Tatuaje Black Tubo

This will be the 2nd review I bothered to finish for a cigar, so here it goes

I chose to light this smoke up since I had never had one before and want to see if its box worthy. I got it Monday, so it hasn't been resting for too long, but this one's wrapper was split in 2 places at the foot, so I decided I'd end its misery the construction is great, no soft spots, it cut very well, and aside from the messed up foot, nothing else was wrong. All vein details are not able to be felt either, and its a medium brown with darker brown spots. Oh and I drank water

Pre light:
Draw is slightly tighter than I like, but I hardly smoke belicoso style cigars, so it may be a good draw for the style. I get notes of bran flakes and hay, also some slight spice, but barely. Time to toast this bad boy

1/3
1st puff is spicy hay, very tasty. Also getting slightly sour notes, no big deal. A mild tobacco taste accompanying, larger than a note, smaller than a flavor. Very spicy through the nose, I'm loving this so far. Ash is tight and mostly grey with dark areas where I lit it. Burn is a little wavy, but I really don't care, its no big deal. 1/2 inch in, spice has backed off a lot, making room for tobacco and hay. Spice is green chille. Smoke isn't thick, and isn't thin, but it smokes a lot from the lit portion. Slight vanilla flavor at 1 inch. Burn is ruler straight now at.

2nd 3rd
A slight note of vanilla present, mostly tobacco and hay at the begginning of this 3rd. Burn straight, ash holding strong. Slight note of irish whiskey through the nose. Bitter pepper spice and just plain barnyard flavor, still vanilla note through nose. Ash stll strong on there at the begginning, but the ash fell at end of this 3rd.

Final 3rd
Spicy tobacco flavor, vanilla gone. Burn straight. Smoke gets hot if I don't ash the cigar asap, may be that I didn't let it rest enough after shipping. Getting a little sour also, gonna let this sit for a minute. Its getting a strong spice and over toasted bread taste. Purged, no flame. Starting to get hit with the power of this cigar, slight stomach ache, but burnt tobacco flavor, woody flavor coming out now, strong spice, and vanilla note. Green chille comming back in lieu of pepper near the end of 3rd, also some coffee and cinnamon, letting it sit for a couple minutes fixed the harshness, but the funny thing is I'm not smoking fast at all, I waited almost a minute between each puff.

As I approach the nub, it gets a little creamy, and a smooth coffee and vanilla taste comes out, also cinnamon and wood. All sourness is gone and heat has backed off

So maybe I didn't let it sit long enough after receiving it, but I did smoke the montecristo rothschild I got in the same shipment 2 days earlier, and it was amazing, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. Would I buy these again? Maybe not in the quantity I immagined, but I will make a final descision after I've let the others I bought sit for much longer. Is it singles worthy? Definitely I'd give this smoke a... generous 90 in its present state, i'd be more honest saying 80 or 85. User error is most likely the cause of the thinner smoke and sour taste, so I can't make a final judgement yet. I'll follow up on this in a few weeks with a hopefully much more positive review.

[alwayslit]

Just had one today and they are turning out nice.

Yeah, that's what I always hear, so I figure I'll let these sit for a while, maybe buy a box or 2 for aging and just buy some stuff that I know will be good without much of a wait

[Bill86]

Glad you liked the montecristo I had a box of them, love them.

I know! I was so surprised by how good it was, I will definately be buying more if I can find them later on! Until then, I'm gonna be letting those other blacks sit and hopefully mellow out, maybe I'll try the red tubos next, I can get plenty of those locally

[cigarlvr]

The reds were the choice of mine but the blacks are getting better but no where close to the CG that were put out in the jars

Alright, I originally said I was going to wait a few weeks, but there are some special circumstances. I opened my cooler today and saw that this thing had flipped me the bird! Some time during the night, the foot split and half way up the wrapper, there was a small tear, so I decided I'd show it who was boss, and good news! This cigar has totally changed


I taste coco, wood, and green pepper. Once I got it going, it had thick smoke, a slightly wavy burn, but it was delicious! I did have to correct burn. After making it most of the way through 1st 3rd, the coco is gone, leaving wood, herbs and mild spice to replace it. The burn is still excellent, ash is excellent, and the smoke thinned out, but its still good.


Beginning the 2/3 point, kinda herby spicy cream smoke. Had to put it down to take a call, it went out, but lit right back up and sweet, herby coffee with a mild spice and plenty of smoke popped up. Later on, I'm getting an irish whiskey note, this stick may be more complex than a cigar you can put into 3rds, this one deserves 4ths, but I'm lazy, so 3rds it is.


At the final 3rd, creamy herby irish whiskey with red pepper, and some vanilla notes. Burn good, ash good, takes 2 puffs to get enough smoke, but smoke its fine.


As I approach the nub, I realise it may have been a little longer since I ate than I thought! As I start feeling that nausea I dread so much, the smoke looses all flavor and I start whishing I didn't want to nub this thing so badly. I had to give up before I got sick, but if i had eaten a little closer to the time I lit this bad boy, I might have made it

haha, but seriously, all this cigar needs is patience, it will punish you for rushing, as I have learned, but I will definately be buying a box before they're all gone, and I feel comfortable scoring this a 96, maybe a little generously, but I'm confident in saying 96.

[AlohaStyle]

I bought my first couple boxes with the first release last year and I am loving mine right now after my initial cigar back then wasn't that good.

[xlc12rf]

I have one black tubo I haven't lit up yet, but I'm really looking forward to it.

I also have a box of red tubos which will get a trial by fire in a week (my wedding)

Have a good wedding man! Mine isn't for a few months the blacks are totally worth it, I've never had reds

[Bunker]

I smoked one yesterday (a gift from Secret Santa) and loved it.

Strong but not at all harsh, reminded me of the My Father Le Bijou (which is also a favorite).

[kelmac07]

Easily my favorite Tatuaje.

[Krish the Fish]

I think this is my favorite "non-LE" Tat (even though it was a limited release of sorts). The only problem I ever had from them was a loose draw, but it is a problem I could put aside if I get that black label blend. mmmm

Great review!

[Bill86]

What Mac and Krishna said. I gifted and sold a bunch of these, everyone always loves them. My first Tatuaje and my favorite.

[warren G.]

great review, I'm glad you had a great black tubo experience. I had some really meh one , I'm revisiting it soon tho.

[xlc12rf]

I'm now trying to revisit this cigar. anyone who has a lead on one, feel free to let me know

[TBone]

Very nice review, I've only had the white but this sounds very tasty.