1 review for Tatuaje RC 184
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Tatuaje RC 184
Overall Score
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The Cigar Spy
Format : Figurado
Size : 7″ (184 mm) x 57
Wrapper : Nicaragua Corojo 99
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Year : 2005
Hand-Made
Price : $10-18 each
This is Agent 24. My mission was to review the Tatuaje RC 184. As a member of The Cigar Spy agency, I promise to respect the A.S.H.E.S. code of honor.
Background info
Tatuaje is the brainchild of Pete Johnson, who along with Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia rolls these cigars in Little Havana, Miami, Florida. They use first generation Cuban seed grown in Nicaragua. The RC stands for Retro Cuban and the 184 is the length in mm. It is one of the special blends for the Tatuaje Cabinet Series.
Mission notes
Fall is definitely upon us. It is the middle of the afternoon and there is a little nip in the air. The sun is shining brightly and a little breeze is blowing. The leaves are starting to turn and it is a beautiful day to sit outside and have a cigar.
Appearance and first impressions
The wrapper is chocolate in color, has a few veins, very firm from head to foot, and has the smell of hay and cedar.
Today’s pairing: some cold spring water!
Flavors
The initial draw on this Tat is a little tough, but after about a quarter inch or so, it starts drawing nicely. My initial impression after the first few puffs can be summed up in one word: FIERY! The spices in this cigar are leaving my palate feeling as though I just sucked down a couple habanero peppers. Along with the fire, I taste some definite roasted coffee and a hint of cocoa. I think I am gonna enjoy this ride. Our musical pairing today is some psychobilly compliments of Mad Sin. FTW indeed!
As I get through the first third of the Tat, the burn has stayed even, the draw and finish are solid and the taste has taken a turn. The most prevalent taste is the roasted coffee. The spiciness of this bad boy has mellowed, it’s still there on the retrohale, but by no means is it unpleasant. I can still taste a hint of cocoa, but am also getting a hint of wood. Staying with our psychobilly feel, we have moved onto The Battle of Ninjamanz! Japanese psychobilly at its best!
Now we are over halfway through the RC184 and it is living up to its billing. The spiciness is next to nonexistent. It has really mellowed out into a smooth espresso and earth taste. The aroma reminds me of a campfire. Now, one place where the RC184 has kicked it up a notch is in the nicotine department. I am getting that nice, full belly, light head feeling. It is not overpowering or causing me the shakes, but it definitely has me buzzing nicely. This being the case, it could be why we have moved into the softer side of psychobilly, Tiger Army! Rise, Ghost Tigers, Rise!
As we move into the final third of the Tatuaje RC 184, the burn has stayed even, the draw has been outstanding and the flavors have remained consistent. The cocoa has returned to add a little sweetness to the espresso and the fiery kick from earlier has come back to remind me that it is and always was there. The RC184 finishes strong and is almost becoming overpowering in terms of the nicotine kick. I may need to chug some water and lie down for a few minutes when this is over!
Final statement
The Tatuaje RC 184 lived up to my expectations. It was medium to full-bodied in power and the flavors were outstanding. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on one of these, give yourself some time (I spent a solid hour and 45 minutes on it) to really enjoy it. Pete Johnson is one of what I call the “rock stars” of the cigar industry and usually does not disappoint!
Photo credit: Vitolas.net