Smoked: Tatuaje Miami Especiales Lancero

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Tatuaje Miami Especiales Lancero is made from Nicaraguan grown filler and binder, rolled in Miami, and covered in an oily, tan-brown Ecuador Habano wrapper with a fair number of thin veins and visible seams. It’s a 7 ½ by 38 Lancero sporting the usual simple small brown Tatuaje band. It has a pigtail to which I reply, “Where’s the V cutter?”

The cigar was a gift from my buddy Steve – a true Tatuaje aficionado. He says it’s a Miami. Checking stats online it may be part of the Seleccion de Cazador series. It’s rolled in Miami. Good enough for me.

Initial flavors: aged tobacco, cedar, earth, leather, spice with mucho cinnamon and minimal pepper, cream, and milk chocolate. Vanilla, caramel/toffee, some orchard fruit, chocolate transitioning to cocoa and a pudding cup taste, and mineral notes can be detected in the background by the second third. Those sweet notes receed during the final third, which is more heavy wood/earth/leather-forward along with a puff or two of citrus and coffee notes Overall, the Miami Especiales has a great array and balance of flavors. Give it up for the transitions and complexity. Bravo! This stick is medium-full bodied and strength.

White ash holds quite well for a Lancero, more than adequate smoke production, and an impressive even burn line, especially given the vitola. Only one relight required after resting it on the port for several minutes.

Tatuaje Miami Especiales Lancero is a very tasty cigar. Pete Johnson does make some impressive cigars. And my friend Steve sure knows his cigars. Thanks, buddy! Very enjoyable smoke.