Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5.875 x 52
Strength: Full
Price: $15.00
My cigars have had 2-1/2 months naked humidor time.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH (Short stack):
The cigar smells like my grandfather. I rarely saw him without a cigar. Brings back memories.
The draw is wide open. No need for my PerfecDraw to get up this early on a Sunday morning.
Flavorful start. Notes of cashews, creaminess, black pepper, and rich coffee.
A light sweetness appears to tilt the blend into an immediate balance.
My palate detects a simple complexity.
The spiciness of black pepper is overwhelming, and my lips burn. There is also a wasabi note that pairs with the black pepper.
The burn is exceptional. My previous sticks had burn issues in the second half.
Strength is medium.
The cigar fattens up at 1” burned. 13 minutes.
Chocolate shows up and tamps down the spiciness. Creaminess is upped. The spiciness retreats. Much better.
Ever get clumsy with a cigar as you reach for the ashtray…and it does a couple Simone Biles flips before it rests on top of the ashes. I love cleaning debris off the working end of my cigar when I’m reviewing.
The cigar ain’t bad. I don’t detect any serious morphing. A pleasant cigar. No doubt. But is it worth $15? Not yet.
When we moved to Milwaukee from Chicago, I assumed that the blues scene would be just as intense. I assumed incorrectly. This town repels musicians. Disappointing.
Something else we noticed. 99% of born and raised Wisconsinites have never left the state. Chicago is only 90 miles away and steeped in culture, food, and music. Natives pronounce it Wis-can-sin. “Fargo” syndrome.
Strength is medium/full and smooth.
Here’s the thing…this is a decent blend. It is just not exciting. It’s what I expect from a medium-priced cigar with minimum provenance.
I don’t foresee the cigar screaming all the way home after extended humidor time. There must be a conspiracy in play. The cigar industry is attempting to get its customer base accustomed to spending $15 even though we’ve all been trained to expect more from a cigar in this price range. (Commonwealth readers…Shush).
The halfway point arrives at 25 minutes. A cigar this size should take longer. Underfilled.
Strength reaches full tilt as it tricks my brain into seeing double.
The nicotine hits me like a ton of bricks. Yeah, mama. The river turns red.
Absolutely no change to the flavor profile. Stuck. No forward progress.
I know reviewers are not supposed to figure in price but to me, that makes no sense. Sure, I can judge a cigar blend on the merits that it tastes good, or not. But why? Price is what steers most cigar smokers. If the industry refuses to understand this, they are doomed. There will be no uptick in the number of smokers in the foreseeable future.
I skip ahead to the end. No point in boring you any longer than necessary.
I recommend that you pass if you see these cigars for sale. At best, this is an $8 stick.
My sponsors carry a large assortment of Tatuaje blends: Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’), Luxury Cigar Club (15% off with promo code ‘katman’), Cigar Page, and Atlantic Cigar.
RATING: 80
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
