Tatuaje Havana VI
07/21/2011
Cigar Reviews / Vices Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
Time is of the essence
I’ve often repeated the old cigar adage that goes something like: The luxury in a good cigar is not in the disposable income one needs to have in order to afford one; it is in having the time to enjoy smoking it.
However, in the spirit of the above, my more modern experience with cigars drives me to create another observation: A fine cigar forces its smoker to take his or her time to appreciate it. By default, you then use that time to decompress from the pressures of our modern day lives.
In today’s world, with all our gadgets to keep us “connected” and “highly productive,” it is easier than ever to get worn thin, exhausted or even burned out. It’s during these times that I have made this latter observation and I recently was reminded of it again as I went back to my home town for a visit. With my gadgets in tow, I was convinced that I could see my family members in the area and “catch up” with a number of old friends, while still working from my parents’ home -- 8 hours a day during the couple of days I was there during the work week. It proved to be a roller coaster ride of emotions as I got “caught up” on topics of tragedy, loss, sadness, triumph and joy – hearing of theirs and sharing mine! Through modern telecommunications, via air cards, cell phones, text messages and GPS technology, I was able to do it all in the span of four days, getting my work done and meeting friends in various towns in Northeast Ohio.
By the time the work day ended on my last full day there, I was emotionally exhausted from work and from my fun loving friends. The friends made sure I wasn’t too fit physically – as we altered our lives with later nights and a couple of extra beers to live the moments we shared to their fullest. I knew I needed a short break, alone, so I went to my traveling cigar sleeve and selected a bold cigar, a red labeled Tatuaje, that early evening. I smoked it and found myself reconsidering all of the topics and people who I had the privilege of seeing again and who took the time for me.
I was reminded of another old adage, a favorite from one of my dearest friends up there that I could not see, which stats that a man “should never let the struggles of life interfere with the pleasures of living,” The Tatuaje that I chose proved to be a damn good choice and I share the review of it below.
So, let’s get smokin’ (even if you feel you don’t have the time)!Cigar Review:
Tatuaje (Havana VI)
Size: 5.0” in length; 50 Ring Gauge
Price: $8-9
Tatuaje Havana VI is described on the Tatuaje official website as a “classic and traditional Cuban style blend” by famed cigar blender Pete Johnson. Pete is known to be one of the great young cigar blenders in the business. The cigar is made in Nicaragua by Jaime Garcia of My Father Cigars S.A., another renowned name in the cigar world.
Tobacco blend:
- Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
- Binder: Honduras
- Filler: Nicaragua
Context
Again, it was smoked on a beautiful summer day in Northeast Ohio with a weary mind and body. It was chosen for its flavorful, Cuban like flavor and above average nicotine kick.
Look & feel
The dark, oily wrapper is attractive, with a smooth texture and light veining. It is fitted with three applied caps in true Cuban fashion. The pre-light aroma and draw exhibited boldness. It felt balanced and weighty in the hand and appeared to be rolled by a true experienced craftsman.
Aroma & taste
The cigar opened nicely, with a fair amount of flavor from the initial puffs and the flavor was amplified in the latter stages of the smoke. The aroma was rich and pleasing to the nostrils. I would definitely classify the cigar as medium bodied, tending to the full side on occasion. It exhibited a nice blend of cocoa and French roast coffee, with a very slight vanilla flavor detected only in the finish. I expected and waited for some pepper to come through. It did appear more pronounced later in the smoke, but it never took center stage, which was fine with me given the orchestration of other flavors this cigar exhibited.
I really enjoyed this cigar and found it was the right smoke on the right day. This particular smoke did not seem to have quite the nicotine kick I expected, given other Tatuaje cigars I have had, but this is not a complaint.
RATING: 9.2 (on a scale of 1 to 10) – I will definitely smoke this cigar again.
Keep the comments and recommendations coming – email: cigarreviews@bullz-eye.com
Cigar Quote
“There was a young man of Herne Bay
Who was making fireworks one day;
But he dropped his cigar
in the gunpowder jar.
There was a young man of Herne Bay.” – Ogden Nash