Tatuaje Black Tubo (2nd review)

It’s a little cool out this morning with the temperature gauge reading 47F, however it sounds like a spring day with the birds singing all around and lots of sunshine; another day of mid 60’s and playing outside for the baby girl. I was digging through the humis for a smoke this morning, and decided on giving a Tatuaje Black Tubo another go. I pull the cigar from the tube; find the chocolate brown wrapper oily with one prominent vein running the length, and a number of smaller veins throughout. There are no soft spots to be found after squeezing the cigar from tapered head to uncircumcised foot, and after clipping the head I find a perfect draw with a really good tobacco taste coming through.

I torch the foot and blow on the forming embers, flakes of the tobacco covering the foot lazily float to the ground. I take a few quick puffs, a slow long draw, and get a strong black pepper spice on the back of the tongue and throat with the smoke medium to almost full in strength. It takes a good quarter inch of ash to have formed before the strong spice begins to mellow, however once it does the smoke reveals delicious, very rich flavors of sweet, dark cocoa, roasted nuts, worn leather, and hints of vanilla.

Through the first third, the burn is sharp with a medium to light gray ash forming that holds strong until tapped off with no coning at all. I sit the cigar down between draws and smoke immediately stops flowing from the fire, however once I pick it back up and take a couple puffs, medium to almost full strength smoke flows through the perfect draw in abundance. I exhale slowly through the mouth and nose, getting a nice tingling in the nostrils from the mild to not quite medium strength spice, and the smoke has a somewhat heavy body as it flows over the palate. Flavors continue to be incredibly rich and sweet with a finish that is lasting; pairing well with the fresh cup of coffee I’m having with it.

Through the halfway mark and into the final third, the burn continues to be even with the smoke medium to almost full and flowing well through the perfect draw. Flavors are as previously described; rich and deliciously smooth over the palate with perfect spice and a lasting finish. I admit that although this is an incredible smoke, it just doesn’t have that deep richness I’ve found in the OR Blacks, but with proper downtime I’ve a feeling they will only get better.

Thanks for revisiting this. It's interesting to see how one's impressions of a cigar can change! Great review, as always.

I've smoked two of these as well, and while they were alright, they were not worth the $20 we pay for them in MN. I will say I thought the black was a lot better than the red. Man, I didn't like that cigar at all.

I have a box of these that I'm storing for a while. I think it is a very good cigar that will only get better. I have big expectations for these with some time in the humidor. Thanks for the review. Regards, Doug

I've had the same experience. I smoked my first about two weeks after they were released and wasn't very impressed. The second time around was more enjoyable after a few months down, but they still lack the depth and sweetness of the OR. That's usually my experience, though, when I try a larger ring gauge of the same cigar. In a few more months, maybe I'll do a side-by-side of the OR and the tubos.

Worn leather? Did it have that subtle salty taste of a young woman's thigh? Or perhaps the flavor of Moki's assless chaps? Anyway, I gota ask, how would you know?

Doc.

I found him! Bottom left pic. You can see his ears.

Thanks for the game Greg.