Cigar Review: Tatuaje The Wolfman

You’ve got to hand it to Pete Johnson, the creator and owner of the Tatuaje cigar brand: The annual Halloween cigar release is marketing genius. Each year Tatuaje fans seek out the Halloween limited release with many buying an entire box before smoking a single one.

Cigar Aficionado even wrote an article about the “distribution nightmare” that the Halloween release has become. With 666 numbered “dress boxes” going out to 13 “unlucky retailers” (plus another 1,500 plain boxes of ten), there is still more demand than supply. But it’s hard to feel to sorry for Johnson for having too many people wanting his annual Halloween cigar.

Wrapper leaf generally is judged by two key attributes: taste and appearance. A testament to that marketing genius, by making ugly “scary” cigars cool, the Halloween release is free to use wrapper that while plenty tasty, would normally be far too rustic in appearance for most $13 cigars. Indeed, the Sumatra wrapper, while oily, is two-toned with reddish brown and plenty of black veins.

Inside the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper is binder and filler based on the Tatuaje Cojonu. The cigar is a large (7.5″ x 52) box-pressed torpedo with an unfinished foot that is exposed for half an inch before the wrapper starts.

Once lit, the unfinished foot creates an unbalanced start. When the wrapper kicks in, though, you get a full-bodied, complete smoke. The Wolfman has a notable dried fruit sweetness, combined with leather and a hint of woodiness. There’s also a little sourness that comes and goes.

The flavors change only slightly as the long smoke moves past the halfway point. Some cedary spice develops and the dried fruit notes continue. The medium- to full-bodied profile reminds me an awful lot of the NHC Capa Especial, another box-pressed, Sumatra-wrapped Tatuaje.

Despite a somewhat loose draw, construction is excellent. The burn is even and, except for the unfinished foot, the ash holds steady for over an inch.

In the end, the newest Halloween is much like its predecessors: a little different and a little quirky, but ultimately pretty good (and yes, the dress box is pretty cool too). It’s not the best Tatuaje I’ve ever smoked, but ultimately it’s enjoyable and worthy of a rating of four stogies out of five.

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–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys