- Joined
- Jan 25, 2015
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- 3,788
This has been reviewed several times here but I wanted to add my own comments for posterity. This is a beautifully made stick. Light chocolate/caramel wrapper with a a few veins. It is solidly packed with no soft spots. This cigar is designed in a collaborative effort with Pete Johnson and his brother. The cigar is made by the Pepins in the My Father factory. Pete Johnson made no bones that the sizes of this marca and label design was copied after the Cohiba Behike line. There have been other sizes added the last couple of years and the development of a Special Selection line as well. They have recently come out with the Cote D'Or and La Mission. They have a yearly release at the big trade show called the
Extension de la Racine. This year that cigar is going to be released in a 43 ring gauge.
This cigar has a Nicaraguan binder and filler with an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus Wrapper. After a straight cut the pre-draw was excellent with notes of cocoa, cedar, sweet notes, salt, barnyard and baking spices. The stick itself smells wonderful. Upon lighting flavors of cedar, cocoa and cinnamon were present. After it heated up a bit there was also a very distinctive floral component to this smoke. The room bouquet was just outstanding. Right from the get go the cigar could be retro'd without any nose burn what so ever. The burn was good and the ash was solid. Flavors were very well integrated and well balanced. At this point I would classify the smoke as medium in both strength and body.
During the 2nd third of the cigar the flavors remained pretty much the same though the cigar did start to get creamier. The cedar, cocoa, sweetness (honey?) and baking spice still there. The floral note has increased in intensity. Not very complex but the flavors that are there are solid, delicious and seamless. The draw and burn both remain excellent with a good volume of smoke. The cigar remained in the medium range during this third.
During the final third of the cigar all the flavors intensified with a bit of nut and coffee flavors added in. The smoke was creamier and the spice level kicked up a notch. The smoke continued to be seamlessly integrated with all the flavors that have been present throughout the smoke just now at a higher intensity. Absolutely no nose burn when retro'd all the way to the nub. The strength and body started to push into the full range. The burn remained excellent.
I love this cigar. Though not overly complex the flavors are diverse and interesting and they build over the entire smoking time. That floral component needs to be experienced to be appreciated. This cigar just pushes all my buttons the right way. I am on a quest right now to stock up on the L'atelier line. I know a lot of you are self-described Tatuaje whores. It's only fitting then that I classify myself as a L'atelier putain!
