Blind Cigar Review: Tatuaje | Noella Reserva (2013)

This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Corona

Length: 5.125″

Ring Gauge: 42

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Factory: El Rey de los Habanos

Blender: Pete Johnson / Don Pepin Garcia

Number of reviewers: 5 —– Ron (shuckins) Milton (mjohnsoniii) Myles (MylesT) Nicholas (volpow61) Derek (StogieNinja)

Price: $8.00

Contributed by: Will (Dubv23)

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 91

“Wrapper is a rustic maduro, with several prominent veins, and a bit of tooth. Color is a deep, rich chocolate brown, with a few thick veins. It won’t win any awards, but it looks delicious!” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Aroma: 90

“Kind of light on the aroma, but I can smell bits of coffee, leather and cocoa, so I’m hoping the taste is stronger than the aroma.” –Ron (shuckins)

Construction: 93

“Construction looks solid other than a few viens; a very well put together stick.” –Nicholas (volpow61)

First Third

Flavor: 93

Strength: Medium

Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Peppery to start with a leather coffee mix and a dry cedar tobacco

taste. It turned to more of a barky wood taste with the coffee, leather and pepper kicking in after a couple of inches in.”-Ron (shuckins)

“Starts with black pepper, wood, cedar and espresso, with a bit of brown sugar sweetness, all over a rich tobacco core. The smoke is creamy and chocolaty. Pepper subsides a bit after half an inch, and I can already tell this is going to be delightful.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Second Third

Flavor: 93

Strength: Medium-Strong

Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Strength and pepper die down a bit but that sweet natural tobacco and grape flavor are fantastic. I’m also picking up a little earth and cocoa flavor as well. This smoke is coming together amazingly.” Nicholas (volpow61)

“Entering the second third, the flavors take turns at the front: wood, cedar, espresso, baking spices, black pepper, chocolaty sweetness and a rich tobacco core. All shine at one point or another, and the complexity is very nice. Smoke remains creamy and delicious. This is a complex and wonderfully satisfying smoke.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Final Third

Flavor: 92

Strength: Medium-Strong

Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Very similar to the second third, but a touch more mellow in flavor, and without the fruit. The earthy, leathery, baked good flavor stuck around and balanced nicely.” –Myles (MylesT)

“Entering the final third, the chocolate sweetness has taken over, like dessert after a main course. Then, a meaty, thick, rich tobacco flavor appears again. The cedar, wood, hints of black pepper and coffee remain present as the rich tobacco core and chocolate sweetness argue about who will shine brighter. There’s just a hint of harshness here, not even really distracting, but it’s there, almost like the cigar needed a little bit more downtime before it peaked.” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 92

“This hit it right on the money, for me. Exactly how I like it!” –Myles (MylesT)

Burn: 90

“Not a single issue with the burn. It burned perfectly for the duration of the entire cigar.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong

Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

Overall Experience: 94

“I enjoyed the cigar and would have scored it higher, but the wood was a little too barky at times for my tastes.” –Ron (shuckins)

“Although not the best I’ve had, this was a very solid smoke that I wouldn’t hesitate to light again and enjoy while relaxing in the man-cave or on the porch.” – Milton (mjohnsoniii)

“I think this is my favorite of what I’ve reviewed for the site thus far. I’d really enjoy one of these with my morning tea, or with my evening coffee. I had no bitterness at all, and it was very easy to smoke, and sized just right! I just hope it isn’t a pricey stick!” –Myles (MylesT)

“Overall a pleasure to smoke from start to finish. One of the better smokes I’ve had in a long time. Usually I am about price on certain smokes but on this one I don’t care what it costs I am getting more. I highly recommend it.” –Nicholas (volpow61)

“One of the best cigars I’ve smoked for Blind Man’s Puff so far. The opposite and equal counterpart to the RyJ ExII reviewed earlier this year, this cigar has everything you want in a maduro: complexity, richness, chocolaty sweetness and a thick, creamy smoke. Absolutely box-worthy!” –Derek (StogieNinja)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 69

Total Score: 92

Blind Cigar Review: Tatuaje | Noella Reserva (2013)