The first time we tried the original Tatuaje cigar—now called Tatuaje Miami—back around 2005, we thought, wow, this could easily be mistaken for a Cuban cigar. I’m not sure if the cigar has changed, or our tastes have, but we would never say that now. Why? Maybe back then, this was the first cigar truly blended in the Cuban style, so it stood out as such. Maybe over the intervening 15 years, the blend or tobaccos have changed. Or maybe we’ve just grown accustomed to the kind of bold Nicaraguan tobacco that was fairly unique to Tatuaje then, but much more common now.
It was expensive back then, in part because it was made under the watchful eye of then-unknown master blender Don Pepin Garcia at his small factory in Miami, Florida with US labor costs. Today, it’s still expensive, still made in Miami (though Garcia oversees a far larger operation now) and still one of our favorite cigars. It’s also available in all of our favorite sizes except for the dreaded 6x60 monstrosity we despise. And lo and behold…you can get a corona! The 5 1/8” x 42 cigar comes un-cellophaned (whoopee!) in cabinets of 25 for $225, or $9 each. That’s not terribly expensive for a USA-made cigar.
Yet compared to the larger double corona or robusto or torpedo, the Noellas is a minor pleasure. It’s more rumpled in appearance than its bigger siblings. The experience is also more compact, with concentrated and not especially complex flavors of earth, leather, spice and wood. You have to smoke it slowly, or it can get harsh and bitter and quite strong. As a morning cigar, it’s strictly for those who have fairly stout constitutions; one of these, with a blonde roast coffee, got our hearts racing (and bowels churning!) on a recent sunny Saturday.
Yet compared to the larger double corona or robusto or torpedo, the Noellas is a minor pleasure. It’s more rumpled in appearance than its bigger siblings. The experience is also more compact, with concentrated and not especially complex flavors of earth, leather, spice and wood. You have to smoke it slowly, or it can get harsh and bitter and quite strong. As a morning cigar, it’s strictly for those who have fairly stout constitutions; one of these, with a blonde roast coffee, got our hearts racing (and bowels churning!) on a recent sunny Saturday.
So think of this as a two-ounce espresso version of a larger Tatuaje rather than an abbreviated one. It’s quite different than the more open and complex bigger ring gauges. Our box, from 2017, has over three years of age but has mellowed not at all. If you’re into thin ring gauges, for a few dollars more, we recommend the Lonsdale-sized Havana Cazadores which starts more slowly, or better yet, the double corona Tainos at only $13—a two hour luxury smoke that checks off a lot more boxes and is a way more relaxing time. But if you want a firecracker, hey, don’t let us steer you away from the Noellas. It just happens to be the least talented member of a very formidable family.
THE DETAILS5.1x42 USA W: Ecuador B: Nicaragua F: Nicaragua $9.00 | THE HIGHLIGHTSA bold, espresso cigar with straightforward flavors of leather, wood , spice and earth and a pungent aroma. The blend is better served in other Tat's longer, thicker formats. | THE VERDICTCLASSIC EXCELLENT VERY GOOD GOOD ---------------------- SMOKE/HOLD |
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