Tatuaje Black Tubo
Ok, I gotta give a fair shake to Tatuaje on this. The last Black series wasn’t exactly… smokable whatsoever.
This one lived up to my expectations. Now, it’s not the same blending methods of the original black, as this does have a standard wrapper grade leaf on the exterior.
It lights easily thanks to the slightly shaggy tip and bursts right in with some familiar Tatuaje notes. I was expecting the strength to taper off a touch after lighting, but it maintained nicely for the first inch or so before relaxing ever so slightly. It’s lighter than I expected, but then again I have been hitting the Fausto’s pretty hard lately, so my palette is probably a little desensitized. In the hand the roll is nicely firm with a touch of give, without any clogging at all.
Over time there is a touch of heat development, but the flavors stays remarkably static, kinda like a Padron 1964. The flavor is good with a little bit of pepper, and touch of cherryleaf, but it doesn’t go through and distinct stages. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, it’s just worth noting.
Towards the end the floavor does pick up in strength, as expected and the heat increases dramatically with a surprisingly oil-less finish.
The Roll: Decently soft and even. Overall very… standard. Nothing noteworthy in either direction.
The Wrapper: Relatively even. Nothing spectacular, but
The Value: This was given to me, and I really am not sure of the price. If I recall correctly it was somewhere around $14 retail. The price is appropriate for the stick.
Would I get it again? It’s got a lighter taste than I was expecting, not that it counts against it, but I was liking the Blacks with more oomph to them. It’s good, but it’s not one I’m going to seek out specifically. I would recommend it to others .
Tatuaje Black Lancero
It’s been a while since I had a black. The original production of the blacks were code named the “pimphammer” (after the cigar store tool pictured above). In order to get in on the first samples, at the IPCPR show you had to say ‘pimphammer’ to Pete Johnson, and then he would ship you a bundle. When we got ours in, they were just that… bundles of cigars, wrapped in Saran Wrap, and then wrapped in tin foil. No frills, no chills.
What made them unique was that he specifically used a second binder leaf on the exterior rather [...] Continue Reading…
Fuente Opus X – Forbidden X
I know I’ve harshed on Opus X before, as the current generations aren’t the same as they used to be (I know, it’s a lame lament in an industry that prides itself on purity ), but this is different. Damn different. The Forbiddens are only available at the Fuente shop in Vegas, or as rewards to their top retail vendors around the country.
The Forbidden X starts off with a high-caliber punch to the tongue. Tons of deep pepper and snappiness of the refined Dominican style that is unmistakable. After about an inch it drops off to [...] Continue Reading…
