Tatuaje 7th Reserva

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Tatuaje 7th, and this week I bring you the Tatuaje 7th Reserva! This cigar is the same size as the normal 7th (Corona Gorda) with the same filler and binder, but with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The wrapper is the shade of dark chocolate, but on the rougher side. There are some large veins in the wrapper, giving it that stitched look. Broadleaf isn't always the prettiest, so this isn't a huge surprise. The construction is very solid, with an even roll and perfect triple cap. 

Once clipped, the draw is very nice, with light flavors of cocoa and raisins. It starts out with some great campfire charry flavors and deep leather. There is definitely some classic Tatuaje spice present, but not as much as I expected. If I remember right, the regular 7th started a little spicier. After about half an inch, this really started to taste like a Tatuaje. Some cigars just take a little while to warm up. I love the leather, dark chocolate, little bit of espresso, and spicy flavors this cigar offers. The ash holds on for a little over an inch, and the burn has needed a few touchups so far. At the halfway point, more dark/bitter chocolate flavors show up, which I really enjoy. This is a medium/full bodied cigar for sure. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the Tatuaje 7th Reserva. The burn was a problem at times, but after smoking several more of these, I didn't have any issues with an uneven burn. It figures that the one I review gives me a few problems. I really like the addition of the broadleaf wrapper to the 7th, but then I am a fan of this wrapper in general. I think this cigar has some definite aging potential. I think the flavors would really round out and become even tastier with a few years downtime. That being said, I will continue to smoke these fresh because I really enjoy them! I would love to get a box to let sit for a while though. Too bad I don't have that kind of patience. This is priced the same as the regular 7th, coming in at around $7.95. For me it is worth the price of admission. 

Tatuaje Petit Cazadores Reserva

The Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva is another line extension from Pete Johnson in the classic Brown Tatuaje series. This little cigar measures in at 4x40 and comes in a cabinet of 50 cigars. This has the same blend as the regular Tatuaje Cazadores, but with the addition of a broadleaf wrapper (which is what makes it a reserva). This also comes with a covered foot, which is something Pete has done before on several of his cigars, most notably the Tatuaje Black series. 

This is a great looking small cigar, with a perfect triple cap and nice looking covered foot. The dark wrapper has a very even coloration to it, and very few visible veins. I am a huge fan of the broadleaf wrapper that Pete/Pepin are using right now. The prelight draw is snug because of the covered foot, but still tastes of sweet chocolate and earth. After the closed foot burns up, the draw opens up very nicely. This starts out with some very tasty black pepper spice that hits you pretty hard at first, but backs off after the first 5minutes or so. There are plenty of different flavors coming out of this cigar, chocolate, hardwood, leather... definitely a little flavor bomb! The white ash holds on for around an inch. Halfway through there is much less spice, and more of the woody/cedar and leather flavors. The burn is pretty much perfect, not having to be touched up at all.  

What a tremendous little cigar! Talk about big flavor in a small package, tons of spice and other classic Tatuaje flavors. This is a great option if you want a 30-40 min cigar (depending on how fast you smoke) with a ton of character. I really love that broadleaf!  These come in at about $4 a piece, or around $200 for a cabinet of 50. This makes the Tatuaje Petit Cazadores Reserva a very affordable small cigar that won't disappoint!