Tatuaje Black Staff Review
Tatuaje Black cigars have been around since 2007, but they were difficult to find when they first came out. Today, I’m smoking a 4-by-50 Petit Robusto, a smaller smoke worth considering if you’re stepping outside to smoke in cold weather. Tatuaje cigars are blended and produced for brand founder Pete Johnson by father-and-son cigarmakers Pepin and Jaime Garcia, the duo behind My Father cigars.
Pete packaged the first Tatuaje Black Label in either bundles or black ceramic jars. Only 1,000 jars were produced, and Tatuaje collectors scooped them up. Today, the Black Label comes in a black box of 20 cigars. The story behind Black Label is that Pete had the cigar made as a personal blend of sorts.
Years ago, when he was starting out as a cigarmaker, Pete visited Cuba to take in the culture, see the island’s cigar industry close up, and smoke cigars. Every morning, after showering from a bucket, Pete sat on a fence in front of the house where he was staying. A well-dressed gentleman rode past on his bicycle and gifted Pete a cigar from his pocket every day. Pete became enamored with the cigar and considered it among the best he smoked during his visit. He returned to Nicaragua with samples to share with the Garcias with the intention of recreating the blend as closely as possible. Tatuaje Black Label was born.
Black Label is a Nicaraguan Puro, meaning it’s blended entirely from Nicaraguan tobaccos, including the cigar’s oily wrapper leaf. As is customary with Tatuaje cigars, the box emits a strong aroma of wood, leather, and fresh tobacco when it’s opened. After clipping the cap and pulling air through the cigar a few times, the cold draw tastes of dark fruit, cocoa, and spice. On paper, Tatuaje Black Label isn’t as full-bodied as the brand’s popular Brown Label, but Tatuaje cigars are known for being on the stronger side, so I only smoke them on a full stomach.
The Petit Robusto is packed perfectly from head to foot. This short, compact smoke kicks off with potent notes of oak, pepper, and smoked almond when I slowly toast the foot with my ST Dupont Maxi Jet Torch. A pleasant profile of cocoa powder swells over my taste buds with hints of black cherry and pepper lingering on the finish of each draw in the first ten minutes. The retrohale is fairly intense, but Tatuaje Black Label exhibits the trademark smoothness the Garcias are known for, despite making cigars of considerable strength.
Normally, I can smoke a Petit Robusto in under forty minutes, but the Black Label takes over fifty minutes because I spend a longer time smoking a stronger cigar. If you smoke too fast, nausea sets in. Tatuaje Black Label is too smooth and flavorful to rush. Pausing in between draws allows the cigar’s nuances to fully settle over my palate.
In the second half, profound tasting notes of smoked nuts, cracked black pepper, and cocoa mingle over a solid foundation of cedar, cinnamon, and fresh coffee. Notes of baking spices and leather impart a rewarding finish as I zero in on the nub. Tatuaje Black Label earns a solid 91-point rating for its quality, well-rounded flavor, and performance. I recommend a concise size like the Petit Robusto when you’re a beginner who’s exploring stronger cigars for the first time.
