Size: 5” x 50 ring gauge
Price $5.49
Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

“Tattoo” is not an uncommon name for cigar smokers. Of course, if you have kept up your Spanish studies, you will know that Tatuaje is Spanish for “tattoo.” Several years back a different company tried to release a cigar called “tattoo;” the company was sued successfully by Tatuaje and Pete Johnson decided to use the English word to ensure there was no further confusion on the issue. In 2011 a box-pressed Lancero using the name was released, with the intent being a new limited production vitola every year thereafter…which didn’t end up happening.

Three years later, the name has been revived for a new Tatuaje release. The cigar is made in the TACUBA factory in Estelí, better known as the “bundle factory” where the Tracadero and El Suelo lines (among others) from L’atelier are produced. Producing there ends up meaning a lower price point, which is always welcome in a world of ever-spiraling costs. There will be four vitolas for Tattoo; the Robusto (called Caballero) being released in May, while the other three are slated for release around the time of this summer’s IPCPR show (mid-July).

I got to talk to Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje, at Silo Cigars a few weeks ago. He was there for the release of Silo’s store exclusive Gran Maravilla, but I asked him a few questions about Tattoo, as well. Unlike the original plans for the Tattoo label, these will be a regular production stick, so they won’t be going away anytime soon. The wrapper leaf is Ecuadorian Habano, a leaf used on many of Pete’s cigars…and widely used in the industry today (although not nearly so widely used when he first discovered it…which was another interesting conversation we had). The binder is Nicaraguan. And this is where our talk got interesting…the filler is mostly Nicaraguan…along with a little something else that Pete didn’t want to talk about. He said he added a little something to give the blend a tweak…a twist, if you will…and if the FDA gets their way, eventually everyone will know because all ingredients will have to be declared. But for now, he wants that leaf to remain anonymous. I purchased a handful of Tattoos at Burns and smoked 5 of them before I got to this review stick.

Prelight

The first Tattoo release had a band style that I’ve come to think of as “store exclusive” or “very limited” for Tatuaje. It’s got gold foil in an oval, surrounding a white background with black lettering…it was a look used for other Tat cigars like the original TAA-exclusives (before 2013). Basically, you could print a million of them without lettering, then come back and stamp in the black lettering very cheaply. It wasn’t a great look, but at least it was better than the “no band” look that makes cigars impossible to identify after a few months loose in a humidor. This release takes that gold oval and adds in deep red ink in the middle, with a black PJHC logo and “tattoo” reversed out in white. Red and black striping finish out the detailing of the arms of the band. The whole look is very sharp, standing out from most of the other bands on the wall of Tatuaje in my shop.

The wrapper was an even milk chocolate hue with a medium amount of oils under my fingers. It is finished off in a double-cap, and despite the use of the “bundle factory,” outer construction has been consistently great on the samples I’ve smoked. Giving the wrapper a sniff, I picked up notes of barnyard and cedar; the foot had more earthiness, along with a subtle chocolatey sweetness. The cold draw was very good, featuring sweet chocolate and earth flavors.

Flavor

After lighting the Tattoo, I initially got flavors of earth and something that made me think “wet forest.” There was some red pepper on the lips and nose. Soon I picked up a good sweetness in the mix, too, creating a nicely balance flavor profile carried on a medium-to-full bodied smoke.

In the second third, the earth flavors increased and I got a bit of a cedar note. The sweetness continued on about the same. The pepper retained a muted presence on the palate but was far less noticeable on the nose.

In the last third, the earthiness ramped up yet again and I got a bit of espresso bean in the mix, while the sweetness and pepper both faded.

Construction

Despite being made in the “bundle factory” of My Father, the Tattoo is all long filler and is a very well-made cigar. In the six or so samples I’ve smoked thus far, I’ve had zero draw problems, very even burn lines, and solid ash that will last between a quarter and half an inch before falling off.

Value

Very good value. Extremely good value! Possibly the best value in any shop you find this in!! If I could give more points for value, I would.

Conclusions

This was not the most complex cigar in the Tatuaje line-up, but it was very tasty nonetheless. Pete told me he intends for this to be an “everyday smoke” and it succeeds wildly at that. For about $5 a stick, it’s hard to deny that it’s easy to keep a bunch on hand to light up whenever the mood strikes for a medium-to-full bodied stick.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10