Official Pete Johnson Reference Guide

[Moro]

Here's the Tatuaje reference guide, mates! I still have a tad missing (photos, some specifics and still need to write the information on the Regios Reserva and Reserve SW Maduro) yet will be updating as I get everything. Also waiting on Pete to answer a few questions to add here. All in all, I think the lot of ye will like it.

Special thanks to Angry Bill, Electric Sheep and Craig Mac for allowing the use of photos, and Bill's helps uploading them.

Here's the Index. To get to any specific subject in the guide simply press Ctrl+F and write what ye're looking for.

INDEX​

Tatuaje Cigars
Pete Johnson
Tatuaje Series P
Tatuaje Havana VI
Tatuaje Selección del Cazador
Tatuaje Private Reserve
Tatuaje Monster Series
Cabaiguan
La Riqueza
El Triunfador
Ambos Mundos
Nuevitas Jibaro

 

[Moro]

Tatuaje Cigars​

Tatuaje Cigars spawned in 2003, even though Pete had been wanting to do a cigar line since ’94-’95, with the release of the Tatuaje Selección del Cazador line (B.K.A. Brown label, A.K.A. cabinet, A.K.A. Miami). This happened thanks to Pete and “Pepin” García meeting and thus making the brand.

The name, Pete Johnson’s arms alone give the reason, for Tatuaje is Spanish for “tattoo”. At Las Vegas Big Smoke event, Pete gave some insight on the name of the brand: "Tatuaje is very sexual," Johnson said, but there was an odd silence, and then he added, "that comment was for you ladies out there, not the men."

With a flavor profile that reminds us of Cuban cigars, Pete usually says how Cuban cigars are in his opinion the wheel in the cigar world. Then he proceeds to remind us that he isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, he is just trying to make the best copy of it there is, always admitting he indeed is trying to copy the Cuban profile. He likes the Cuban tobacco tradition and enjoys things that remind him of the Old World.

Pete wants to give the cigar a personal touch and the time it deserves, even giving each cigar its name (contrary to just naming the vitola size), and, in the original Brown label, giving each vitola its unique blend. Another thing (even though Tatuaje usually come with an excellent burn line) is the fact that Pete puts flavor and aroma above all else. He believes the burn, for example, isn’t as important; for ye have a lighter to correct it.

Pete also mentions that his most important competition is himself, for he tries to be proactive and always be better than himself (he believes the cigar business has merely “friendly” competition where each manufacturer is a member of a larger brethren); thus providing always excellent cigars in most customers (if not all) opinions, always staying one step ahead.

 

[Moro]

Pete Johnson

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Pete Johnson (A.K.A. Peter Hassell Johnson) is well known in the cigar world not only as the man who suddenly rose with a cigar brand that everyone knows about, but also as an accessible, laid back person who everyone is glad to have met. Even those that have yet to meet him face to face have stories about him; like the following from one of our members: “… Pete signed my frank box for me via the mail. He is a great BOTL...I snuck a few cc's to him when I sent it in. The cool thing was when he sent it back, he put in one of his 3 packs of Black Robustos. He is a cool dude!”

But who is the man behind the brand?

The following link is an interview our very own jwintosh made to the man himself and it provides a more personal side of Pete: http://www.cigarjack.net/2008/08/08/an-interview-with-pete-johnson/

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[Moro]

Tatuaje Series P ​

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The website says:
“A medium filler Medium Bodied cigar created by Pete Johnson
[FONT=&quot]Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Blended in the style of the flavorful yet Medium Bodied Cuban Cigars.
Cigars are rolled in Nicaragua with 60% Medium / 40% Long Filler.”[/FONT]

P1 - Corona Gorda --- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 – 31 per box – MSRP $3.75
P2 - Robusto -------- 5 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 ----- 31 per box – MSRP $3.75
P3 - Toro ------------ 6 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 ------ 31 per box – MSRP $4.00
P4 - Churchill -------- 7 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 47 ----- 31 per box – MSRP $4.00

The Series P cigars were released in October, 2006; using the same blend as the Havana VI line but with different filler lengths, which makes it, along with the fact that it’s rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua instead of in “El Rey de los Habanos Cigar Factory”, cheaper than either of the other 2 Tatuaje lines.

 

[Moro]

Tatuaje Havana VI

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The website says:
“A classic and traditional Cuban Style blend created by Pete Johnson
[FONT=&quot]Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Blended in the style of the flavorful yet Medium Bodied Cuban Cigars.

Cigars are rolled in Nicaragua using select Nicaraguan tobaccos and classic cuban blending with a beautiful Cuban triple-cap.
Staying true to the pride of El Rey de Los Habanos.”[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

Hermosos - Corona Gorda ---- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 – 24 per box – MSRP $6.75
Angeles ---- Petite Corona ---- 4 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 – 24 per box – MSRP $5.50[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
Victorias --- Corona Especial – 6 x 38 ----- 24 per box – MSRP $6.25
Artistas ----- Torpedo ---------- 6 1/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 52 – 24 per box – MSRP $8.00
Nobles ------ Robusto ----------- 5 x 50 ------ 24 per box – MSRP $6.75
Almirantes – Churchill --------- 7 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 47 ------ 24 per box – MSRP $8.00

The Tatuaje Havana VI line (or red label) was released in October, 2006, manufactured at Tabacalera Cubana in Estelí, Nicaragua. This allowed for a larger production and a cheaper cost than that of the Selección del Cazador. It was named Havana VI because all cigars were produced in traditional Havana style, including a triple cap. Also, one of Pete Johnson’s dogs is called Havana, and that is why the first letter of each one of the six original cigars’ name spells H-A-V-A-N-A.

The blend uses volado leaf in the filler, instead of ligero, which makes it milder than the Selección del Cazador, yet not as mild as the Cabaiguan.

Havana VI Verocu​

In July 2007, a special production, limited release cigar came from the Havana VI line: the Verocu (Verocu means “ballsy” in Cuban slang).

The blend is, according to Pete himself: “a Havana VI on steroids”, having only minor changes from the original Havana VI blend: the wrapper is a Café Rosado Oscuro (opposed to the Café Rosado in regular production) and the filler has added ligero leaf to it.

These cigars, in a similar fashion to Habano’s regional releases, were released in 2 vitolas, one of them released in America’s East Coast, and the other in the West Coast.

Verocu No. 1 (Exclusivo Lado Occidental) - 6 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 52 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $10.00
Verocu No. 2 (Exclusivo Zona del Este) ---- 5 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 54 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $10.00

But there was another release. An exclusive release for Holt’s Cigar Company: the Verocu No. 9.

Verocu No. 9 – 4 ½ x 49 – 20 per box – MSRP $6.50


This last is milder than the other 2 Verocu, with a Corojo wrapper to it. It appears these ones will not be a limited release like the Verocu No. 1 and 2.

 

[Moro]

Tatuaje – La Selección del Cazador

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What the website says:
“1) Spanish for Tattoo
2) An Old World Full Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson
[FONT=&quot]Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]All Tobacco is 1st Generation Cuban Seed Grown in Nicaragua.
Cigars are rolled in classic Cuban tradition by Master Rollers in Little Havana Miami, FL U.S.A.
Headed by Maestro Tobaquero Jose Garcia.
Cigars are rolled with a beautiful Cuban triple-cap and are Medium to Full in flavor[/FONT][FONT=&quot]”[/FONT]

Havana Cazadores - 6 3/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 43 – 25 per box – MSRP $10.00
Unicos ---------------- 6 1/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 52 -- 25 per box – MSRP $11.00
Noellas --------------- 5 1/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 -- 25 per box – MSRP $8.00
Tainos ----------------- 7 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 49 – 25 per box – MSRP $12.00
Especiales ------------ 7 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 38 --- 25 per box – MSRP $10.00
Regios ----------------- 5 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 --- 25 per box – MSRP $10.00


The original six. The ones that started it all. A.K.A. cabinet, A.K.A. Miami, B.K.A. Brown label. Pete’s first Tatuaje cigars to come out to the market, were released in 2003 after Pete met “Pepin”. In Pete’s own words: “It is as if I’m the conductor and Pepin’s the orchestra” Pete goes to Pepin with an idea of how he wants his cigar to taste like, and Pepin just goes ahead and picks out the tobacco leafs to be used. Rolled in the cigar factory “El Rey de los Habanos” (The King of the Habanos) on Calle Ocho, Little Havana, Miami, FL; which is headed by Don José “Pepin” García; a maestro tabacalero and torcedor from Baez, Cuba. Interesting enough as well, This was the first brand that Don Pepin made on his own. Which is particularly curious, for after Tatuaje was rated 90 in Cigar Aficionado, everyone wanted him to blend and roll their cigars.


This line is named after one of Pete’s dogs: Hunter (Selección del Cazador is Spanish for The Hunter’s Selection); and that is why the first letter of each vitola’s name spells H-U-N-T-E-R.


The line itself has a very Cuban-esque profile, not only due to appearance, which includes a triple cap, and traditional wooden boxes, but also due to every vitola in this line having its own blend (which in turn also give a very Cuban taste). Later came an addition:

Petite Tatuaje - 4 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 32 – 50 per box – MSRP $3.50

Tatuaje Cojonu​

Cojonu 2006 - 5 ½ x 52 – 25 per box - MSRP $13.00
Cojonu 2003 - 6 ½ x 52 – 25 per box - MSRP $13.00
Gran Cojonu - 6 ½ x 60 – 12 per box - MSRP $15.00

Cojonu 2009 - 6 ¼ x 52 – 25 per box - MSRP $13.00


Starting in 2003, Pete also released a special production of Tatuaje. A Series within the line that would be spicier than the regular Brown label line as the name indicates, for “cojonu” (short for “cojonudo&#8221 is Cuban slang for “ballsy”. The Cojonu series are double banded, with the 1st band being the regular brown Tat band, and the 2nd having Cojonu and a year written on it, much in the fashion of Habanos’ ELs. But the year does not indicate the date when that cigar was only produced. It shows when that particular vitola came out to the market, for the Cojonu series is one were anew vitola is released every 3 years (except for 2006, that also gave us the Gran Cojonu, an un-banded Cojonu with a milder blend and a shagfoot wrapper that covers the foot, much like the Black Label Tat).


There were some blend changes in the Cojonu Series, for in August, 2005, the wrapper changed from a viso leaf to an aged ligero leaf. Quoting Pete:


“Starting in August for all future production on Cojonu, the wrapper was changed from a Viso to a Ligero wrapper. Same wrapper but the Ligero allows us to extract the color easier and adds a little extra spice.”


“Cojonu is graded from Rosado/Oscuro to Oscuro. Right now the color is brick red and we will do our best to continue with this but the wrapper needs time and demand has been very high. It was a tough battle between the two at first because they look the almost the same. The Viso tasted great off the bench and the Ligero was too strong. The Viso burned perfect, but after aging the Ligero stood out. Lots of chocolate and spice.”

“I was afraid when tasting the Ligero wrapper fresh that it would burn the palate. Cojonu is supposed to be strong, a strength that hits you in the gut not on the palate. The Ligero just adds a small amount of extra spice. Most smokers would not be able to tell the difference between the two wrappers.”

Tatuaje Reserva​

Reserva J 21 ---- 5 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 ---- 25 per box
Reserva SW ----- 7 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 47 ---- 25 per box
Reserva A Uno - 9 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 47 – 10 per box

With a similar banding to the Cojonu one, the Reservas are three cigars (could be considered 6 with the Noellas Reserva, Regios Reserva and Reserva SW Maduro, which we’ll deal with later) each with a different blend. Nicaraguan filler and binder, with a ligero wrapper for the J 21, and aviso wrapper for the SW and A Uno. The names of each cigar are specially close to Pete:


“J 21” stands for 2 things: The Johnson family always wore a jersey with the number 21 on it (Johnson 21), for they have always been into sports. It also stands for Jos, the pet dog of a close friend of Pete, who died at the age of 21, the same year this vitola was released.


“SW” stands for Sir Winston, an H. Upmann cigar which was one of Pete’s favorites once. This vitola is not only the same size as the Sir Winston, but the wrapper is specially selected to be the closest in looks to the Cuban vitola.


“A Uno” is named liked that for it is an A size cigar that was one prototype Pepin made for Pete. It was banded A1 (“uno” is Spanish for “one&#8221 and, when the prototype was selected, the name stayed.

Tatuaje RC​

RC184 - 7 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 57 --- 10 per box
RC233 - 9 1/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 55 – 10 per box

With the numbers in the vitolas names representing the cigar’s length in millimeters, the RC line includes just 2 cigars. 2 perfectos wrapped in foil from the head to the mid-section, where ye find a 3 color band on them, which makes them quite unique. Very similar to the old-style Cuban perfectos. And that is where the name comes from, “RC” means Retro-Cuban, with Pete wanting to recreate the cigars from long-lost years. The blend is meant to start strong and spicy, similar to the Cojonu blend, to mellow out throughout the length of each.

 

[Moro]

Other Tatuaje and Special Releases​

Noellas Reserva - 5 1/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 – 25 per box – MSRP $8.00
Released firstly in November, 2006, this cigar had the Noellas blend for filler, Nicaraguan wrapper as well; yet a Nicaraguan aged ligero Oscuro wrapper (thus, the cigar became known also as Noellas Oscuro). The original release, limited to 237 boxes, was available through most Tatuaje vendors, though they sold out quick, as one would expect. Pete said:

“Not all the boxes were sold right away and not all the cigars were boxed at the same time. The factory sent me about 80 boxes at a time and we ended up having exactly 237 boxes. When I asked Pepin how much wrapper he had, he thought enough for about 200 boxes. Having extra was good because I did want to keep some for myself....

I mentioned to some of the retailers that I offered the cigars to that we would have about 200 boxes. I don't plan on making any more until maybe the end of the year. It all depends if we can put the wrapper aside.

Remember, we box code everything as the cigars are leaving the factory not the date the cigars are made. This is why there are different box codes.”

And, like he promised, February, 2009 gave us a 2nd batch of Noellas Reserva. Only available through one Tatuaje vendor: NewHavanaCigars.com, the new batch sold out during the pre-ordering process. This 2nd batch had a 2nd band, though. Contrary to the original Noellas Oscuro, which had a single brown Tat band, and a mere “Reserva” band in the box, this release had every cigar with a 2nd band like the Tatuaje Reserva line; plus the fact that this time, the wrapper was a U.S.A. Connecticut Broadleaf, thus giving this 2nd release the nickname “mini Frank” in reference to the Tat Frank.

Left to Right = Original Release Noellas Reserva (2006), Regular Release Noellas, Re-release Noellas Reserva (2009)

Bombazos ---- 4 x 46 ------ 25 per box – MSRP $7.50
El Cohete ----- 4 x 50 ------ 25 per box – MSRP $9.00
La Maravilla – 5 5/8 x 46 – 25 per box – MSRP $9.99

These 3 special release vitolas (unique blend each) were made by Pete in 2006 for 3 specific retailers who have been with Tatuaje for a long time. The Bombazos and Cohete came with a regular Tat brown band, while the Maravilla came un-banded and packaged in foil, which allows for a unique fermentation process where the flavors are all kept within, in a similar fashion to the Cuban cigars that are aged wrapped in burlap.


FUMARE got 50 boxes of the Bombazos (“bomb blasts” in Spanish), with Tatuaje keeping an over-run of 10 boxes to stash away.


Tower Cigars got 50 boxes of El Cohete (“the rocket” in Spanish), with Tatuaje keeping an over-run of 10 boxes to stash away. But, in February, 2009, Tower Cigars got a new batch of El Cohete. Hopefully, this will happen again with the other 2 vitolas.


Leaf and Ale got 65 boxes of La Maravilla (“the wonder” in Spanish), with Tatuaje keeping an over-run of 10 boxes to stash away. The aged viso used as wrapper in this vitola is left as a shagfoot that covers the foot, in the Gran Cojonu fashion.

Thermonuclear - 6 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 52 – Production of ~100 cigars

Released around 2005, a triple ligero production by Pete, this cigar has an all ligero filler, unknown binder (though it appears to use the same as the Cojonu 2003) and a Nicaraguan-grown Corojo wrapper.


Manufactured in Little Havana, these cigars were created as a joke, due to their strength, for Pete to take to some cigar events in Hawaii. An extremely rare and hard to find Tatuaje, production for this vitola was about 100 cigars.

 

[Moro]

Tatuaje Private Reserve

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The Story of the Tatuaje Black

​

“On a recent trip to a famous island known for historic cigar making, I spent my time in a small town enjoying the simple life. Every day was peaceful and every night was festive, with both having cigars involved throughout. My favorite cigar was not a cigar bought at the local store or factory, but a cigar that was handed to me every morning.

Mornings, after taking a shower with a bucket of water warmed with what looked like a curling iron, I would walk to the front of the house and sit on the fence to get some sun and take in the fresh air. I also took in the fact that I was miles from home and no one knew where I was. My phone didn't work and I had no cares in the world other than trying to decide what to smoke.

My first morning on the island an older gentleman came along on his bike. This was not a motorcycle but something like an old Schwinn that he had likely been riding for decades. This gentleman was well dressed, almost dapper, and I probably appeared to him to be a strange character. My usual outfit of jeans, t-shirt, loads of silver jewelry, and an arm full of tattoos didn't seem to faze him. He saw I was enjoying myself so that morning, and every morning after that, he would stop and give me a cigar from his shirt pocket. This cigar was far from being a 'pretty' cigar but that did not bother me a bit. It was a treasured and unexpected gift that I was thrilled to be given. After smoking this cigar I realized that this was one of the best cigars I smoked on the island. Later that day in speaking with my host on this trip I came to understand that these cigars were something special to every person who carried them. They were cigars that they made for themselves. Even the guys who worked hard in the cigar factories all day would return home at night and make their private cigars. Simple cigars with flavors they personally enjoyed. Over the course of the next few days my host and I visited his friends and asked for cigars that they made. Before I left I had cigars from a few locals who all used different tobaccos from the different growing regions. They were all great but there was one that really stood out for me as special.

I decided when traveling to Nicaragua to work with the Garcia family that I would try to recreate this special cigar for myself. Together we spent quite some time working on the blend and looking at different leaves for wrapper. The marbled toothy wrapper was perfect for this cigar, rustic looking but with tons of aroma. After smoking the first sample, I was immediately brought back to that island relaxing on a fence, enjoying life, smoking a great cigar. A great cigar that will always in my mind represent the place, the time, and the experience of the purity of the simple life. This cigar may be considered ugly by some but inside that surface roughness it contains such rich flavor and aroma.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. This is a tribute to that cigar.”

The Tatuaje Private Reserve (Black Label) became therefore Pete Johnson’s private blend, which made it so hard to get that he himself had to hand ye one. That was until news came of them being available to the public in ceramic jars. Before sending out the jars, selected Tatuaje vendors got bundles of 24 cigars per bundle as a teaser for the customers in November, 2007. Then, in early 2008, the ceramic jars were released with 19 cigars each. After this, Pete continued to release small batches of the Tat Black, until some retailers begun to set the cigars apart, auction them,…thus, making it impossible for most people to get their hands on the cigars, which led to Pete deciding it would be better to cease this and return to Tat Black production for his own smoking (just like before Nov, 2007), although a new vitola: Tatuaje Black Label Robusto (in 3 finger packs) was released and is sold at special Tatuaje events at B&Ms, as well as gifted in those events when one buys a box.

Even though the Black Label’s blend remains a secret; it is known to be a Nicaraguan tobacco blend. The regular Tatuaje Private Reserve is constructed with a characteristic “nipple” head (similar to a pig-tail cap) and a shagfoot made with a long wrapper folded to cover the foot.

Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda - 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 – 19 per jar or 24 per bundle – MSRP $12.00

Tatuaje Black Label Robusto -------- - 3 pack – MSRP $

 

[Moro]

Tatuaje Monster Series​

In 2008 Pete brought forth an idea he had releasing his Tatuaje Monster Series. Talk began in the 3rd quarter of 2008 about Pete releasing in Halloween an incredibly rare cigar…rumors were true. A line which would release every Halloween, during 13 years, a different vitola (with a unique blend each) in boxes of 13. 13 cigars per box, at $13.00 MSRP each cigar, with 666 coffin shaped boxes manufactured each year. The cigars would be sold at 13 retailers (which would remain unknown until October 13th) whose names would be drawn from the top 100 Tatuaje vendors, each retailer getting 50 boxes each. This way, 2008 gave us the Frank (Frankenstein monster). A box-pressed double corona with a green Tatuaje band, with a blend consisting on the same one used for the Tatuaje Tainos, only with a different wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf.


Tatuaje Frank – Double Corona - 7 5/8 x 49

Upon the Monster Series success, and listening to the opinions of those who weren’t able to acquire a box of the Frank, as well as the vendors who couldn’t carry it, Pete decided to release every year also the actor who brought forth the character from the year before; but not only that, this latter would be a larger production cigar available to more retailers. This would allow for next year not only to give us the Drac (Count Dracula), which was a torpedo, but also the Boris, same blend as the Frank in a different vitola, in honor of Boris Karloff (Which would make 2010 have not only a monster based cigar, but also a Béla Lugosi based one).

Come 2009, we were spectators to a buying of boxes similar to that of the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" with Gene Wilder. Even after Pete raising the bar to sell 1,300 coffins instead of the before planned 666, they sold out as fast as lemonade on a hot day. There was also the Boris; 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars each inspired on Boris Karloff, the actor who played Frankenstein in the superb 1931 movie.

Tatuaje Drac - Torpedo - 6 3/4 x 52

The blend is an Ecuador (Habana Maduro) wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler, and it had the same MSRP as last year since Pete ate up the SCHIP taxes himself, opposed to adding it to the product.

Tatuaje Boris -

 

[Moro]

Cabaiguan

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What the website says:
“1) A city in northern Sancti Spíritus province that is home to some of the most knowledgeable cigar men in Cuba
2) An Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson
Wrapper: Connecticut Seed Shade Grown Ecuadorian
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Blended in the style of the flavorful yet Medium Bodied Cuban Cigars.
Cigars are rolled in classic Cuban tradition by Master Rollers in Little Havana Miami, FL U.S.A.
Headed by Maestro Tobaquero Jose Garcia.
Cigars are rolled with a beautiful Cuban triple-cap and are Medium to Mild in flavor”


Coronas Extra ---- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 – 24 per box ------ MSRP $9.00
Robustos Extra --- 5 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 --- 24 per box ------ MSRP $9.25
Imperiales --------- 7 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 47 ----- 24 per box ------ MSRP $9.75
Belicosos Finos --- 5 ½ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 52 -- 24 per box ------ MSRP $10.00
Petite Cabaiguan - 4 ½ x 32 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $3.50

The first branching of Pete’s, this line was released in 2003, created by Pete Johnson in consultation with Pepin’s son: Jaime García. Manufactured in the “El Rey de los Habanos” cigar factory in Little Havana, this line is milder than the Tatuaje line of cigars using aromatic volado leaf instead of ligero in the filler, giving a medium cigar.

Cabaiguan Guapos​

“Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua”


Guapos -------- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 54 -- 20 per box ------ MSRP $11.00
Guapos Rx ----- 5 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 --- 20 per box ------ MSRP $9.50
Guapos 46 ----- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 -- 20 per box ------ MSRP $9.25
Guapos Junior - 4 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 - 40 per cabinet – MSRP $7.50

Then, the Guapos were released, with a pig-tail cap and a band with silver detail. Originally a single size with a limited production of 50,000 cigars (in 2,500 boxes), this had later added 3 other vitolas to them. Even so, the Original Release Cabaiguan remains a sought after cigar. Because of the different wrapper, the Guapos have more spice in their profile, yet the filler and binder remain the same. The OR Cabaiguan Guapos were manufactured in TACUBA in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Cabaiguan Guapos Maduro​

Guapos Maduro ------- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 54 -- 20 per box ------ MSRP $11.00
Guapos Rx Maduro ---- 5 ¼ [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 50 --- 20 per box ------ MSRP $9.50
Guapos 46 Maduro ---- 5 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 46 -- 20 per box ------ MSRP $9.25
Guapos Junior Maduro - 4 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 - 40 per cabinet – MSRP $7.50

Using the same blend as the other Cabaiguan except for a Maduro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Pete released in April, 2008 the Cabaiguan Guapos Maduro. First an extremely limited release batch sent only to Pete’s top 10 retailers as a way of appreciation, this was a test market (in lieu of a limited edition) for the Guapos maddy, which’s 2 vitolas are the same size and price as 2 of the regular Guapos.

Cabaiguan WCD 120​

This was a truly limited release Cabaiguan, measuring 4 5/8 [FONT=&quot]x[/FONT] 42 and worth $7.70 each in a 12 per box packing, the WCD were released to celebrate W. Curtis Draper's (a cigar shop in Washington, DC) 120th anniversary in 2007. Originally intended to be 120 boxes, they ended up being 150. These cigars with a regular Cabaiguan band, yet a pig-tail, are, according to Vitolas.net: “more spicy upfront than your typical Cabaiguan, but mellow into the typical smooth creamy Cabaiguan profile later on in the smoke.”

 

[Moro]

La Riqueza

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What the website says:
“1) The Riches or The Wealth in Spanish.
2) An Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson
Wrapper: Naturally Dark USA Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
Blended in the style of the Full Flavored Medium Bodied Cuban Cigars.
Cigars are rolled in Nicaragua with traditionally cuban box press in dress boxes.”


No. 1 – Lonsdale --------- 6 ½ x 42 – 25 per box – MSRP $9.00
No. 2 – Belicoso --------- 5 ½ x 52 --- 25 per box – MSRP $9.50
No. 3 – Corona Gorda – 5 5/8 x 46 – 25 per box – MSRP $8.75
No. 4 – Robusto --------- 5 x 48 ------ 25 per box – MSRP $9.00
No. 5 – Petit Corona ---- 4 3/8 x 42 – 25 per box – MSRP $7.25

Manufactured in TACUBA (Tabacalera Cubana) in Estelí, Nicaragua, this line was the first of both Pete Johnson and José “Pepin” García to use Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Regarding this, Pete affirmed that he had been trying to do broadleaf since he started Tatuaje: "We were lucky to acquire it from Oliva Tobacco. It has been sitting in their warehouse for a while." But not only that, the La Riqueza name also was the originally intended for the Tatuaje brand.

The blend itself is medium, with no ligero in it.

The regular line is box pressed, but there are cabinets which are not, and include the No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5, along with 2 new vitolas:

Double Corona - 7 5/8 x 49 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $9.75
Petit Robusto -- 4 1/2 x 50 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $8.35

 

[Moro]

El Triunfador

Giving us a lancero with the looks of a Trinidad Fundadores, Pete Johnson released to the market in September, 2008 the cigar with less hype he ever made.

El Triunfador – Lancero – 7 ½ x 38 – 25 per box – MSRP $9.00

Blended with a Nicaraguan filler and binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, this cigar is of a unique blend (which includes seco, volado and viso leaf) (just in the line, for it’s that one of the Cabaiguan Maduro; only in a lancer vitola), and even if new vitolas are added to the line, it will remain like this, for Pete stated that, in case of new El Triunfador (The Triumphant) vitolas, the blend and packing for those would change.


Upon its release, this cigar was available only at a few selected vendors, with a limited production while Pete secured the rights for the name. Not only that, but the cigar seemed to merely slip into vendors’ shelves only to be brought out if one asked about it. Not even appearing in the Tatuaje website, Pete was saying the truth when he told Cigar Aficionado: “This is a ghost cigar,” said Johnson. “You can maybe get it if you ask, but I don’t really talk about El Triunfador. It might be out there circulating—the story and the cigar.”


Now the cigar has entered regular production, luckily for Pete’s work fans.

 

[Moro]

Ambos Mundos

Pete Johnson’s latest line was released just weeks ago. The Ambos Mundos line (Both Worlds) is an economic blend for the current tough financial times; though it did not spawn out of it according to Pete: “My original idea for the Tatuaje brand was for it to be not as expensive as it turned out to be,” said Johnson, “but having it made in Miami kind of set that expensive precedent, so I made this cigar partly due to the economy and partly because this is where I originally wanted the cigar to be priced.”


A long filler cigar (which curiously is cheaper than the Series P with mixed filler), it keeps low costs due to the tobacco used for the production. Instead of the usual A grade tobacco used in regular Tatuaje, the Ambos Mundos uses B and C grade tobacco. Still Tatuaje tobacco from the same farms, soils and plants as other Tatuaje lines, the tobacco in these cigars will only differ in looks (mostly water marks in the wrapper) and the fact that the tobacco might need additional fermentation.


There are 2 different vitolas of this line:

Ambos Mundos Robusto – 5 x 50 – 25 per box – MSRP $4.75
Ambos Mundos Toro ------ 6 x 50 – 25per box – MSRP $5.00


But that is not all. Honoring the line’s name, these two cigars come in either Nicaraguan Habano wrapper or in Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, both still maintaining their Nicaraguan filler and binder.


Just released in February, 2009, these cigars are suggested to be aged in order to allow the tobacco to finish fermentation (much in a Cuban cigar fashion, only due to the lower quality tobacco).

 

[Moro]

Nuevitas Jibaro​

No. 1 – 5 x 54 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $9.99
No. 2 – 6 x 52 – 50 per cabinet – MSRP $9.99


Not quite a Tatuaje, for this wasn’t made by Pepin, the Jibaro was a cigar made by Pete Johnson himself at Tabacalera Tropical (once known as Pedro Martin's old Tropical Tobacco) in Estelí, Nicaragua. Designed after a custom-rolled Cohiba (CC), a strong blend that was discontinued, as Pete explains: “I had inventory finished when the factory told me that they were going to start contracting their production out to another factory. I decided to stop before seeing what they could do with it. I also knew that Pepin wanted to make all of my cigars. So I committed to Pepin exclusively for now. There is a slim chance years from now that these might return.”

 

[Moro]

List of Tatuaje LE Releases



Tatuaje Havana VI Cake​

Extremly rare, limited production to 1, this cigar cake in the shape of a cigar box with 5 cigars within made for our BOTL rick12string by his wife and 2 daughters. Lemon flavor with a lemon filling box, and the cigars have a pretzel rod filler and fondant wrapper. Due to the brief experience ofthe rollers and varying thickness of wrapper, size varied; but one could say the vitolas were 6 1/4" x 52.

 

[hdroadglide]

very very nice.
was it painful?????

 

[tatjunkie]

Awesome work Moro!!!

 

[Patrick B]

Great work.

 

[twenty5]

Great work, thank you!

 

[Moro]

very very nice.
was it painful?????

I can't remember...might be one of those supressed memories. :smokingbo