Every year, Tatuaje has released an exclusive cigar for the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA). This has become one of Tatauje’s most sought out releases. Some years, Pete Johnson releases a similar blend as a previous year in a different size, some years it’s a new blend, and some years he will bring back previous releases. The Tatuaje TAA 2020 is a completely new blend with a wrapper that he’s never used on a TAA before.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
This years version uses a Sumatra wrapper and comes in a 5 5/8 x 54 box-pressed size. The rest of the blend uses Nicaraguan tobacco. The price for the Tatuaje TAA 2020 is $11.95 per cigar and comes in boxes of 20. Only 3,000 boxes were released.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Toro Length: 5 5/8″ Ring Gauge: 54 Country of Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. Blender: Pete Johnson Number of reviewers: 4 – Isaac M.(The Nothing) Joseph S.(Bearded Bastard) Jake P.(Jake P.) Randy B.(randobush) Price: $11.95 Age: 4 Months Release Date: April 2020 Contributed by: Blind Man’s Puff
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 94
“This cigar had a slight box press. Closed foot with tight seams. Very nice looking cigar.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
Aroma: 90
“There was emitted an earthy aroma with a bit of cinnamon and barnyard at the foot.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Flavor: 91 Strength: Medium-Strong Body/Complexity: Medium
“Started off with a nice kick of pepper that mild out a little into leather. After about an inch I started to get a small honey sweetness followed by some cedar.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“Thanks to the covered foot, this cigar was very easy to light. Even a single match should easy accomplish the task. After doing so leather, saffron, green peppercorn, sage brush, and oak mark the beginning. Things settled down with the remainder of the first third bringing flavors of dry woods, touches of vanilla, allspice, and dirt.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“Chocolate mellowed out into some wood notes, hints of pepper and a slight sweetness.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
“Retrohale has smoothed out considerably, and is now just damn pleasant. Light cocoa powder is now on the scene, cayenne gone and replaced by a slight note of white pepper towards the front of the tongue. Creamy baking spices & leather round it out for a home run to the palate.” –Randy B. (randobush)
Flavor: 90 Strength: Medium-Strong Body/Complexity: Medium
“Starting off the final third you noticed some veggie bitterness mixed with the earth notes that carried the entire cigar. Towards the last few puffs you had much more of a toast flavor and not char which made this cigar very smokable to the end.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“Really mellows out in the final third. The finish is not as long as it was in the first 2/3rd’s! Cocoa powder, cream, hay, and baking spices remain solid! Espresso beans coming in towards the end.” –Randy B. (randobush)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“With a v-cut, this cigar was just a bit on the loose side. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Burn: 86
“Only needed a couple small touch ups, nothing to complain about.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
Construction: 89
“Solid construction throughout. Ash fell in solid 1.5” chunks.. Stayed solid all the way through with no soft spots or squishiness developing.” –Randy B. (randobush)
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the high desert. I love the sage brush, dried lake beds, and driving my 4×4 on old Oregon Trail wagon roads – often while smoking a cigar. I do not, however, enjoy this cigar tasting like those long forgot trails. The soil, dry dirt, was just way too much for me.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“A very tasty cigar with a good combo of complexity and strength, well constructed with a bit of a kick in the end. Thumbs up.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
“I thought this was a very nice cigar. Had some nice strong flavors that stayed predictable throughout the smoke. The only downside was having to watch the burn a little. If you smoking this while doing other things I could see how this would become an issue.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“I was sold from from first puff. Love a good closed foot that gives a quick reveal of the wrapper flavor at first light. This cigar has nice and subtle transitions. It does change, but not much. Thoroughly enjoyable smoke. Maintained a solid finish throughout that left me enjoying the flavors until the next draw. I’d pick this cigar up again.” –Randy B. (randobush)
"I was sold from from first puff. Love a good closed foot that gives a quick reveal of the wrapper flavor at first light. This cigar has nice and subtle transitions. It does change, but not much. Thoroughly enjoyable smoke. Maintained a solid finish throughout that left me enjoying the flavors until the next draw. I’d pick this cigar up again." -Randy B. (randobush)
Cigar Info
