• Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Tatuaje Black Tubo

Kingantz

Growing too fast.
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
7,648
New Years eve! Went to the office this morning to check on year end worst case (excellent btw), and left after a few hours of crunching numbers. Stopped by the store and picked up a nice bottle of bubbly for the wife and I to toast in the new year, then came on home for a bit of lunch, and decided to put fire to a Tat Black Tubo. After pulling the cigar out the tube, I find it to look rather coarse with the dark brown wrapper looking like a worn piece of leather. There’s noticeable oil with what looks like a bit of tooth throughout along with a couple of prominent veins. It has a hefty weight to it, firm when squeezed, and after clipping the tapered head I find a perfect draw with strong taste of, dare I say, paint thinner. I actually don’t believe this is from any paint, but just the way the very fresh tobacco tastes.

After torching the tobacco covered foot, I take a couple of puffs and can already feel the strong spice on my lips and tongue. With my first draw, strong black pepper spice is there and a bit overwhelming and continues this way in the next couple draws taken. However, with approximately a quarter inch of ash having formed, the powerful spice subsides, and I can now taste the rich flavor of the medium to almost full strength smoke coming through. Very woody with a strong toasted nut flavor along with worn leather and a bit of sweet, dark cocoa. I can also tell the tobacco is quite young yet with a slight metallic on the palate.

A good third in and this is where I find the sweet spot. The smoke is a medium strength and flowing well through the perfect draw with the spice almost completely gone now. Flavors are incredibly rich and lasting on the palate, the finish long and delicious. The burn is sharp with a medium gray ash that is somewhat compact and holding well until tapped off in the ashtray.

Halfway in and the burn starts going to the side, and I have to do a small touch up to get it back straight again. Flavors are still very good, however seem to be losing a bit of that richness as before. The strength seems to mellow a bit as well becoming seemingly more of a mild to almost medium, continuing to flow well through the perfect draw. I have to say that at the moment, my fingers are simply frozen. :D

Oddly enough, in the final third the spice and strength came back, not as powerful as in the beginning, however definitely there. Admittedly, my head began to swim a little from a nicotine buzz, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Flavors were still not as rich as that sweet spot somewhere around the first third to halfway mark, however not bad by any means. The finish was there and still lasting on the palate, actually very good. I believe that with sufficient down time, these will really shine. At least that’s just MHO.

I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year! Be safe my friends!

12-31-09TatBlackTubo001.jpg

12-31-09TatBlackTubo002.jpg

12-31-09TatBlackTubo003.jpg

12-31-09TatBlackTubo004.jpg
 
Thanks for another great review! It looks like you had a much more successful burn than my first experience with the black tubo. I have a few resting in my humi, hopefully they'll come into their own with a little nap. I've never smoked the OR Tat Black and was VERY excited when I picked these up, unfortunately I was almost equally disappointed. This review makes me want to giv'em another try.
 
Monty, my experience mirrors yours. I've had three now and have been disappointed in all three. Muted, almost sour flavors, and nowhere near the original CG's. I'm not sure any amount of rest will help these, but we'll see. I may be stuck with six boxes.
 
Thanks for another great review! It looks like you had a much more successful burn than my first experience with the black tubo. I have a few resting in my humi, hopefully they'll come into their own with a little nap. I've never smoked the OR Tat Black and was VERY excited when I picked these up, unfortunately I was almost equally disappointed. This review makes me want to giv'em another try.

Am with you :monty: I had similar flaking, odd burn experience my first time with the Black Tubo. But - have plenty more and lots of time, so plan on letting time take over for a while and see what comes of them.

John
 
I've read a number of comments on these and it does seem most of them are not good or in the middle. Quite interesting as I really enjoyed this one today. That spot about an inch in did remind me somewhat of the original Tat Blacks from the jar, very rich flavor.
 
Thanks for the great review! Pretty much right on par with my experience and thoughts on the cigar. I've only smoked 2 so far...but enjoyed both of them very much.
 
Thanks for the review Greg. Sounds like an interesting smoke, one I'd definitely look into getting my hands on at some point.

Monty, my experience mirrors yours. I've had three now and have been disappointed in all three. Muted, almost sour flavors, and nowhere near the original CG's. I'm not sure any amount of rest will help these, but we'll see. I may be stuck with six boxes.

Mu Mike, if you find these don't fit your palette and you want to get rid of a few... keep me in mind. I'd be game to take a 5'er of so off your hands.
 
I was able to acquire a few of these for when my wife and I visit my Dad. I can't wait to torch one of these bad bows with him.

Nice review Greg.
 
Thanks for the review, Greg. Good to see some folks are getting some enjoyment from these.

As for me, the off-and-on reviews are just reinforcing my stance that I'm not really wiling to get in on these Tatuaje special releases. I am plenty happy with the regular release Tats (at least so far) and would rather save my money for 25-count boxes of reliables.

Though, if the Black tubos aren't actually limited release, I'll have to shut my mouth and try some when they get the kinks out...
 
Great review. Can't wait to smoke a few more of these after they have some age on them.
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...........The RG on these cigars is way too large. The wrapper makes these and with so much filler tobacco, the wrapper is overwhelmed.
You guys can keep saying your going to put these down all you want, but this cigar will never be anything special.

I guess if you've never had the original size vitola they might seem like something. ;)
 
I've had one of these so far, from my SS---supposed to get a box through my B&M but they got screwed out of their allotment somehow and I'm still waiting to see if they get any from the second batch Pete said was coming.

Thought it was a very good smoke, but nowhere near the OR jar vitola. Those were unbelievably good, though.

Great review as always!

~Boar
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...........The RG on these cigars is way too large. The wrapper makes these and with so much filler tobacco, the wrapper is overwhelmed.
You guys can keep saying your going to put these down all you want, but this cigar will never be anything special.

I guess if you've never had the original size vitola they might seem like something. ;)

I completely agree. My opinion on these is save your money and put that money toward your favorite brown or red Tat. Oh, and btw, the red tube (I thought) was not that great. Not at all.

And if you really must spend extra cash on a Tat, try the Cojonu 2009.
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...........The RG on these cigars is way too large. The wrapper makes these and with so much filler tobacco, the wrapper is overwhelmed.
You guys can keep saying your going to put these down all you want, but this cigar will never be anything special.

I guess if you've never had the original size vitola they might seem like something. ;)

I completely agree. My opinion on these is save your money and put that money toward your favorite brown or red Tat. Oh, and btw, the red tube (I thought) was not that great. Not at all.

And if you really must spend extra cash on a Tat, try the Cojonu 2009.

I'll not often align myself with scoundrels such as John and Mick :p , but I have to agree on the black. I've not had the red.

The original Blacks were a very nice cigar in both releases. To me, the tubos don't even taste like the same line.

To each their own, though. Smoke what you like and chase what you want. :)
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...........The RG on these cigars is way too large. The wrapper makes these and with so much filler tobacco, the wrapper is overwhelmed.
You guys can keep saying your going to put these down all you want, but this cigar will never be anything special.

I guess if you've never had the original size vitola they might seem like something. ;)


I so agree on this one. And quite honestly after having a couple that tasted like paint, I just won't go near these again. They are no where near the original bar set by the Blacks.

And sadly, I think the Red Tubo is tons better than these blacks will ever be. But hey what do I know. YMMV

Art
 
Thanks for the great review Greg. I had my first one last night, and I'm pleased to say that I agree with you completely. These are fine cigars. I'm amazed so many people are trashing them.
 
Top