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BoM Jan '11
It has been some time since my last review. After having been hindered by the rigours of home rennovation, my studies, and less than pleasing weather, I decided to welcome back free time and good weather with a cigar I've been eagerly awaiting to try, the Tatuaje RC 184. I would like to give compliments to Tim (Podman28) from the Burning Leaf for putting together the Tatuaje sampler of which this cigar was a part - thanks again!
Why have I been excited to try this cigar? Like many others, I really enjoy Tatuaje, and the flavor profile most Nicaraguan sticks have to offer. Unlike a majority of the Tatuaje line, though, the RC 184 is less full bodied and has a flavor profile that sets it apart from the rest of Pete Johnson's cigars.
At first apperance, I'm taken back by the grandure of this vitola. The name, RC 184 refers to its length in millimeters, so for the metrically impared, this means this salomon measures 7 1/4" and boasts a 57 ring guage. The first visable attribute, other than its size, is the corojo wrapper which gives off a nice oil sheen in the sunlight. While it doesn't appear overly rich, it excites the expectations of what is to come. As I roll the Tatuaje between my fingers, the overall contstruction seems to be good, being rather firm, with little give. The seams are visable but tightly joined and cannot be felt between the fingers. There are also some prominent veins, but most are faint.
Pre light draw: After clipping the cap and drawing on the cigar, I was greeted with light flavors of cedar and a hint of spice. The aroma was also light, offering hints of barnyard nuance and mild tobacco.
Lighting: At the light, I took in notes mostly of cedar, some sweet tobacco, and hints of toasted nuts. The aroma of the ambient burn was sweet and pleasing, as usual. Not surprisingly, the cigar offers little smoke from the draw as it is a salomon after all, though I expect it will open up quite a bit as I smoke into the first third.
Unfortunatley, just as the cigar began to enter the first third, it fell from the cradle of my ashtray onto the deck... I'm not happy about this, and it is a definite indication that I need to buy a proper cigar ashtray, but I will try to make the best of this review nonetheless.
The first third: Despite the unplesantries of the accident the cigar has incured, the flavors are still plentiful. Notes of sweet tobacco dominate the pallet as I draw in, accompanied by hints of almond and toasted nuts following shortly thereafter, while a taste of cedar lingers to complete the flavor profile in the first third. The retro-hale is a plesant meld of sweet tobacco, sweet almond, some toasted nuts and what I'd like to say is a hint of vanilla. The aroma from the ambient burn is also somewhat complex, sharing the fragences present in the reto-hale. The lower wrapper has split and seperated from the binder in several places as a result of the drop, so the burn isn't picturesque, although the ash still holds on for an inch and a half to two inches - a testament to the cigar's excellent construction. This has been an exciting and eventful first third as far as most cigars are concerned.
Note: The cigar has opened up and is drawing generously, as expected, but I will not be making any more references to this fact as I cannot differentiate whether or not this is because of the damage.
Second third: Having smoked through the first third and into the second, the sweet tobacco has subsided, leaving notes of toasted nut, almond and cedar as the reigning flavors. Sweet almond, vanilla and cedar continue to greet the senses on the retro-hale, while the ambient burn still borrows these fragrences. The burn remains relatively even, given that I am still smoking through the damaged section of the wrapper, but the ash still continues to hang on up to two inches as it had during the first third.
The final third: Coming to the finale, I'm impressed by how mild this cigar remains. The flavor composition now lies mostly with toasted nut and a hint of almond, and some spice. I am intrigued, as this Tatuaje seems to drop flavors as each third passes, though intensifying those that remain. The retro-hale still offers nuances of sweet tobacco, toasted nuts, and some vanilla, while the ambient burn continues to share these aromas, consistent as it's been throughout. Having smoked through a majority of the damage, the burn maintains a knife edge, although now only holding the ash for an inch to an inch and a half.
In retrospect: This cigar was outstanding - not only did it live up to the expectations of the flavor profile, it showed extreme resiliance in its construction after having been dropped. I had not expected this cigar to burn, draw, or hold ash well afterword. Not only did it do all these things, it did them exceedingly well under the given circumstances. I would recommend this cigar to anyone who enjoys a flavorful, medium to full bodied cigar, or Nicaraguan puros.
Total smoking time was about 2 hours.
Cheers,
Shawn
Why have I been excited to try this cigar? Like many others, I really enjoy Tatuaje, and the flavor profile most Nicaraguan sticks have to offer. Unlike a majority of the Tatuaje line, though, the RC 184 is less full bodied and has a flavor profile that sets it apart from the rest of Pete Johnson's cigars.
At first apperance, I'm taken back by the grandure of this vitola. The name, RC 184 refers to its length in millimeters, so for the metrically impared, this means this salomon measures 7 1/4" and boasts a 57 ring guage. The first visable attribute, other than its size, is the corojo wrapper which gives off a nice oil sheen in the sunlight. While it doesn't appear overly rich, it excites the expectations of what is to come. As I roll the Tatuaje between my fingers, the overall contstruction seems to be good, being rather firm, with little give. The seams are visable but tightly joined and cannot be felt between the fingers. There are also some prominent veins, but most are faint.
Pre light draw: After clipping the cap and drawing on the cigar, I was greeted with light flavors of cedar and a hint of spice. The aroma was also light, offering hints of barnyard nuance and mild tobacco.
Lighting: At the light, I took in notes mostly of cedar, some sweet tobacco, and hints of toasted nuts. The aroma of the ambient burn was sweet and pleasing, as usual. Not surprisingly, the cigar offers little smoke from the draw as it is a salomon after all, though I expect it will open up quite a bit as I smoke into the first third.
Unfortunatley, just as the cigar began to enter the first third, it fell from the cradle of my ashtray onto the deck... I'm not happy about this, and it is a definite indication that I need to buy a proper cigar ashtray, but I will try to make the best of this review nonetheless.
The first third: Despite the unplesantries of the accident the cigar has incured, the flavors are still plentiful. Notes of sweet tobacco dominate the pallet as I draw in, accompanied by hints of almond and toasted nuts following shortly thereafter, while a taste of cedar lingers to complete the flavor profile in the first third. The retro-hale is a plesant meld of sweet tobacco, sweet almond, some toasted nuts and what I'd like to say is a hint of vanilla. The aroma from the ambient burn is also somewhat complex, sharing the fragences present in the reto-hale. The lower wrapper has split and seperated from the binder in several places as a result of the drop, so the burn isn't picturesque, although the ash still holds on for an inch and a half to two inches - a testament to the cigar's excellent construction. This has been an exciting and eventful first third as far as most cigars are concerned.
Note: The cigar has opened up and is drawing generously, as expected, but I will not be making any more references to this fact as I cannot differentiate whether or not this is because of the damage.
Second third: Having smoked through the first third and into the second, the sweet tobacco has subsided, leaving notes of toasted nut, almond and cedar as the reigning flavors. Sweet almond, vanilla and cedar continue to greet the senses on the retro-hale, while the ambient burn still borrows these fragrences. The burn remains relatively even, given that I am still smoking through the damaged section of the wrapper, but the ash still continues to hang on up to two inches as it had during the first third.
The final third: Coming to the finale, I'm impressed by how mild this cigar remains. The flavor composition now lies mostly with toasted nut and a hint of almond, and some spice. I am intrigued, as this Tatuaje seems to drop flavors as each third passes, though intensifying those that remain. The retro-hale still offers nuances of sweet tobacco, toasted nuts, and some vanilla, while the ambient burn continues to share these aromas, consistent as it's been throughout. Having smoked through a majority of the damage, the burn maintains a knife edge, although now only holding the ash for an inch to an inch and a half.
In retrospect: This cigar was outstanding - not only did it live up to the expectations of the flavor profile, it showed extreme resiliance in its construction after having been dropped. I had not expected this cigar to burn, draw, or hold ash well afterword. Not only did it do all these things, it did them exceedingly well under the given circumstances. I would recommend this cigar to anyone who enjoys a flavorful, medium to full bodied cigar, or Nicaraguan puros.
Total smoking time was about 2 hours.
Cheers,
Shawn
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