Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 38 Lancero
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $10.00
My Skinny Monsters have had 3 months of naked humidor time.
The Drac was the first blend of the Monster Series released in 2008.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The usual suspects of aromas for this set of leaf stats: Dark chocolate, espresso, creaminess, black pepper, floral notes, baking spices, cedar, and barnyard.
There have been many iterations of the Skinny Monsters line since 2008…and they remain popular. I’ve reviewed a few of them over the years. I recently bought the Cazadores Sampler from Luxury Cigar Club. Why not review the original Drac blend?
The cigar is completely plugged. Yes, my PerfecDraw draw adjustment tool runs to the rescue.
The cigar is solid with the right amount of tobacco stuffed into this blood sausage.
Immediate notes of espresso, dark chocolate, lavender, black and red pepper, malt, and tart citrus.
A slow burn. This is going to be a leisurely 90-minute smoke.
Chocolate quickly surges and is met with a mellow creaminess.
Amazon Music. I picked a real throwback station: Buffalo Springfield. And out of the dark past, Paul Revere & The Raiders…”Just Like Me.” My high school days come rushing back. Everyone liked this band. What I didn’t know was that the fine musical instrumentation was all The Wrecking Crew session musicians…including my old friend, Hal Blaine on drums. These guys were burning it up in the Los Angeles studios during the 60’s playing for everyone. Blaine played on 30,000 recordings and 6,000 Top 40 hits.
Strength is medium but leaning towards being upped to capo di tutti.
Creaminess makes its move along with the chocolate and malt and we have an ice cream parlor treat.
Complexity rushes in and plants a flag. Sparingly rich with an array of tobacco notes that seasoned smokers crave.
The Drac has always been my favorite blend of the Skinny Monsters line. It tastes like an excellent AJ blend. The man knows how to get the most from Nic leaves. The Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper gives the cigar a nicer sweetness than overly used Mexican wrapper that comes on every second cigar you purchase. The combo of Mexican and Nic leaves was novel 10 years ago, but it got old as blends all began to taste the same and it was hard to decipher the difference between cigars.
A lot of smokers equate the Maduro with a cigar that is too strong for their tastes. And often that is true. I favor the Maduro when it is done properly. Different strokes…
“Cinnamon Girl.” Neil Young. Now we’re talking.
1-1/2” burned. 20 minutes. Puts my guess of 90 minutes close.
Speaking of cinnamon, I get a blast of spicy cinnamon along with a more docile cinnamon bun at the same time. Citrus forms in the shape of orange/lime. The richness of the blend goes deep. Everyone in Wisconsin asks if the Packers have a chance at the playoffs. Nope. It will be two years before this new team will be ready. I wonder how the Jets will do.
The first sweet spot shows itself. This is turning out to be a great cigar blend. The Skinny Monsters sampler is very popular, but you can also buy the cigars separately which you will see if you click on my sponsors at the end of this review. The Drac can be had for as little as $8.00. I can’t count the expensive cigars I’ve reviewed, at twice the price, that are not as good as this little blood sucker.
Nice and slow…like me crawling out of my coffin in the morning. My dad’s family came from Transylvania. My grandfather had an accent identical to Bela Lugosi.
? and The Mysterians, “96 Tears.” What a horrible song. But Mel Schacher went on to play bass in Grand Funk. Saw them live when I was young and Schacher could rip it.
2-1/2” burned. 35 minutes.
Super rich. Very complex. Nice slide of transitions that roll off my palate. The finish is lush with deliciosity. A second sweet spot kicks in.
The cigar is worth at least a fiver. If you have Dr. Rod’s dough, grab a 25-count box.
If you are an Atlantic Cigar VIP Member ($60 per year), you’d save a chunk on this cigar. If I tell you how much, I’d have to stay away from the windows. These Atlantic guys are fucking serious.
I haven’t smoked such a chocolaty cigar as this in a long time. It borders on being an ACID cigar without the treacly sweetness. It works because a sudden nuttiness, along with opulent creaminess, is tamed by citrus notes and an unusual lavender piquancy.
Still cannot believe this is an $8 stick. Pete Johnson can just nail it.
“Season of the Witch.” Donovan. In my 90’s power blues trio, the leader had us do our version. I hated it. Two chords. 7 minutes. I wanted to David Carradine myself. Zep bassist John Paul Jones played on the recording. “Mellow Yellow” too.
3” burned. And the blend hits it into the Jumbotron. Holy shit. What a gobsmack.
In the late 90’s, I saw disgraced ball player Mark McGwire take batting practice at the new Diamondbacks stadium. Had a once in a lifetime seat behind home plate three rows back. Every ball went out of the stadium. The last shot hit the Jumbotron and put a hole in it. Did you know that if you had season tickets, in the seats you dream about, they have waitresses to get whatever you please? You never had to get up except to pee. Now? We watch the Brewers from the parking lot. Good times.
Oh man, what a gorgeous blend. As I said earlier, the nearly Nic puro has become somewhat of a one trick pony in the wrong hands. This baby is moody and smooth. Like a naked Marilyn Monroe blowing JFK and RFK at the same time.
The burn is exceptional. The construction is top drawer. An $8 stick.
Explain to me why there are so many crappy expensive cigars out there? If you know where to look, there are diamonds everywhere for the right price.
Strength is medium/full.
It’s time for you to revisit the Skinny Monsters line of blends. If you’re not sure what to buy, the samplers are everywhere. I prefer the Lanceros.
The Drac is a gem of a cigar blend. If this is your style, I highly recommend snagging some.
Final smoke time is 85 minutes.
You can purchase the Tatuaje Skinny Monster Drac and the entire line from two of my sponsors: Luxury Cigar Club (15% off with promo code ‘katman), and Atlantic Cigar (no promo code).
RATING: 94
Discover more from Cigar Reviews by the Katman
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
