Skinny Monsters: Frank

• Vitola: Petite Lancero
• 6” x 38 ring gauge 
• MSRP $85, as part of Skinny Monsters collection
• Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

So, for those who have been disconnected from cigar shops and social media for the last decade, here’s a short recap…in October 2008, Tatuaje released 666 boxes of 13 sticks in the first of the “Monster Series.” It became an annual tradition, with production increased in subsequent years, though the number of “dress boxes” remains at 666. In the spring or summer of 2012, the first “Specialty Monsters” box was released…this was “Little Monsters,” which included 2 each of 5 blends (the first 4 regular Monsters, plus a preview of that year’s Mummy). 2014 saw the release of the Pudgy Monsters set; for that one, each cigar had the ring gauge of the original release, but the length of the “Little” release. There was only 1 of each of the 6 released blends, plus 2 each of 2 new blends…Chuck and Tiff…that were destined to not be released in a full-size. 

Now for 2016, we have been presented with “Skinny Monsters.” The box contains 10 cigars, 1 each of the first 8 Monster blends, plus Chuck and Tiff again. For the first time, all the cigars share the same vitola…a Petite Lancero at 6 inches long by 38 ring gauge. I will be smoking through each of these blends and giving some thoughts on them over the next few weeks. I am smoking through them in reverse order from the order they were released in, working right to left through the box.

And so we get back to where it all started…and the end of this series…Skinny Frank, a version of the first Monster Series cigar, The Frank. Frank came out in October 2008 and I honestly don’t remember hearing about it. I was busy getting ready to move across the country a couple months hence and I can’t say I was a huge Tatuaje fan at the time…not enough to try keeping up with special editions and chasing after them, anyway.

The Frank (and this Skinny version) used Connecticut Broadleaf over Nicaraguan fillers and binder leaves. Broadleaf was (and is) one of Pete Johnson’s favored leaves for wrapper, so it’s no big surprise that this blend turned out so good. And I have to thank Pete for his wonderful use of Broadleaf in subsequent blends like the JV13, Noellas Reserva, and Avion 13 Reserva, all cigars that have brought me many pleasing hours of smoke time over the years.

Notes

The Skinny Frank’s wrapper had an aroma of fertile earth with a touch of sweetness, while the foot had just a slightly riper barnyard earthiness to it. The prelight draw was good and had a touch of cocoa powder in the mix of earthiness.

Once fire was applied to Skinny Frank’s foot, the cigar burst into flavors of dark chocolate, espresso and earth, along with an exceptionally spicy retrohale.

Something old, something new…I paired this original Monster Series blend with a “new” Bourbon that I’ve been sipping on lately: Larceny. It’s a truly great dram that will be explored more fully sometime soon.

The semi-sweet chocolate flavors of the cigar were enhanced by the whiskey and the two played together very nicely.

As I puffed along, notes of pepper spice diminished in the mix, but the sweeter notes continued above the earth and coffee flavors.

I forgot to write anything else as I was just enjoying the cigar too much…yes, it still is the best of the Monster Series blends…yes, if I could get a handful more of these, I definitely would. If anyone wants to know what to get me for my birthday…

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the Skinny Monsters as much as I’ve enjoyed smoking them. My local rep told me that the Skinnys were being released in 3 batches this year with a total of 10,000 total boxes (not all of those are headed to the U.S., though). If you didn’t get your hands on any in the first batch, do make sure to hit up your local tobacconist to see if you can get on a list for the second batch.