Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)
Over the past few years, Tatuaje has been reaching far back into its 18-year history to bring back new versions of some of its more legendary creations. The subject of today’s review is a re-release of a Tatuaje creation that very few fans got to try the first two times it was sold: the NHC Selección Limitada Capa Especial. Originally released in 2011 with a total production of only 1,400 cigars, the 6 3/4 x 42 box-pressed lonsdale returned the following year with a slightly larger release that still sold out almost immediately.
Earlier this year, Tatuaje’s founder Pete Johnson announced via Instagram that the cigar would return, albeit with some minor changes. First, the name of the newest incarnation is now the Tatuaje LLE Capa Especial—the LLE in the name stands for Limited Lonsdale Extra—and it is no longer a store exclusive for New Havana Cigars. In addition, the bands used on this release have been updated to the newest color scheme that Tatuaje is using—Johnson changed the bands on the Tatuaje Limited releases to help reduce confusion between the one he uses for his releases that incorporate Mexican San Andrés wrappers—and there were 1,000 boxes of 20 cigars produced, with each cigar retailing for $11 before taxes.
One thing that has not changed is the tobacco, which remains a combination of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper covering a binder and filler tobaccos made up entirely of Nicaraguan leaves. Johnson told halfwheel that the blend is the same as the original, other than the natural variance that can occur with different tobacco crops.
A portion of the Tatuaje LLE Capa Especial boxes debuted at New Havana Cigars packaged in store-specific branding, while the remaining boxes were made available to other select retailers without the NHC branding on the side.
Blend and Origin:
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
The cigar is slim and long with a nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were cedar, apple, brown sugar, caramel, nutmeg, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2.
At the first third (33 minutes) the cigar is close to how it started. The apple flavor is reminiscent of a crab apple. The caramel notes are light but combine with the nutmeg to make a nice flavor. The black coffee base is rather light. The finish is caramel and nutmeg with average lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I rated the first third 93.
As I moved through the second third (1 hour 3 minutes) the cigar made a slight improvement. The sweetness is coming out more. There is now a little citrus influence to go along with the crab apple, cedar, and brown sugar. The cigar has some tangy notes. The black coffee is now elevated. The black pepper seems to have improved. The caramel notes are still light but still there. The finish is citrus, caramel, nutmeg and improved lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. With the improved flavors I raised the score to 94.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 27 minutes. A very good burn time for a cigar of this size. The cigar held serve in the final third. There are now light elements of toffee. The cigar is nice and sweet but it has depth with the elevated black coffee base. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The flavor notes are cedar, crab apple, light citrus, brown sugar, nutmeg, and black coffee. The finish is unchanged. I rated the final third 94. This is a very good cigar and it has a surprisingly good burn time.
Overall Score: 93.67
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