The Tatuaje Reserva SW Short isn’t a new cigar, in fact it’s been around for 7 years now. at the time of this review. While I have been writing about cigars for 20 years, starting over as a blogger allows me to once again review cigars that have become part of my repertoire over the years. It’s something I wish my favorite bloggers would do, creating a month retro review where the fire up a cigar that has been on the cigar for at least 5 years. When the cigar first came out it was made in the Miami based factory owned by Don Pepin Garcia. Today, the company still makes cigars at their Miami based headquarters in Doral, a section of Miami though the production levels are small in comparison to their factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.
Cigar Review: Tatuaje Reserva SW Short
Size: 4.75 x 47 (Short Churchill)
Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano Rosado Claro)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: El Rey De los Habanos (Miami, FL)
Release Date: May 2018
Production: Regular, Ongoing
Box Size: 25
The Cigar: When you think of the Reserva line of cigars from Tatuaje you might think Broadleaf. But that isn’t always the case as the Reserva SW Short utilizes a light wrapper in the for the Ecuador Habano Rosado Claro. It’s an absolutely flawless wrapper with a nice amount of oil present giving it a nice sheen. The cigar features the classic brown label Tatuaje band with the fleur de lis and recently the company because using gold foil accents giving it a more luxurious feel. In the hand the cigar is firm to the touch with no voids of tobacco and it’s absolutely flawless rolled.
The Taste: The cold draw of the Tatuaje Reserva SW Short reminds me of bazooka bubble gum. There is a powdery sugar and cherry that reminds me of the comic wrapped bubble gum. Additionally there is some cedar that stands out on subsequent pulls. This is the second cigar in as many days where I have not pulled an aroma from the foot outside of tobacco. I’m starting to wonder if my sniffer is out of order.
Once we cut and toast the cigar a subtle vanilla note lingers in the background as the cigar develops a buttery pound cake flavor profile to start. The first third has a wonderful shortbread note as we settle into the cigar where it is joined by nuts and oats. It’s milder than a lot of Tatuaje cigars I usually smoke and as a result the flavor profile is considerably different as well. As the first third comes to a close the cigar reminds me a lot of Cheerios with a toasted oat flavor profile and cedar. The retrohale is smooth with a surprisingly subtle amount of pepper and a touch of leather.
Sliding into the second third the notes of oats pull back as cedar takes control of the palate with a growing amount of white pepper and growing earthiness. Around the halfway point there is a subtle vanilla that has a thick mouthfeel much like a melted glaze on a donut from a bakery, not a chain. As the second third comes to a close there is a hint of brown sugar. In the second third the retrohale sees a growing pepper component with a hint of new leather.
As we smoke the final third notes of oats return with an abundance of earth. There is an occasional touch of lemon rind and graham cracker but those two are more of a fleeting afterthought. My wife who is in the room with me as I write this view has informed that aroma reminds of her burning wood which she finds enjoyable and with her mentioning that I too begin to pick it up as the cigar rests between my lips between puffs as I type away. The retrohale sees additional notes of cedar, vanilla and white pepper.
Conclusion: I’ve been smoking cigars since before Don Pepin Garcia entered the market with My Father Cigars which is also before Pete Johnson had launched Tatuaje. Since almost day 1 I have been a huge fan of Tatuaje cigars and I still consider myself a Pete Johnson fanboy. So the question is what is my favorite Tatuaje cigar. I can tell this one is not. In fact I find it to be quite the departure from the Tatuaje Brown Label smokes with its slightly bitter, more acidic and earthy flavor profile. But this departure is part of what I find attractive and a nice alternative from the status quo.
Score: 90
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
While the Tatuaje SW Short Reserva is a regular production cigar it is a limited production cigar and now always easy to find. Site sponsor Small Batch Cigar has them, but not all the time. When they do have them I would suggest grabbing some and be sure to use the coupon code BARRELBURNER to save 10% on your order.
