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| Tatuaje 7th Reserva |
A few months ago, we assessed the Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial. The 7th is a vitola size that has become popular among Tatuaje cigar enthusiasts. It is a 5 5/8 x 46 sized corona gorda vitola. The 7th Capa Especial was highlighted by the use of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper on the blend. Prior to the release of the 7th Capa Especial, there were two other releases in this size. For the most part the blends are common and the difference has been in the wrapper used. The Seleccion de Cazador 7th features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper while the Tatuaje Reserva 7th features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Today we turn our attention to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper version – the Tatuaje 7th Reserva. Overall, I found this to be a positive smoking experience and one that will keep the Tatuaje faithful happy.
If you go to Tatuaje’s web-site, the Tatuaje 7th Reserva falls under the “Reserva” line. In general I’ve found the “Reserva” line to be a little confusing to follow when it comes to Tatuaje lines. To avoid the confusion, I have come to consider the “Reserva” line as special variations of existing blends. Some cigars classified as the “Reserva” such as the Gran Cojonu, Cojonu 2003/6/9, and RC Series have an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Others such as the Tatuaje Petite Reserva, Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva, and Tatuaje 7th Reserva feature a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.
Let’s take a closer look at the Tatuaje 7th Reserva in more detail.
Blend Profile
While we’ve highlighted the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the 7th Reserva features Nicaraguan binder and filler. These inner components are common to the Seleccion de Cazador 7th and the 7th Capa Especial. The cigar is made at My Father Cigars SA in Esteli Nicaragua under the watchful eye of Jaime Garcia.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf USA
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Vitolas Available
Since there are a lot of variations in the Reserva line, we will just focus on the 7th Reserva cigar. As mentioned at the top of this assessment, this is a 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda.
Appearance
The Tatuaje 7th Reserva has a dark natural coffee-colored wrapper. There are some dark(er) spots on the wrapper. The wrapper itself has a rough feel with visible wrapper seasm I’ve seen the wrapper vary from cigar to cigar as far as whether it is toothy with visible veins. For this assessment, the 7th Reserva I smoked definitely had a “rougher” look leaning toward toothy with visible veins. There was a distinct farm-like aroma on the foot.
There are two bands on the Tatuaje 7th Reserva. The first features the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador brown band (with white font). This is consistent as the 7th Reserva also has the same binder and filler as the Seleccion de Cazador line. There is a second band directly under the brown band. It has a black background with gold striping. Prominently featured on the black background is the text “Reserva” is on the black background in gold cursive font.
Preparation for the Cigar Experience
For my Tatuaje 7th Reserva, I placed a straight cut into the cap of the cigar. When I commenced with the pre-light draw, I was treated to notes of coffee, wood, and pepper. Overall, the dry draw notes were satisfactory. At this point, it was on to toast the foot of the 7th Reserva and see what else this cigar would have in store.
Flavor Profile
The start to the Tatuaje 7th Reserva treated me to a strong blast of Garcia pepper. As the pepper blast subsided, I detected coffee and wood notes. While the pepper notes had subsided, these notes were still very much in the forefront. Around the five percent mark, some cream notes joined the coffee and wood in the background.
As the smoke progressed through the first third, the wood notes pretty much have dissipated and it was the pepper, coffee, and cream notes that remained. These notes alternated as to which note is in the forefront. As the cigar reached the halfway point, the pepper settled down a little more and notes of leather joined the cream and coffee notes.
In the last third, the pepper re-emerged and took control and the primary note. This gave the Tatuaje 7th Reserva a spicy, but not harsh finish. The resulting nub was a little disappointing – it was warm in temperature and soft to the touch. This finish happened in each instance I smoked the Tatuaje 7th Reserva.
Burn and Draw
For the most part, the Tatuaje 7th Reserva is a well-made cigar. It had a straight burn from start to finish that required few touch-ups. The burn rate was ideal. The burn temperature was good, but as I mentioned above, each time this cigar did finish warmer than I would have liked. There were no issues with the draw. The draw was flawless and made the Tatuaje 7th Reserva a joy to smoke.
Strength and Body
I didn’t find much of a difference in strength and body between the 7th Reserva and the 7th Capa Especial. The 7th Reserva has slightly less nicotine than the Sumatra-wrapped 7th Capa Especial, but I still assess it as medium to full in strength. As for the flavors, there is some nice depth to the flavor notes. Overall, I assessed the 7th Reserva also as medium to full-bodied. Overall, there is a good balance between the strength and body as neither attribute overshadows the other.
Final Thoughts
I still have to smoke the Habano wrapper version of the 7th – the Seleccion de Cazador 7th. Right now I still give the Sumatra wrapper 7th Capa Especial a slight edge over the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper 7th Reserva. Ultimately, this is going to come down to individual flavor profiles that decide what is going to be the better smoke for someone. Like the 7th Capa Especial, I’d probably recommend the 7th Reserva more for the seasoned cigar enthusiast – although, this might be a cigar of interest for the novice enthusiast looking for something more medium to full. As for myself, while the 7th Capa Especial is still the better smoke in my book, I still would reach for some of these.
Summary
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Fair
Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 89
Source: This cigars for this assessment were purchased at Outland Cigars in Charlotte, North Carolina.
