Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed, Peruvian Ligero
Size: 6.125 x 55
Strength: Medium
Price: $60.00

Atabey ages the cigars, once rolled, for 5 years. My solitary cigar received one year of home humidor time. This is a one off.

BACKGROUND:
From United Cigar:
“The Atabey Black Ritos is a beautifully crafted masterpiece representing all that the line is recognized for but with amplified body. Measuring 6 1/8 x 55, and showcasing a dark Ecuador wrapper, the Atabey Black Series has been limited to one vitola as of now.

“This year’s release was rolled in 2020 and aged in rooms lined with five different cedars and French Oak for the aging process, imparting a depth and complexity to the Atabey Black that is truly unparalleled. The Atabey Black Ritos is presented in elegant, black lacquered boxes of 25, exuding sophistication and luxury in every detail.

“Using five different cedars (Cuban, Spanish, Lebanese, Brazilian & Mexican) the cigars are cleansed by bringing humidity down to 40% and then back up to 70% to allow the cigars to breathe in these unique cedar notes.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
This is a striking cigar. Bold, colorful, an oily sheen like what the Exxon Valdez left on pristine beaches a few years ago. It holds like a #8 rebar. No soft spots or hard spots…just hard on your wallet.

The wrapper is drenched in aromas of dark plums, black cherries, rich dark chocolate, black coffee, a tiny bit of barnyard, rich earth notes, and strong cedar.

I grab my PerfecPunch. It’s sharp wit and tenure make the cigar’s cap a perfect foil for this lightning rod device. Here’s why I like a punch, especially on expensive cigars. Torpedo and belicoso shapes have that conical pointy cap with the purpose to intensify the experience. A smaller blow hole means concentrated flavors. Using the 8mm (5/16”) punch provides a similar strategy. Or so I tell myself.

The draw is a bit tight. Here is the King Solomon of choices: I can use my PerfecDraw to clear out the detritus. Or I can cross my fingers that it will open up once lit. I have my head wrapped in my hands while concurrently using my third hand to stick a sharp pencil in my ear. I can hear my third eye making clucking noises.

The cold draw is all about seriously aged tobacco. You can just tell. The aromatics travel to the palate with notes of dark cocoa, summer fruit, cedar, espresso, mixed nuts, black pepper, solid earthiness with a touch of old leather, and salted caramel.

The smoky portion begins with a light richness, creamy cedar, caramel, Mexican hot chocolate, strong black coffee, and both black and red pepper.

This is a big stick. Something not a single woman has ever said to me. This is going to be at least a 2-1/2 hour cigar. I hear the click of my seat belts while I don my crash helmet that my mother gave me so I’d be safe while making a big batch of kishkas.

And then huge fat floral notes waft heavily in the air while also being ingested by my giant open maw. This is delightful. I checked several reviews and no one mentioned this so it could be a stroke or my compression stockings are stuck in my garter belt.

This ain’t going to be a flavor bomb. I sense it. It will be a grown-up cigar. A hoity toity cigar men smoke while their yachts drift overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Or a cigar smoked leisurely in the back of the limo on the way to their men’s club that doesn’t accept guys from Utah or Philadelphia.

Speaking of Janis Joplin…I was at the platinum record party for The Police’s “Zenyatta Mondata” in Hollywood. Hundreds of industry folk there. I found myself standing next to Bette Midler. She had no make up on and was tinier than I expected. I told her about my days in Curved Air with Sonja Kristina. And how her movie “The Rose” not only depicted a tragic figure like Janis; but the story was also similar to what Sonja went through, but with a decidedly different outcome. She was very polite and nice and then walked away and forgot about me forever. I told myself she was just overcome with my virile masculinity and had to leave or be tainted for life.

I get a run in my stockings and the cigar at the same time. This shouldn’t happen on an expensive cigar. I reviewed the Atabey natural a couple weeks ago and it had no issues. The dire problem with a one-off review, because I can’t afford cigars like this…and the IRS agrees, is that I have nothing to compare it to.

This is a very different blend than its natural partner. Smooth and refined but not as flavorful. I finish inch one. I expect a lot in the next inch. At this point with the natural, I was raving like a lunatic how good the blend was treating me. The Black feels like a hooker laughing at my pup tent.

It is a little too grownup for me. I need a bigger range of flavors. Not just earthiness and cedar. There is little depth which is the biggest issue. There aren’t layers. Oh no. Do I worry that maybe the cigar has not had enough rest? Nope. Especially with five years of post-aging. I received both the natural and Black at the same time. One excelled. The other is laying there like day old gefilte fish.

Even in the naïve 1950’s, we kids always thought that the mechanical beasts were silly looking. But it was either enjoying the low budget sci-fi movies or watch Perry Mason with a chaser of Petticoat Junction.

Ever play a supertonic Dorian scale when you should have played a subdominant Phrygian scale instead? Me neither.

I am afraid of uttering the following words…is this a dud? But I do it anyway.

I found two reviews. One was screaming laughter and gave it 98. The other a 90. Both laudatory. What is wrong with me? I check for gonad arrangement error. I’m good.

The char line should be as sharp as Richard Nixon’s wit. And it is.

Inch two finishes. If I didn’t know this was half a C note stick, I’d lump it in with the finest Gurkhas.

Look at this new run:

The guys that do this for a living must finish their prey. As I am not a professional, if I get an inch into the second half and there is zero improvement, I’m chucking it.

“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” …James Madison
You don’t have to agree with politicians to be a patriot.

The burn has become wonked out. This is so disappointing. After the Atabey Ecuadorian, I was so jazzed that I’ve been looking forward to this review for weeks. Du-oh. I am now making several trips with lighter to foot for major corrections.

Zero transitions. No depth. Barely much richness and lots of zero refinement. Lawdy. A $60 cigar on bad behavior is unacceptable. There should be not a hint of inconsistency from one cigar to the next.

The second half begins at a little over an hour. If Inch 4 doesn’t impress, the fat lady done sung her last note.

The burn is finally holding its own. Is there hope? I hope so. But spending $30 on the first half to get to a good second half is only for the rich and chumpy.

The cap completely unravels…lol.

I’m calling it.

If you’re going to put your collection of Dachshunds into hock, go for the Atabey with the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Give the Black a pass.

You can purchase the Atabey cigars from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. Take 10% off with promo code KATMAN. Only two blends but Atabey follows the adage that size matters and will provide differing experiences. Check them out.

I’m going to light up a Bronzeback to wash the taste from my lips.

RATING: 75

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: Atabey Black Ritos | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, atabey cigars, cigar reviews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, katman, phil kohn