Surrogates Tramp Stamp Review

[Outlaw God]

$7.
5 1/4 x 48 nasty hard vain on one side
Prelight: black pepper, cedar, leather and some floral/herbal notes

1st 1/3
Pepper blast right off, (crap) light leather, cedar and those floral/herbal notes, almost incense like. Pepper is dominating here though.
Interesting how it's sister "Bone Crusher" 5.2" x 55 is another breed in it's character http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=62449
Straight burn, lots of smoke, medium body

Creamy toasty coffee coming on, perfect draw
Pepper a bit less but still ruining the experience for me, for those loving pepper you'll like it but not my cup of tea.

2nd 1/3
I'm going to invent a cigar smoker that will do in the first 1/3 of every one I smoke where most cigars get better
Getting smoother, pepper in the background more, sweet spices, leather, oak notes coming on.
Not much complexity here but consistent in what I'm getting.

Final 1/3
Smoking cool, leather, wood and coffee notes and pepper returns slightly on the tongue
Kind of boring really for me but for someone liking pepper, floral/herbal notes may be just for you.

For the two L'Atelier Surrogates I've had I was not impressed with the construction in the outer wrapper veins present.
Dry pepper/oak taking over and I am smoking it slow to prevent souring of the cigar
The "Bone Crusher" 5.2" x 55 is much better over this little Tramp
Smoke time: 50 min
Score 4.5 out of 10

[kelmac07]

Hmmm...I enjoyed this one a bunch.

[dave]

Good reviews, OG. Thank you.

This one is my top Surrogate so far (Tramp, Crystal, then Bone/Skull (I prob couldn't tell difference between last two in blind taste test))

[363]

Originally Posted by kelmac07

Hmmm...I enjoyed this one a bunch.

the one I had was on like whoa

[Outlaw God]

Originally Posted by kelmac07

Hmmm...I enjoyed this one a bunch.

I gave the 4 tramps some rest but still couldn't come close to the Bone Crusher even with less rest time
I guess our palate's are all different and if it wasn't we'd be out of one cigar over another
Thanks all!

[Porch Dweller]

Originally Posted by kelmac07

Hmmm...I enjoyed this one a bunch.

Same here. The pepper wasn't over-powering to my taste. I liked the floral note; it could have been cloying and too sweet but was just the right amount.

Thanks for the review, O.G.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by kelmac07

Hmmm...I enjoyed this one a bunch.

I agree Mac. I don't find much pepper in these at all and it's my favorite of the Surrogates. I used to really dig strong, peppery cigars but now I favor tamer cigars with more complexity and I find this one fits the bill.

[Zane]

I did not enjoy the tramp stamp. I did enjoy the skull breaker!

[Outlaw God]

Originally Posted by Zane

I did not enjoy the tramp stamp. I did enjoy the skull breaker!

Maybe the same formula you gave me will work with these, suggesting to let them rest will persuade me to find them to be the best

[NCRadioMan]

OG, let them and all Pepin's rest in low humidity. I have been storing Pepin's stuff since '06 at 58-60% and they shine. Don Pepin himself has said his cigars perform better when kept at lower rh levels.