This is my first review, and post, in a while. I figured I'd like to kick off my return with a cigar I've been wanting to try, and have been resting for about 9 months, the Tatuaje RC233. This cigar is probably the second largest type of cigar I have smoked.
This cigar is mammoth. It measures in at a grand 9 1/8x55. The 233 in the name stands for the cigars length in millimeters. According to the Tatuaje website, the cigar is wrapped in a Habano Ecuador leaf with a Nicaraguan filler and binder and is listed under their Reserva line.
It is a gorgeous, reddish brown cigar that appears to be a slender and gradual perfecto, even with a thick 55 ring gauge, due to its great length. The cigar is firm with one or two apparently denser parts. It is surprisingly light for its dimensions, especially considering that it feels to be well packed.
The aroma is fantastic, very sweet and cedary. I cut off just a small portion of the cap, but the draw was surprisingly good initially.
Using my Ronson, the cigar took light easily and quickly. Initial smoke production left a lot to be desired, though the flavor was there and I didn't have to battle to keep it burning. It simply didn't produce much smoke. The initial flavors were sweet and surprisingly mild. I picked up coffee and cedar notes. There was a very noticeable sweet undertone though that gave the smoke a creamy taste.
Ash held for about two inches at first and then dropped every inch to inch and a half after that.
Flavors were not particularly complex and didn't change much. The second half of the cigar was more full bodied and I picked up some chocolate and spice notes along with the flavors I noticed initially. There was also a light nutty flavor that would come and go throughout the smoke.
About halfway through the cigar I was getting some tar buildup and cut just a little more off the end, which solved the issue for the remainder of the smoke. About a third of the way in the smoke production finally picked up. It still wasn't as productive as I would have liked, but it was decent and, like I said, the flavor was good regardless.
The final smoking time was 2 hours and 15 minutes. The flavors I picked up on during the smoke were coffee, chocolate, cedar, spice, and nuts. All in all, it was a very mild, but tasty smoke. The flavors were delicious, but not overly complex or interesting, which is difficult when you're smoking for over 2 hours.
The construction was very good and I had no burn issues, though the line did waver a tad now and then. The draw was the only construction issue I could complain about, as it was a bit too loose for my liking.
Overall, I enjoyed this smoke. The construction was good and the flavors were great. However, I probably wont go out of my way to search it out with any regularity. Despite the good flavor, it is quite expensive and doesn't offer up as much complexity as I would want in something that lasted so long. I feel that there are better bangs for the buck out there, but I would encourage people to try at least one. If you've got the time and good company, this would be a great cigar to enjoy while in discussion with friends. Plus, it is mild enough and the nicotine is light enough that you shouldn't run the risk of overdoing it.
This cigar is mammoth. It measures in at a grand 9 1/8x55. The 233 in the name stands for the cigars length in millimeters. According to the Tatuaje website, the cigar is wrapped in a Habano Ecuador leaf with a Nicaraguan filler and binder and is listed under their Reserva line.
It is a gorgeous, reddish brown cigar that appears to be a slender and gradual perfecto, even with a thick 55 ring gauge, due to its great length. The cigar is firm with one or two apparently denser parts. It is surprisingly light for its dimensions, especially considering that it feels to be well packed.
The aroma is fantastic, very sweet and cedary. I cut off just a small portion of the cap, but the draw was surprisingly good initially.
Using my Ronson, the cigar took light easily and quickly. Initial smoke production left a lot to be desired, though the flavor was there and I didn't have to battle to keep it burning. It simply didn't produce much smoke. The initial flavors were sweet and surprisingly mild. I picked up coffee and cedar notes. There was a very noticeable sweet undertone though that gave the smoke a creamy taste.
Ash held for about two inches at first and then dropped every inch to inch and a half after that.
Flavors were not particularly complex and didn't change much. The second half of the cigar was more full bodied and I picked up some chocolate and spice notes along with the flavors I noticed initially. There was also a light nutty flavor that would come and go throughout the smoke.
About halfway through the cigar I was getting some tar buildup and cut just a little more off the end, which solved the issue for the remainder of the smoke. About a third of the way in the smoke production finally picked up. It still wasn't as productive as I would have liked, but it was decent and, like I said, the flavor was good regardless.
The final smoking time was 2 hours and 15 minutes. The flavors I picked up on during the smoke were coffee, chocolate, cedar, spice, and nuts. All in all, it was a very mild, but tasty smoke. The flavors were delicious, but not overly complex or interesting, which is difficult when you're smoking for over 2 hours.
The construction was very good and I had no burn issues, though the line did waver a tad now and then. The draw was the only construction issue I could complain about, as it was a bit too loose for my liking.
Overall, I enjoyed this smoke. The construction was good and the flavors were great. However, I probably wont go out of my way to search it out with any regularity. Despite the good flavor, it is quite expensive and doesn't offer up as much complexity as I would want in something that lasted so long. I feel that there are better bangs for the buck out there, but I would encourage people to try at least one. If you've got the time and good company, this would be a great cigar to enjoy while in discussion with friends. Plus, it is mild enough and the nicotine is light enough that you shouldn't run the risk of overdoing it.
