(PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac

danreeve · 04-18-2012, 12:47 PM

So last week I did the review of the Mini Mum on Friday because it was Friday the thirteenth and that went well with the horror/monster/Halloween theme. Today I'm doing the review of the Lil Drac not for any other reason than I wanted to smoke it. Out of all of the new Little Monster cigars, the Lil Drac is the one that intrigued me the most. I've always found myself I little out of the norm on the overall public feeling on the original Drac release. To put it bluntly, I liked it a lot and almost all the other people I have talked to about the cigar have ranging opinions from "It's just OK", to "I though it was bad." Yes, the original release had issues with the packaging (not the look, which was awesome), but after I stored the cigars outside of the box for a bit, I really thought they smoked great. Just another case of to each their own.

Enough chat. Let's get down to the review. (This is a sample from my recent trip, so it is unbanded. I can't wait to see the return of the black and red band because it looks bad ass with this dark wrapper.)

(Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.)

Specifics
Vitola: "Fang" (Mini Torpedo)
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Habano Ecaudor Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $75.00 for a sampler box of 10 cigars
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light
Two things I want to point out about the wrapper on my Lil'Drac. First was the color, which was fairly dark, but had tons of tiny lighter dots all around the cigar. If you have smoked the full size Drac, you might remember this look. Second was the pre-lit aroma. This cigar smelled unbelievably good. The aroma consisted of leather and a sweet citrus smell. Those descriptive words don't do it justice. When you get your hands on one, take extra time to enjoy the pre-light. The cap was not as torpedoed as the original Drac but clipped easily and the cold draw was on point. The flavors I got from the cold draw were a sticky candy-like sweetness, again mixed with a lot of citrus notes.

First Half
Lighting this little cigar was no problem. It immediately produced lots of thick smoke. Just like the pre-light aroma, the resting smoke coming off of this stick smelled wonderful. It made me wish that I had smoked this cigar inside and not on my back deck to fully enjoy the aroma. Oh well, next time. The first inch or so of my Lil'Drac had a lot of a mellow cocoa flavor on the front which mixed in with an interesting twang. More on that later. The finish on each draw was full of black pepper, but not really a hot black pepper, just the taste. Side note: Contrary to what I just wrote, if you push this smoke through your sinuses it's damn hot and spicy, so proceed with caution on that front. Getting into the halfway part of the cigar, the interesting twang really picked up and started to dominate not only the front of the profile, but also creep into the finish. I would describe it as a generic acidic citrus taste, but mixed with a cooling mint flavor -- not like an Altoids sugar added mint flavor, but more of a natural, maybe even mint tea taste. The nicotine strength was in the medium range.

Second Half and Final Thoughts
The second half of my Lil'Drac had a little change up with some flavor, but again mostly dominated with the twang from the end of the first half. What is worth mentioning is I started to get some leather notes on the finish which, although didn't seem like it was needed, added some more interest. Another fun thing worth mentioning was after I took a drink of water, the flavor in my mouth tasted a lot like milk chocolate. Totally weird I know, but hey - stranger things have happened. The nicotine strength never pushed above the medium range, so this will be a stick that I think almost anyone aside from the new smoker could handle just fine. I did have a bit of a crooked burn that I had to correct once, but that could have been due to the windy conditions of the day.

Final thoughts on the Tatuaje Lil'Drac ? Good cigar with one of the best smelling wrappers I have ever experienced. I know it's a common wrapper that is used on a lot of cigars, but I've never had one smell this nice. The flavor profile is enjoyable and I think the twangy taste people will pick up will cause a lot of good discussion around the B&M and message boards. I love the original Drac and I'm glad the Lil'Drac did not disappoint.

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I buy a box? I will be buying multiple boxes of the Little Monsters (sampler box that contains this cigar.)

For more pictures please visit http://tinyurl.com/ckfjqdh

Dan

Subvet642 · 04-18-2012, 01:00 PM

Great review Dan, as always!

Islayphile · 04-18-2012, 01:07 PM

Thanks for another great review Dan

elderboy02 · 04-18-2012, 01:37 PM

Thanks for the review Danny boy!

irratebass · 04-18-2012, 02:20 PM

Very nice, I look forward to these bastiges.

IlmProcess · 04-18-2012, 02:27 PM

This sounds tasty! Thanks

And that's a nice lookin' ashtray *thumbsup*

TJtorpedo · 04-18-2012, 07:26 PM

Awesome review! Can't wait for these little bastiges to hit the market.

kelmac07 · 04-18-2012, 07:29 PM

They don't look so "lil".

danreeve · 04-18-2012, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelmac07

They don't look so "lil".

that's what I think people are going to say the most when they see all of these. They are not all that little. They are bigger than most of the Viaje releases have been.

Thanks for the comments guys

Dan

HollywoodQue · 04-18-2012, 08:20 PM

Thanks again Dan....Didn't you give a release date in another review??

danreeve · 04-18-2012, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HollywoodQue

Thanks again Dan....Didn't you give a release date in another review??

I think it's May or June but I don't think there is an official release date so it could all change.

Dan

BMack · 04-18-2012, 09:28 PM

Great review! I'm anxiously awaiting these to hit shelves and hoping I can land some!

nofeardiver · 05-02-2012, 09:35 AM

very nice cant wait for these....

Ogre · 05-02-2012, 10:56 AM

For me, it's going to come down to cost.

irratebass · 05-02-2012, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ogre

For me, it's going to come down to cost.

I believe it's $75 for a box of 10

Ogre · 05-02-2012, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irratebass

I believe it's $75 for a box of 10

That's not bad.

danreeve · 05-02-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irratebass

I believe it's $75 for a box of 10

Bingo

05-02-2012, 06:35 PM

Eagerly awaiting these! Thanks for the review dan.

alwayslit · 05-02-2012, 08:08 PM

Nice review. They do look tastey.

05-02-2012, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ogre

That's not bad.

Not bad at all, considering some of the latest LE craziness going on.....and $10 a stick is common place.

04-18-2012, 12:47 PM	#1
danreeve Feeling at Home Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Dan Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 733 Trading: (2)	(PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac So last week I did the review of the Mini Mum on Friday because it was Friday the thirteenth and that went well with the horror/monster/Halloween theme. Today I'm doing the review of the Lil Drac not for any other reason than I wanted to smoke it. Out of all of the new Little Monster cigars, the Lil Drac is the one that intrigued me the most. I've always found myself I little out of the norm on the overall public feeling on the original Drac release. To put it bluntly, I liked it a lot and almost all the other people I have talked to about the cigar have ranging opinions from "It's just OK", to "I though it was bad." Yes, the original release had issues with the packaging (not the look, which was awesome), but after I stored the cigars outside of the box for a bit, I really thought they smoked great. Just another case of to each their own. Enough chat. Let's get down to the review. (This is a sample from my recent trip, so it is unbanded. I can't wait to see the return of the black and red band because it looks bad ass with this dark wrapper.) (Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.) Specifics Vitola: "Fang" (Mini Torpedo) Length: 5 Ring Gauge: 48 Wrapper: Habano Ecaudor Maduro Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Price: $75.00 for a sampler box of 10 cigars Smoking Location: My back deck Beverage: water Pre-Light Two things I want to point out about the wrapper on my Lil'Drac. First was the color, which was fairly dark, but had tons of tiny lighter dots all around the cigar. If you have smoked the full size Drac, you might remember this look. Second was the pre-lit aroma. This cigar smelled unbelievably good. The aroma consisted of leather and a sweet citrus smell. Those descriptive words don't do it justice. When you get your hands on one, take extra time to enjoy the pre-light. The cap was not as torpedoed as the original Drac but clipped easily and the cold draw was on point. The flavors I got from the cold draw were a sticky candy-like sweetness, again mixed with a lot of citrus notes. First Half Lighting this little cigar was no problem. It immediately produced lots of thick smoke. Just like the pre-light aroma, the resting smoke coming off of this stick smelled wonderful. It made me wish that I had smoked this cigar inside and not on my back deck to fully enjoy the aroma. Oh well, next time. The first inch or so of my Lil'Drac had a lot of a mellow cocoa flavor on the front which mixed in with an interesting twang. More on that later. The finish on each draw was full of black pepper, but not really a hot black pepper, just the taste. Side note: Contrary to what I just wrote, if you push this smoke through your sinuses it's damn hot and spicy, so proceed with caution on that front. Getting into the halfway part of the cigar, the interesting twang really picked up and started to dominate not only the front of the profile, but also creep into the finish. I would describe it as a generic acidic citrus taste, but mixed with a cooling mint flavor -- not like an Altoids sugar added mint flavor, but more of a natural, maybe even mint tea taste. The nicotine strength was in the medium range. Second Half and Final Thoughts The second half of my Lil'Drac had a little change up with some flavor, but again mostly dominated with the twang from the end of the first half. What is worth mentioning is I started to get some leather notes on the finish which, although didn't seem like it was needed, added some more interest. Another fun thing worth mentioning was after I took a drink of water, the flavor in my mouth tasted a lot like milk chocolate. Totally weird I know, but hey - stranger things have happened. The nicotine strength never pushed above the medium range, so this will be a stick that I think almost anyone aside from the new smoker could handle just fine. I did have a bit of a crooked burn that I had to correct once, but that could have been due to the windy conditions of the day. Final thoughts on the Tatuaje Lil'Drac ? Good cigar with one of the best smelling wrappers I have ever experienced. I know it's a common wrapper that is used on a lot of cigars, but I've never had one smell this nice. The flavor profile is enjoyable and I think the twangy taste people will pick up will cause a lot of good discussion around the B&M and message boards. I love the original Drac and I'm glad the Lil'Drac did not disappoint. Would I buy it again? Yes Would I buy a box? I will be buying multiple boxes of the Little Monsters (sampler box that contains this cigar.) For more pictures please visit http://tinyurl.com/ckfjqdh Dan __________________ http://cigarpress.com/

04-18-2012, 01:00 PM	#2
Subvet642 Bilge Rat Join Date: Nov 2009 First Name: Darren Location: Torpedo Room Bilge Posts: 2,997 Trading: (13)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Great review Dan, as always! __________________ *"Man's mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not." -John Galt*

04-18-2012, 01:07 PM	#3
Islayphile Wee Dram Hunter Join Date: Feb 2012 First Name: Mike Location: OH Posts: 801 Trading: (1)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Thanks for another great review Dan __________________ RIP Thurman Lee Munson (June 7, 1947 – August 2, 1979)

04-18-2012, 01:37 PM	#4
elderboy02 Lets Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 12,508 Trading: (133)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Thanks for the review Danny boy!

04-18-2012, 02:20 PM	#5
irratebass EMPEROR TOMPKINS Join Date: Aug 2011 First Name: Mickey Location: Mooresville, Indiana Posts: 8,313 Trading: (48)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Very nice, I look forward to these bastiges. __________________

04-18-2012, 02:27 PM	#6
IlmProcess ¿Spectacle Join Date: Apr 2012 First Name: Trent Location: IL Posts: 117 Trading: (0)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac This sounds tasty! Thanks And that's a nice lookin' ashtray thumbsup __________________ Status-Quo Dissonance

04-18-2012, 07:26 PM	#7
TJtorpedo Feeling at Home Join Date: Feb 2012 First Name: Tim Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 600 Trading: (4)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Awesome review! Can't wait for these little bastiges to hit the market. __________________

04-18-2012, 07:29 PM	#8
kelmac07 Resident Maduro Whore!! Join Date: Apr 2009 First Name: Mac Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 27,322 Trading: (218)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac They don't look so "lil". __________________ Dom in the MLB thread "I could probably get you to wear a Yankee hat for a Maduro!"

04-18-2012, 08:20 PM	#10
HollywoodQue Invictus Join Date: Oct 2010 First Name: Howard Location: In the "D" Posts: 3,122 Trading: (46)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Thanks again Dan....Didn't you give a release date in another review?? __________________

04-18-2012, 09:28 PM	#12
BMack Dreaming of Bolivars Join Date: Apr 2012 First Name: Brian Location: Tampa Posts: 43 Trading: (0)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Great review! I'm anxiously awaiting these to hit shelves and hoping I can land some! __________________ My backyard is more humid than my humidor.

05-02-2012, 09:35 AM	#13
nofeardiver Feeling at Home Join Date: Aug 2009 First Name: Dan Location: Florida Posts: 561 Trading: (4)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac very nice cant wait for these....

05-02-2012, 10:56 AM	#14
Ogre **CENSORED** Join Date: Apr 2010 First Name: Larry Location: Central Florida Posts: 12,068 Trading: (46)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac For me, it's going to come down to cost. __________________

05-02-2012, 06:35 PM	#18
stevesmoke Guest Posts: n/a	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Eagerly awaiting these! Thanks for the review dan.

05-02-2012, 08:08 PM	#19
alwayslit Welcome to the madness Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Jim Location: DC/Tampa Posts: 487 Trading: (14)	Re: (PRE-RELEASE) Tatuaje Lil'Drac Nice review. They do look tastey.