Vitola: Perfecto- 5.375” x 48 ring gauge
- MSRP $150 (for Monster Mash set)
- Purchased from Burns Tobacconist
Background
It’s become a bit of a tradition around here on Leaf Enthusiast as I purposely mess with the seasons and review the latest Tatuaje Halloween “Monster Cigar Series” release for the day after Turkey Day. This year there was no “full” new Monster Series release, so I ended up with a 2-fer. Tuesday we had a look at the Frank Redux, the first time and full-size Frank(enstein) blend has been available since the OG Monster Series came out…today I’m looking at The Creature.
The Creature is a reference to the aquatic terror rising from the depths of the Black Lagoon. I guess it was easier to get away with that when movies were in black and white since now a “black lagoon” would look so murky and uninviting that no one would get near it. Maybe the modern interpretation of the story would involve an oil spill, though, which would explain the color. Anyway, when Pete Johnson decided to do the Monster Mash set of cigars this year (each Monster Series blend in its original ring gauge, but over an inch shorter than the original release) he elected to bring one new blend to the table, named after The Creature from the Black Lagoon.
This blend is said to be all Nicaraguan leaf using two binder leaves, while one source indicates the wrapper is a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 Shade Grown Oscuro. That’s all the information I could find on this cigar…and I just smoked one of them for this review because that’s all that came in the Monster Mash box I bought at Burns Tobacconist. I will note that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a blend show up in a Monster Collection; Tiff and Chuck blends showed up in the Pudgy Monsters box before full-sized releases came a few years later.
Prelight
The band of this one is black on black, probably some kind of black foil imprinted on the black printed background. It’s hard to read, but it’s cool looking in the same way that the Metallica “Black Album” was cool looking 30 years ago.
The wrapper leaf was a dark chocolate brown color with slightly mottling and a good amount of oiliness. It smelled of cedar, leather, and ripe earth. The closed foot didn’t really allow any further aroma to come through that portion.
I clipped the head and took a test draw, finding it surprisingly good for a perfect. The cold flavor was excellent, too, with tons of cocoa powder overlaying floral notes.
Flavor
Initial light-up of The Creature was mildly sweet with more cocoa powder up front, black and red pepper coming right behind that, and cedar and earth on the finish. The retrohale was extremely fiery, but short-lived, red pepper with wood and roasted nuts. The first third continued on with a marked sweetness, but earthiness moved from being a minor note into a more prominent one by the time the second third started.
The second third was a fairly equal mix of semi-sweet dry cocoa powder and earthiness, with plenty of pepper spice coming in behind still. Leather and cedar flavor made up the finish.
I got much the same in the last third, with the slight addition of some anise flavor and the leathery notes coming through a little more prevalently.
Construction
I had a great draw, even enough burn line, and solid ash.
Value
Price point for this collection makes each cigar about $11, so good value for a limited edition stick.
Conclusions
The Creature is a really nice addition to the Monster Cigar Series by Tatuaje. It seemed like it would be more full-bodied to begin with, but ended in a nice medium-plus-bodied range with a really enjoyable complexity highlighted by a sweetness that didn’t end from beginning to end. Hopefully this will become a “full” release in a larger vitola at some point.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10
