Smoked: Tatuaje 20th Anniversary

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Tatuaje 20th Anniversary incorporates Nicaraguan filler and binder with a slightly oily Ecuadoran Habano seed typically medium sized veined wrapper.

Oak, walnuts and peanuts, mild pepper/spice, creaminess with a sweet taste something like Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, notes of bread/toast/crackers, and an earthy floral taste. This cigar starts out complex. As we move into the second third, the oak takes on a damp taste, a little mossy and leathery. There are also puffs of chocolate and raisins (some sort of dried fruit) mixing with the original flavors. There’s a smooth richness to the 20th Anniversary. It’s balanced and complex. I find it a medium bodied, medium strength cigar.

The retrohale is relatively mellow with mild pepper, wood, earth and a touch of the aforementioned raisins and creaminess sneaking through. It’s one of the more interesting retrohale aromas I’ve experienced.

The draw was a tad tight, but manageable, even burn line, solid smoke output, the ash held fairly well, although it was flaky and fell off twice.

Has it been two decades already? This is a refined version of the original brown label line, if memory serves. And at my age and after 20 years, I can’t always rely on my memory. I’ve been a Tatuaje fan for years, although my favorites are in the Cojonu, Miami series. If, like me, you’ve steered clear of the brown label sticks, you should try the 20th Anniversary. It is unique. One way or another, kudos to Pete Johnson. The Tatuaje 20th Anniversary is a well-crafted tribute to two decades of an excellent cigar.

P.S. Many thanks to my fellow Tatuaje aficionado Steve for gifting me this cigar – much appreciated.