Size: 4 x40
Shape: Petite Cazadore
Origin: Miami, USA
Body: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Habano Equador
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Clock: 25 mins
Tatuaje Cigars
Winter is now knocking at our door and the weather has taken a turn for the cold, but that can’t stop the hearty from enjoying a fine smoke. Braving the morning chill with me this morning was the Petite Cazadore by Tatuaje. I felt the name of this blend apt for the situation as I stepped outside into the cold November air, hunting for a good smoke.
Once I’d settled myself onto a perch high above the ground (about a foot and a half), I lit up this delicious looking smoke. It became immediately apparent that I’d nabbed my prey. Notes of sugar, pepper, and leather raced over my palate in a rush of delight akin to spotting a 12 point buck.
Caramel and leather notes followed as this stick burned beautifully into the first quarter. Hints of spice through the nose and pepper on the palate created a playful dance for my senses.
As my bum began to go numb with cold (as it is apt to do on early morning hunts such as this), light earth notes began mingling with the caramel already present in the blend. Sometimes a powerful presence in the nose, sometimes subtly wafting over my palate, pepper notes darted in and out of the profile like a buck darting amongst the trees.
The profile remained consistent throughout the third quarter with few new surprises. However, just as the finish began, a subtle chocolate note cautiously crept in and remained in the far off distance like prey that knows it’s being hunted.
Putting an end to my brief morning hunting trip, I lay this stick to rest, having bagged the greatest prize of all: one fantastic smoke.
Rating:
Presentation: 7/10 – Simple and to the point with no pomp or pretention. The blend is signaled by the color of the band, which I think is a creative way to signal a cigar smoker to what they’re buying, if they’re informed about the line.
Appearance: 7/10 – The wrapper is a consistent dark brown color, oily, and smooth. A description of “mouthwatering” comes to mind. The stick received points off for three nasty looking veins which did not connect or run together, but were on the same side of the cigar.
Construction: 33/35 – This stick has some of the best construction in a cigar that I’ve smoked. The pack was firm, the draw open, and the burn overwhelmingly even. At times, the burn became slightly wavy, but it quickly righted itself. This is common in smaller cigars, but this one was done well, none-the-less.
Flavor: 42/45 – I really enjoyed the interplay of flavors in this blend. Caramel, leather, and light earth dominated the experience while pepper and spice danced, juked, and sprung in and out throughout the duration. The chocolate finish didn’t hurt at all either.
Overall: 89/100 – This was a really fine smoke that I enjoyed a great deal. The body was a little north of medium, the flavors were consistent and provided some nice interplay amongst them, and the construction was excellent. I also liked that this stick can be enjoyed in under half an hour, making it a great smoke to enjoy on your lunch break. Pick up a few of these to try out and discover the hunter in you.
-DH
2 comments:
A little bit of trivia for everyone: Petite Cazadore translates to "Little Hunter."
A little follow up here. I recently nabbed the remaining stock of these from a tobacconist local to Pittsburgh and I have to say that I underrated these at first. I'd notch these up 1 point for each category, giving it a 93 rating. Since these have vanished from Rocky's website, this is a bit moot at this point, but I like to right my wrongs.
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