MSRP $150- Purchased from Burns Tobacconist
Background
It’s become a Halloween tradition for cigar enthusiasts…Tatuaje’s annual Monster Series release. But after the series was wrapped up with the Chuck and Tiff in 2019, it was unknown what might follow next. What did follow was a real-life horror story with the 2020 pandemic and a bit of a pause in the Monster cigar releases. For 2021, Pete Johnson (owner of Tatuaje) decided to do a new Monster collection: Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash features all 13 of the original blends from the Monster Series in vitolas that are the same ring gauge as the originals, but 1.5” shorter. Plus, a new blend is included: The Creature, named for the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
I got a set and decided to feature a couple of them each week during the month of October. That won’t get me through the whole box, but I’ll get a good sampling of them. I’m saving the Creature for my traditional Thanksgiving weekend review slot…although Tatuaje is also doing a re-release of The Frank sometime this month, so I might have to throw that one in there, too, if I get my hands on them.
Frank
The original Frank was a Churchill size at 7.625 x 49 ring gauge, so at an inch and a half less, this one is 6.125 x 49. I’ve never had the original Frank release so this is the closest thing I’ve had a chance to try. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper on this release seems a little lighter than the Maduros I’ve seen on other Frank releases like Little, Pudgy, and Skinny Monsters. It did have a nice sweet earthy aroma, while the foot had stronger earth, coffee, cocoa powder, and some wood. After clipping the head, the cold draw was excellent, featuring mocha notes with a touch of pepper.
Firing up the Frank, I got tons of earth with an unsweetened cocoa powder note coming through loud and clear, along with a touch of sweet chocolate and a backing of black pepper. The nose had more pepper and earth.
Frank had plenty of sweetness and earth all along the way, with tons of pepper to keep things spicy. Many people have said the original was the best of the Monster Series. Based on this “almost original” size, I have to say…they are probably right.
Drac
The Drac faithfully recreates the stake-shaped torpedo of the full-size version, although the band is the right way up instead of upside down like the original. The wrapper was a dark chocolate brown color with plenty of oils and an aroma of earth and leather. The foot had lots of earth and cedar, along with a touch of cocoa powder.
Initial puffs of the Drac had a ton of cedar, followed by earth and a touch of lacquer…just kidding! (If you were around for the original, you’ll get that.) There was leather and black pepper on the palate and red pepper on the nose.
I was a huge fan of Drac when it originally came out. Either time has not been a friend to this blend or—most likely—my palate has changed quite a bit. This blend has plenty of strength and body to put it in the upper echelon of those categories for the entire series…but I wasn’t as big a fan of the flavor as I used to be. It continued to be leathery and somewhat cedary throughout, with plenty of pepper and earth along the way. It reminds me of the Fausto blend in some ways…I like it, but I just don’t love it anymore.
