Tatuaje The Face was the 3rd release of the he Tatuaje Halloween Series. The series has been one of the most sought after limited editions to ever grace the cigar industry. Thankfully for those who missed out they are back as a Redux version.
Each release of the Halloween Monster Series is a reference to well known character in the horror genre. The Face is a homage to Leatherface from the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The original release had a rough cut out of Ecuador Shade tobacco in lieu of a band which was a reference to the character making masks out of human skin.
This time around the production is limited to 5,000 boxes of 13 of which 700 have been individually numbered.
Cigar Review: Tatuaje The Face Redux 3
Size: 6 3/8 x 56
Wrapper: Mexico San Andres
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Debut: October 2023 (Original Release: October 2010)
Box Count: 13
Final Smoking Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
The Cigar: While I liked the novelty of the original release using a jagged piece of tobacco in lieu of a band, I wasn’t a fan of it due to the aesthetics. The new version features a light brown band with dark brown accents and the cigar still has a bump at the top of the cigar. The Mexican San Andres wrapper is very coarse and dry under the fingers. The cigar feels huge even in today’s market with other cigars considerably bigger. The cigar is rounded out with a closed foot.
The Taste: The cold draw has notes of damp earth with a touch of mocha and cedar. The resting aroma of the wrapper from the closed foot is just incredible with an abundance of mocha just pouring off of it. If the cigar holds on to just a fraction of this it will be a treat.
As we smoke the first third notes of earth and cedar start things off with only a minimal amount of spice. As we smoke through the first third some notes of espresso and cocoa begin to develop but linger in the background. The retrohale enhances the earth while adding a lingering pepper to the finish.
In the second third notes of cocoa begin to emerge and intensify once the ash falls off. In the background remains notes of coffee, earth and cedar. At the halfway point a touch of fudge appears briefly before transitioning to the long finish of The Face Redux. The retrohale of the cigar begins to add some roasted nuts to the mix with an abundance of black pepper.
The last third has notes of mocha with a base note that is leathery and earthy. Some nuttiness appears for the first time with some pepper on the palate that is intensified on the retrohale. As we move past where the band once was the pepper notes kick it up a notch and the strength of the cigar kicks it up a notch.
Conclusion: There are two brands I am loyal to as a cigar smoker and both of them are made at the My Father Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Tatuaje is one of those brands. Every cigar Pete Johnson puts out fits in my wheelhouse. In a portfolio of what I consider to be great cigars, I might begin to sound like a broken record. While my favorite limited edition of all time remains The Frank, this one, The Face is a very close second. It’s full bodied and rich is flavor and all 5 of the cigars I have smoked to date were consistent. If you can still find these, grab a box or two.
Score: 94
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
