Stogie Reviews: Tatuaje Reserva SW

29 May 2007

Once upon a time, Pete Johnson had the fantastic job of being the cigar buyer for the ultra-exclusive, invitation-only Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills. Now, Johnson (still employed by Grand Havana) is also the owner of the hottest new cigar brand in America – Tatuaje.

Tatuaje Reserva SW The Miami-made Tatuajes were created by Johnson with Don “Pepin” Garcia. If you haven’t seen the simple Tatuaje bands in your local cigar store, that’s probably because Tatuaje (Spanish for “tattoo” – as in the tattoos that cover Johnson’s arms) only produces a limited number of cigars each year in its small factory in Little Havana.

The Tatujae Reserva SW is a seven inch by 47 ring gauge Nicuraguan puro. The leathery wrapper has a few prominent veins and an expertly crafted Cuban-style triple cap. With its Churchill size and Cuban construction, this cigar’s oily appearance reminds me of a Partagas Lusitania I had the pleasure of enjoying in Spain a few years ago.

After carefully slicing the small top of the triple cap and lighting it up with just two matches, the cigar started out medium-bodied and woody. It isn’t nearly as flavor-packed as the Unicos or Regios from Tatuaje’s Cabinet line.

The woody flavor was consistent throughout, but after an inch or so it was joined by subtle amounts of cocoa and spice. Near the end it became more cedary as it flirted with a more robust profile.

Draw is firm, but it isn’t a detriment to the cigar. The ash was extraordinary – despite the cigar’s length, I only ashed three times before the even burn got to the band.

Overall this is very good cigar – well worth the 90 minute investment. Still, for a cigar blended by Don Pepin Garcia, I was surprised that it wasn’t more full flavored.

If you’re lucky enough to find a Tatuaje Reserva SW in a cigar store near you, you’ll likely pay upwards of $11 apiece. No bargain, but a fair price for nearly two hours of enjoyment.

Ultimately, for its excellent construction and complex, smooth blend, the Tatuaje Reserva SW receives a very solid rating of four out of five stogies.