Cigar Review: Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda
30 Jun 2014
Recently, I’ve been talking to a lot of my cigar friends about jars. Whether the pill bottle format of the Viaje Antidote, or the slick black tubing of the Tatuaje Black Corona Gordas, many 2014 best-of lists will include stogies packed in less-than-traditional packaging.
The Corona Gorda was first released in 2007 in jars of 19, and people went wild. Then, around the end of last year, Pete Johnson decided to celebrate his 10th anniversary with the re-release.
This cigar is revered among Tatuaje fans. Since the jars were so limited in their release the first time around, they quickly became impossible to find. Those who had them were posting amazingly positive reviews. And, to add to the hype, the Black label became known as Pete Johnson’s personal blend.
The Black Corona Gorda is a Nicaraguan puro with a sun-grown binder, rolled at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua. The presentation of this cigar is perfect. The wrapper has a nice feel to it—just a little sponginess—with a perfectly applied cap and a simple, classy band. The pre-light aroma includes leather and a slight hint of chocolate.
When lit, this cigar really lives up to the expectations the appearance created (as well as the cigar’s reputation). The flavors are intense and varied. Starting with leather and cocoa, the cigar then gains some a nice citrus flavor, and both red and black pepper mix in and out as the smoke progresses. Throughout, there is a solid chocolaty core, but it never becomes the prominent flavor. The Corona Gorda remains cool and full-flavored all the way down to the nub.
Normally, my reviews are longer, but there is really nothing else for me to say or complain about with this smoke. It is well worth the price of a jar, and I’m in the process of hunting one or two jars down for myself currently. Any fan of Tatuaje or Nicaraguan smokes will love this one, and I’d be hesitant to award it anything less than a perfect five out of five.
[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five-stogie rated cigars can be found here.]
photo credit: Smoke Inn
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Great Smoke – just wish they were bigger lol
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Long time lurker/reader, first time commenter.
Really, really disappointed in this review. This cigar earned one of StogieGuy.com's coveted "5 out of 5 Stogies" reviews and thus makes it into the revered gallery of 5 Star reviews… yet one paragraph and the last sentence of another paragraph are essentially the entirety of the review.
The rest of the text is hyperbole (paragraph 2 and 6) and fan service (paragraphs 1 and 3) for Tatuaje's previous Black Label jar release, another brand/line, and then a blurb about packaging trends, and a general cult of personality around Pete Johnson. Then follows a generalization of opinion about the cigar in the 6th paragraph and the shopping intentions of the reviewer.
Added to this is a post by Stogie Guys as the first comment on no less than 4 places on where to buy this incredible 5 out of 5 Stogie cigar that received 1 paragraph and 1 sentence of tasting notes… out of 6 paragraphs? It's a perfect cigar smoking experience you say?
C'mon (Stogie) Guy's! I know you have to pay the bills, but this one was phoned in and I think y'all were the ones receiving the phone call.. if you know what I mean!
(Some decent tasting notes, but your readers would like to really have you review it carefully and spend some time on it so we really know what you think makes this 5 Stogie perfect stogie tick!)
I'm sorry you were disappointed in the review, and I think you've described your frustrations in a well-organized, rational sense, but I can clarify two things for you:
1.) In no way was this some sort of "sponsored" review. I choose the cigars I review, I bought this stick at a local shop since they got some in, and I have always been a huge fan of the black line, in all vitolas.
2.) I gave this cigar a 5/5 since it is a perfect smoking experience, for me. All of the Black line that I have smoked have had perfect construction, draw, and burn and contained a very consistent yet complex flavor profile that stays cool and satisfying all the way down to the nub. It is a cigar I never grow tired of, never feel the need to pair with anything, and never want to run out of. If that is not a 5/5 to you, or if this cigar does not meet your expectations, I apologize.
With all that being said, I will take your notes into consideration, and add more information about the actual taste/smoking experience in my future reviews. Thank you for your feedback.