Tatuaje Lomo de Cerdo – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

Last year, Tatuaje Cigars released their Tuxtla Series, where the company used an existing cigar, and replaced the wrapper with Mexican San Andrés. The Tuxtla Series launched with three versions cigars: the Avion '13, Tatuaje 7th and the Tatuaje T110. At the 2022 PCA Trade Show, Tatuaje teased a new addition to that series, the Lomo de Cerdo, which translates to pork loin from Spanish. The name comes from the fact that the blend is based on the infamous Pork Tenderloin which came out in 2010.

The cigar measures 5 1/8 x 52 and as with the previous Tuxtla releases, the Lomo de Cerdo replaces the original wrapper that was used for the Pork Tenderloin (Connecticut broadleaf) with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The rest of the blend uses the same as the Pork Tenderloin, including Nicaraguan tobacco for the binders and fillers.

The Lomo de Cerdo has an MSRP of $12.00 per cigar or $300 for a bundle of 25. The cigar were rolled at My Father Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua. Production is around 8,000 bundles. Like the Pork Tenerloin, Lomo de Cerdo uses packaging designed to look like butcher paper such as a butcher would use to wrap meat at the counter at the butcher shop.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5 1/8″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Blender: Pete Johnson
Number of reviewers: 5 – Sean F. (fullermaine) Angel M. (Angel) Randy B. (randobush) Chris M. (Chris) Noah S. (Noah)
Price: $12.00
Age: 4 Months
Release Date: April 2023
Contributed by: Blind Man's Puff

Initial Impressions – Tatuaje Lomo de Cerdo

Appearance: 95

“Ponytail at the top, closed foot at the bottom. This cigar looks appealing, with a slightly oily rustic brown wrapper, bearing a slight copper hue. Weighs in at 5.25”x 50-52rg.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Aroma: 94

“Hints of dry straw hay from the foot and barnyard notes from the wrapper, both subtle and slightly sweet make up an aroma that is quite pleasant as well as inviting.” –Noah S. (Noah)

First Third

Flavor: 95
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Very woody, slightly peppery, with some baking spice on initial draws. The retrohale is pleasant, and the finish last well into the next draw. The draws are effortless, rendering full mouthful of satisfying smoke. Getting a little bit of a sweet citrus twist, that works well with the pepper.” –Randy B. (randobush)

“In the first third, I'm picking up some cocoa and maybe a tiny bit of baking spice with a nice punch of black pepper. There is a bit of a lingering bitterness that comes along with the pepper punch between each draw. The smoke is a bit warm and dry. I am enjoying the flavors so far.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Second Third

Flavor: 96
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“The woody mix that dominated the initial puffs has taken a backseat and is most noticeable now on the finish. The sweet notes of dried cherries and milk chocolate accompanied by a slight bitterness of black coffee continue to bogart the stage. The white pepper has also dropped back a bit camping out solely on the retro that continues to underscore everything happening in the foreground. A decent nicotine buzz is beginning to set in making this smoke just that much better.” –Noah S. (Noah)

“The espresso bean and black pepper still take the top, with musty cedar, and now the baker's chocolate hitting just beneath. The vanilla creaminess is joined by a light graham cracker. Dipping back slightly is the dark fruit sweetness. Around the midpoint the espresso bean and creamy vanilla seem to meld together into a latte note.” –Chris M. (Chris)

Final Third

Flavor: 95
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“The black pepper along with the slight bitterness is following through till the end. The roasted coffee remains, and a small additional of leather kicks in. The smoke is still a bit dry, and on the warm side, but all in all very enjoyable.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“Entering the final third I am noticing a dramatic increase in the temperature of the smoke however the lineup of flavors remains mostly unchanged. The sweet mix of dried cherries and milk chocolate continues to wow. Combined with the heat, the sweet notes create a luxuriously creamy mouthfeel that lingers long after each puff. Wood and white pepper are now reserved to the finish that has a distinct but pleasant bite as it nibbles on the tongue. The retro, once chock full of spice and flare has tamed almost completely becoming buttery smooth as this smoke comes to a close.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Overall Impressions – Tatuaje Lomo de Cerdo

Draw: 99

“Perfection is the only way to describe the draw on this stick! Not only did each puff produce thick clouds of smoke but the cold draw knocked my socks off with over-the-top flavors of cinnamon, clove and floral notes.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Burn: 98

“Perfect burn with no touching up needed. Nice quad-colored ash.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)

Construction: 95

“Really nice construction on the cigar. I loved the closed foot, and the ponytail up top. The hand and mouth feel we're both good, and the pack was firm.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 96

“Another enjoyable relaxing cigar. A cigar with a nice mix of notes that included cedar, hickory, oatmeal, leather, cinnamon, and black pepper. Perfect draw and construction. About two-thirds into the smoke a minor hot spot appears, but doesn't interfere with the enjoyment. Nice burn with a quad-colored ash. I'd like to have a few of these cigars in my humidor.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)

“Overall this was a superb cigar. The flavor transitions were noticeable and enjoyable. It comes in at I believe, a full-strength cigar, and a lot of body, therefore, I would only recommend this cigar to someone who has a pallet for a big flavored cigar. I would definitely recommend having something on hand to drink when smoking this cigar. It would pair well with just about any whiskey, red wine, or IPA.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“I really enjoyed this cigar. The flavors were in my wheelhouse from start to finish and transitioned nicely in between thirds. The draw, burn, construction, performance, and retrohale, were all admirable. I would buy this cigar!” –Randy B. (randobush)

“This was a beautiful-looking cigar. Though the flavor profile was very heavy on the dark notes, the balancing flavors did their job to keep it from being one-dimensional. Very nice, subtle transitions throughout kept it interesting. The strength never overwhelmed the flavors. I call this one a win, and would happily smoke again.” –Chris M. (Chris)

“With the single exception of the first few puffs being ever so slightly harsh, I haven't a negative remark to make about this cigar as it truly blew me away in just about every regard. Not only were the flavors incredibly robust, the mix was well-balanced and was suited almost perfectly for my palate. A perfect draw, flawless burn, and impeccable construction checked off the remaining boxes for me which rounded out an immensely enjoyable smoking experience from start to finish. I imagine this cigar would pair well with just about anything which is also a high mark in and of itself. Assuming the price point isn't outrageous, this stick has already landed in my regular rotation. If it is then I will gladly splurge for a special occasion as I am quite certain that a stick this would never disappoint.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 72

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Tatuaje Lomo de Cerdo – Blind Cigar Review