Quick Smoke: Tatuaje Exclusive Series Proto 3 (Saints & Sinners 2011)

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

What’s the difference between the Tatuaje Fausto Avion 11 and this prototype from Pete Johnson’s Saints & Sinners club? I can’t tell by searching online about the latter, and I’ve never tried the former. The makeup seems to be the same—Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos surrounded by a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper—and the flavors are similar to those described by my colleague in his review of the Fausto Avion 11. These include pepper, dry wood, nuts, and some syrupy sweetness on the finish. If there is no difference, I’m inclined to put the Fausto Avion 11 on my shopping list because the Proto 3 is a delight.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys