Tatuaje Wolfman - Monster Series LE #4

For Halloween 2011, Tatuaje again released another Monster Series smoke, this year being the 'Wolfman.'  As with the previous year there were only 666 dress boxes (coffins) of thirteen cigars, and 1300 (though Pete claims more like 1500 were made this year to compensate for demand) plain boxes of ten.  As usual the Monster cigars again created quite a stir for those searching out this year's offering- a box pressed torpedo sporting a Sumatra wrapper and an unwrapped foot.  Weighing in at 7.5 inches, this will be the second longest stick in the lineup.  Given the hype created every year with these LEs, the expectations are high, so lets see what the Wolfie has to offer...

Lit with matches on a brisk evening, accompanied by water.

Pre-Light - Smells of raw tobacco and hay, and sports a splotchy, smooth, leathery wrapper.  Pre-light draw is fairly loose.

First Third -  The first third, starting with the uncut foot, begins with some mild cedary spice, leather, wood and some hay.  The spice lingers in the back of my mouth.  Once the wrapper starts to burn, the flavors begin to round out and become heavier/more complex.  Draw is light but not too light, and the burn is fantastic.

Second Third - The strength has began top pick up a notch, and the spice has cooled down a bit, though it is still there.  Flavor-wise there is a bit of chocolate/molasses sweetness, leather, hay, and developing earth notes.  Not the most complex, but very enjoyable. The draw is still going well, and the burn is fantastic.

Third Third - Flavors continue to be similar to the second third, though both body and flavors have dipped in strength just a notch.  Though still not particularly complex, the flavors meld together in a tasteful manner. The finish is quite dry (as in wine) which adds a nice touch.  I can taste a tiny bit of bitterness which I will attribute to youth until further exploration down the road.

Conclusion and Score - As usual, I was not disappointed by Pete Johnson's spooky Halloween offering.  The dress box was well detailed, the cigars themselves quite a treat to the eye, and the smoke itself a memorable experience.  I am definitely partial to LE smokes, the Monsters specifically, but there is no denying the richness of the spice, wood, leather and subtle sweetness that the Wolfman delivers.  Pile on the solid construction, and you have a winner.  The mild bitterness toward the end of the cigar is my only fuss, though I think with time this will fade.   Overall this Monster gets a 91 in my book, though I have no doubt it will get better with even a few months of age.

Update on the prior year Monster cigars:
*I had a Face recently and it was fantastic, it's amazing what a year can do for these; the Drac wasn't quite what I remembered but still a very good stick; the Frank was a bit disappointing ( I remember thinking 88-ish) after all the hype and high prices, though I'm keeping a few around hoping it is just a sick period!*

Tatuaje T110

Got the chance for another review tonight, and decided that it is finally time for the 'Thermonuclear 110." In case you aren't the huge Tat fan I and many others have recently become, this cigar is made with 100% ligero from Nicaragua, and supposed to be the strongest stick out there right now. The original release (which this is from) yielded only 200 boxes of 25, though another release has recently been announce with something like 160 new boxes. I have been quite excited to smoke this guy, and see if it really is the flavorful powerhouse I have heard. Going to my B&M tonight, as it is nasty out. Cut with my Palio and lit with matches.


Pre-light - The wrapper is a beautiful dark chocolate color, smooth, and quite oily. Very easy draw, spicy flavors. For some reason it was surprisingly tough to light.

First Third - Upon the first draw I got the spicy, Tatuaje flavor that describes so many of Pete Johnson's other smokes. The easy draw produces clouds of smoke, with spice and dark chocolate flavors dominating, and a toasty note in the background. The ash isn't terribly straight, but it is quite ragged and dark so far for a NC smoke. The spice settled down after a half inch, and the chocolate blends with some wood flavors that are really melting together beautiful. I can feel the strength now, though it isn't quite as strong as I had expected yet.

Second Third - The ash has now settled down and it is burning straighter. I am loving the flavor notes -the powerhouse isn't just a beast, it has some complexity too! The glass bottle coke I'm drinking goes really well with it, though I can't help wishing I had a nice strong cup of coffee to complement the chocolate and toastyness. As a huge fan of toasty flavors, the T110 is hitting the spot.

Third Third - Though the flavors are getting less refined at this point, I think I have fallen in love. The strength hit me a bit more and I can feel a small knot in my throat, but I am loving it. Ash held for about an inch and a half twice, and I nubbed it so far I think I have a blister on my finger.

Conclusion and Score - The T110 won my heart. I loved the chocolate, wood, and toasty notes, which produced beautiful complex flavors throughout the entire stick. The burn and draw were nothing short of great. Despite this cigar being a powerhouse (and it was), flavor was definitely not a problem. For a rating, I dub this beauty a 93, and would have to put it in the top 10, and probably top five for my favorite cigars of all time. Age should really make it even more enjoyable, though I doubt I will be able to keep my hands off the only other one I have left! I NEED to get some more of these.