2010 Santa's Small Group Review
So the idea behind this was to have 3 separate reviews on the same cigar by posting the rules (http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=46741&highlight=small+group ) and sending out the review cigar to the first 3 who answered the post
Our panel for 2010 is:
PLUSH (Brian)
TreeFrog Frank (Frank)
.jacob (Jacob)
Thanks guys This was fun.
In no particular order, here are the reviews of the Tatuaje Barclay Rex .
1 Frank
This cigar comes from Pete Johnson, manufactured in Nicaragua with a dark, veiny Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler. A 6x52 Toro, with a less than gorgeous closed foot and nice little pigtail triple cap. This cigar was produced in limited quantities of 195 cabinets of 25 cigars (4,875 total cigars).
This cigar has a nice satin sheen to the wrapper, and a very firm construction. The foot aroma was one of dark wood and cocoa. I clipped the cap with my Xikar cutter and the initial draw flavor was also of a cocoa and very faint spice. The clip caused some slight cracking of the wrapper, but it would not be a hindrance.
This cigar lit up with no problem. The draw was surprisingly easy. I was afraid with a tight feeling cigar like this, that the draw might be a little constricted; but this was not the case with the Barclay Rex. The burn was, and would remain throughout the cigar, razor sharp! I had a few more wrapper issues as I smoked it; a crack would lead up the cigar as it burned, but did not ever cause issue.
The initial draws from this lit cigar was nothing less than a pepper spice blast!! Starting from the tip of my tongue, and working its way back, it was amazingly spicy. I was nearly worried that I may not have been able to handle this cigar. As I progressed through the first third, it mellowed into a wonderful flavor of cocoa and creamy espresso. It was almost as if the creaminess of the cigar soothed the spicy blast that it handed me at the beginning. I even tried my first retrohale. I know, probably not the best to try my first time, but it went easy on me. It revealed an even sweeter, almost fruit-like sweetness to the smoke.
The smoke was thick and voluminous! It hung around my head, and allowed me to blow some gorgeous smoke rings! It was a nice thick, creamy mouth feel.
The second third continued with the cocoa and espresso and subtly progressed into a sweeter chocolately flavor profile. I'm really loving this cigar!
The last third continued growing into a richer, dark flavor. This cigar never got bitter on me.
I had to take this gorgeous beast down the nub! I really enjoyed this cigar! This was the first Tatuaje I've had outside of the Havana VI line, and one of each of the white and brown labels. Now, it just makes me want more!
2 Jacob
The stick in question is the Tat Barclay Rex 100th Anniversary which Pete describes as the Tat Pork Tenderloins big brother. Never having smoked a Tenderloin I cant comment but its certainly a stout cigar.
To enjoy this fine LE I loaded up the gym bag and headed over to the club to meet my visiting cousin. He chose a 2005 RyJ CC and we got to work.
http://i.min.us/iKZ4k.jpg
The cigar is expertly crafted and has a nice dark brown wrapper. The cap featuring an attractive little tail came off cleanly, the cap itself actually popped off with the filler slicing through the cutter. Very clean.
Pre-light its very Tatuaje-y, rich tobacco, no spice on the draw which was perfect, not too tight or loose, y muy rico. It reminded me of a brown label and hadnt thrown any surprises at this point.
First third was great and I gotta say fairly typical Tatuaje, again very similar to the brown label. I got the Tatuaje frontal spice. Not too much on the back and I only experience it at the end of the exhale. The flavors are solidly full body and include wet, green wood, hay, and rich tobacco. As this is the first cigar Ive had in about two months Im feeling the nicotine.
The second third is a refinement of the first. The green wood is now a green moss which Im really enjoying. The cigar is cool and moist, earthy. The High Land Park plus the nico is starting to get me out of my head and the flavors are phenomenal. Smoke production is big but not over the top.
http://i.min.us/iPyqG.jpg
In the final third Im really feeling it and the green-ness which Im so enjoying sadly is drying up and the smoke is heating up. Its still a solid cigar, but the flavors in the final third are standard, nothing to comment on especially. The burn also started to wander and I put down with 2.5 left, mostly due to the nico-buzz.
http://i.min.us/iPwi8.jpg
All and all this was a really enjoyable smoke. It shined for me in the second third. Due to not smoked in a while, this guy being bigger than what I typically smoke, and all the scotch, it really kicked my ass. To record I hit the hot tub, took a two hour nap, and then steamed for 45 minutes. Best Saturday afternoon ever!
This was my first review and I hope you enjoy. This is certainly a cigar Id like to revisit once Ive built up my tolerance again. Clint, thanks for the opportunity to smoke something great and give a review. I really appreciate it. Happy holidays!

3 Brian
Appearance Very beautiful cigar, dark brown leather looking wrapper. Felt really firm in the hand, no soft spots that I could tell. I had smoked one a few weeks before that I could tell was dry but I had just got it and wanted to toast up. This one was spot on (thanks Clint!) where it needed to be and it made all the difference.
Pre light leather, chocolate, touch of spice, kind of hard draw
Light- a little pepper through the nose with cedar and spice and everything nice. Lots of smoke.
Definitely feel the spice down the back of the tongue and throat. Quite is nice mid morning smoke with my 2008 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. It has a creamy chocolate essence with wood and cedar. It is almost like a cinnamon red hot.
Offered up great balance. Had some really nice bold flavors that I like in a cigar.
The burn was perfect; this really is a fine specimen of a cigar. The flavors balanced really well together. The pepper, chocolate, creamy smoothness. The cigar is full of flavors, full-bodied, yet the strength was just right. Everything was rolled just right.
As we are told, this is the big brother to the Pork Tenderloin. I have smoked probably 5 of those and this is so much better. I just wish I had the fund to pick up some more than the 5rs I bought.
I smoked this baby down to the bone. I am normally a fast smoker but I made this last as long as I could. Total smoke time 2 hours 8 minutes.
So the idea behind this was to have 3 separate reviews on the same cigar by posting the rules (http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=46741&highlight=small+group ) and sending out the review cigar to the first 3 who answered the post
Our panel for 2010 is:
PLUSH (Brian)
TreeFrog Frank (Frank)
.jacob (Jacob)
Thanks guys This was fun.
In no particular order, here are the reviews of the Tatuaje Barclay Rex .
1 Frank
This cigar comes from Pete Johnson, manufactured in Nicaragua with a dark, veiny Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler. A 6x52 Toro, with a less than gorgeous closed foot and nice little pigtail triple cap. This cigar was produced in limited quantities of 195 cabinets of 25 cigars (4,875 total cigars).
This cigar has a nice satin sheen to the wrapper, and a very firm construction. The foot aroma was one of dark wood and cocoa. I clipped the cap with my Xikar cutter and the initial draw flavor was also of a cocoa and very faint spice. The clip caused some slight cracking of the wrapper, but it would not be a hindrance.
This cigar lit up with no problem. The draw was surprisingly easy. I was afraid with a tight feeling cigar like this, that the draw might be a little constricted; but this was not the case with the Barclay Rex. The burn was, and would remain throughout the cigar, razor sharp! I had a few more wrapper issues as I smoked it; a crack would lead up the cigar as it burned, but did not ever cause issue.
The initial draws from this lit cigar was nothing less than a pepper spice blast!! Starting from the tip of my tongue, and working its way back, it was amazingly spicy. I was nearly worried that I may not have been able to handle this cigar. As I progressed through the first third, it mellowed into a wonderful flavor of cocoa and creamy espresso. It was almost as if the creaminess of the cigar soothed the spicy blast that it handed me at the beginning. I even tried my first retrohale. I know, probably not the best to try my first time, but it went easy on me. It revealed an even sweeter, almost fruit-like sweetness to the smoke.
The smoke was thick and voluminous! It hung around my head, and allowed me to blow some gorgeous smoke rings! It was a nice thick, creamy mouth feel.
The second third continued with the cocoa and espresso and subtly progressed into a sweeter chocolately flavor profile. I'm really loving this cigar!
The last third continued growing into a richer, dark flavor. This cigar never got bitter on me.
I had to take this gorgeous beast down the nub! I really enjoyed this cigar! This was the first Tatuaje I've had outside of the Havana VI line, and one of each of the white and brown labels. Now, it just makes me want more!
2 Jacob
The stick in question is the Tat Barclay Rex 100th Anniversary which Pete describes as the Tat Pork Tenderloins big brother. Never having smoked a Tenderloin I cant comment but its certainly a stout cigar.
To enjoy this fine LE I loaded up the gym bag and headed over to the club to meet my visiting cousin. He chose a 2005 RyJ CC and we got to work.
http://i.min.us/iKZ4k.jpg
The cigar is expertly crafted and has a nice dark brown wrapper. The cap featuring an attractive little tail came off cleanly, the cap itself actually popped off with the filler slicing through the cutter. Very clean.
Pre-light its very Tatuaje-y, rich tobacco, no spice on the draw which was perfect, not too tight or loose, y muy rico. It reminded me of a brown label and hadnt thrown any surprises at this point.
First third was great and I gotta say fairly typical Tatuaje, again very similar to the brown label. I got the Tatuaje frontal spice. Not too much on the back and I only experience it at the end of the exhale. The flavors are solidly full body and include wet, green wood, hay, and rich tobacco. As this is the first cigar Ive had in about two months Im feeling the nicotine.
The second third is a refinement of the first. The green wood is now a green moss which Im really enjoying. The cigar is cool and moist, earthy. The High Land Park plus the nico is starting to get me out of my head and the flavors are phenomenal. Smoke production is big but not over the top.
http://i.min.us/iPyqG.jpg
In the final third Im really feeling it and the green-ness which Im so enjoying sadly is drying up and the smoke is heating up. Its still a solid cigar, but the flavors in the final third are standard, nothing to comment on especially. The burn also started to wander and I put down with 2.5 left, mostly due to the nico-buzz.
http://i.min.us/iPwi8.jpg
All and all this was a really enjoyable smoke. It shined for me in the second third. Due to not smoked in a while, this guy being bigger than what I typically smoke, and all the scotch, it really kicked my ass. To record I hit the hot tub, took a two hour nap, and then steamed for 45 minutes. Best Saturday afternoon ever!
This was my first review and I hope you enjoy. This is certainly a cigar Id like to revisit once Ive built up my tolerance again. Clint, thanks for the opportunity to smoke something great and give a review. I really appreciate it. Happy holidays!

3 Brian
Appearance Very beautiful cigar, dark brown leather looking wrapper. Felt really firm in the hand, no soft spots that I could tell. I had smoked one a few weeks before that I could tell was dry but I had just got it and wanted to toast up. This one was spot on (thanks Clint!) where it needed to be and it made all the difference.
Pre light leather, chocolate, touch of spice, kind of hard draw
Light- a little pepper through the nose with cedar and spice and everything nice. Lots of smoke.
Definitely feel the spice down the back of the tongue and throat. Quite is nice mid morning smoke with my 2008 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. It has a creamy chocolate essence with wood and cedar. It is almost like a cinnamon red hot.
Offered up great balance. Had some really nice bold flavors that I like in a cigar.
The burn was perfect; this really is a fine specimen of a cigar. The flavors balanced really well together. The pepper, chocolate, creamy smoothness. The cigar is full of flavors, full-bodied, yet the strength was just right. Everything was rolled just right.
As we are told, this is the big brother to the Pork Tenderloin. I have smoked probably 5 of those and this is so much better. I just wish I had the fund to pick up some more than the 5rs I bought.
I smoked this baby down to the bone. I am normally a fast smoker but I made this last as long as I could. Total smoke time 2 hours 8 minutes.
