As many of our readers know, we have been taking a look at the cigars that make up the Tatuaje Pudgy Monsters series.  This was released as a sampler pack based on the original Tatuaje Monsters Series.  In 2012, a sampler set called Tatuaje Little Monsters was released providing small and thinner versions of the original Monsters set.  With the Pudgy Monsters, this introduces the Monster Series blends containing the same width and the original Monsters and same length as the Little Monsters.  As a bonus, two new blends were included with the Pudgy Monsters.  In this feature story, we recap the cigars we have assessed in this series and capture some metrics.

We ranked the 8 blends and included some descriptions of the cigar, notes on the cigar experience, and how we scored it.  

1-Tatuaje Frank 

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 5/8 x 49 (Box-Press)

Original Assessment Date: October 30, 2014
Strength: Full
Body: Full
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 94


The Pudgy Monster Frank is based off the the cigar that started the whole Monsters craze – Tatuaje – The Frank. This is a cigar paying tribute to the legendary monster Frankenstein.  The original Frank to this day is one of the most Tatuaje releases out there.  It one of two blends in the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters cigars to be released in a box-press format (the other being the Tatuaje Wolfman blend).  It is one of two Connecticut Broadleaf releases in series (the other being the Tatuaje JV13 / Jason).  The Pudgy Monster Frank is pretty much a shorter version of the original full-sized Frank and a fatter version of Little Monsters Frank Jr..

The Pudgy Monster Frank delivered notes of espresso, mocha, earth, pepper, and nut. I found the Pudgy Monster Frank to offer a little less complexity than its Little Monster counterpart, the Frank Jr.  However the flavors more than made up for it. I found this to be a full-bodied and full strength cigar.

When I smoked Frank Jr., I found this to be a blend with some incredible aging potential. The Pudgy Monster Frank is ready to smoke now. It easily wins as the “belle of the ball” for the Pudgy Monsters series – meaning hands down the best cigar in the sampler.  This is a box worthy cigar and the great news is that this cigar will probably get better.

2-Tatuaje Face

Wrapper: Mexican
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 4 3/8 x 56

Original Assessment Date: October 1, 2014
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 93


The Pudgy Monster Face is based off 2010’s Tatuaje – The Face, the third installment of the Monsters Series. There are several unique things about this cigar in regards to the series. It is the only one of the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters cigars to use a San Andres Mexican wrapper – something Tatuaje typically has not used. All of the blends in this series do not have a cigar band, but a cut piece of natural tobacco attached to the wrapper to give the appearance of Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  The Pudgy Monster Face is pretty much a shorter version of the original full-sized Face and a fatter version of the Little Monsters Baby Face. Finally, the Pudgy Monsters Face like the original “The Face” has the largest ring gauge at 56.

This cigar produces notes of earth, coffee, grass, cream, and pepper. I found this cigar had more of a black pepper note (the other Face blend vitolas had more of a red pepper note).  The strength and body are optimal – both coming in at medium to full.

This is a cigar that smoked great at the time of the assessment.  The track record of the original “The Face” and Baby Face is that this too is a blend that ages very well.  It’s box worthy now and has potential to get even better.

3-Tatuaje Mummy

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 3/4 x 47

Original Assessment Date: August 28, 2014
Strength: Medium to Full 
Body: Medium to Full (1st Half), Full (2nd Half)
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 92


The Pudgy Monster Mummy is based off 2012’s Tatuaje – The Mummy, the fifth installment of the Monsters Series.  Of the regular full-sized Monster releases, it is the only one where the full size was not released first.  The full size Mummy was preceded by the release of its Little Monsters counterpart, the Tatuaje Mini Mum.  The Mummy / Mini Mum combination slotted in as our #10 Cigar for 2012.  The Mummy blend is also the only in the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters lines to be a Nicaraguan puro.  The Pudgy Monster Mummy is also the thinnest of the Pudgy Monster releases with a 47 ring gauge. The Pudgy Monster Mummy is pretty much a shorter version of the original full-sized Mummy and a fatter version of the Little Monsters Mini Mum.

I found the Pudgy Mummy to be an excellent smoke at this time. It has notes of natural tobacco sweetness, cedar, pepper, citrus, and nut. The flavors start out medium to full-bodied and progress to full-bodied. The strength is medium to full.

My experience with The Mummy and Mini Mum has been that this cigar has lost some of its steam over time.  No penalty assessed now as the Pudgy Mummy smoked very good at this time   It’s still box worthy but it may be a smoke you want to have sooner than later.

4-Tatuaje Jason

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 1/2 x 52

Original Assessment Date: August 19, 2014
Strength: Medium to Full 
Body: Full
Assessment: 3.5 – Box Split
Score: 92

The Tatuaje Jason is based off the Tatuaje JV13.  The JV13 release was the sixth installment of the Monsters Series.  The Tatuaje JV13 was the second Connecticut Broadleaf release in the Monsters series.  Since it was released in 2013, it was not a part of the Little Monsters series.  The Jason is a version of the JV13 that is two inches shorter (5 1/2 versus 7 /12 for the JV13), but has the same ring gauge (52).

I’ve been on the record as saying the JV13 hadn’t lived up to the other Monsters. However the Tatuaje Jason changed my opinion on this blend. I found this to be a smoother and sweeter cigar than the original JV13. Much of the mustiness and harshness I had gotten on several JV13s was not there. The Jason has notes of mocha and black pepper. The way the chocolate and raisin notes came together it reminded me of a raisinet candy. The flavors were full-bodied countered by some medium to full strength.

Overall I was amazed at what a shorter size with the same ring gauge did to this blend.  The jury is still out whether or not age played a role here and what role age will play going forward.

5-Tatuaje Chuck

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 4 x 50

Original Assessment Date: August 11, 2014
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium to Full
Assessment: 3.5 – Box Split
Score: 92

The Tatuaje Chuck is one of the two new blends included in the Pudgy Monsters Series. While Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is a staple of the Tatuaje brand, this is the first “natural” Ecuadorian Habano wrapper to be used in the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters set.  The Tatuaje Chuck comes in a short robusto (4 x 50) size and along with the Tatuaje Tiff is the shortest Monster to date. There are two Tatuaje Chucks included in the Pudgy Monsters set – which differs from the heritage Pudgy Monsters blends were there is only one cigar included.

The Tatuaje Chuck has a complex flavor profile. It started out with a black pepper blast and notes of wood.  However, an interesting sweetness that was a combination of cherry and cream soda soon  emerged.  The sweetness subsided in the second half and flavors of nut emerged.  The flavors are medium to full-bodied countered by medium strength.

This was not only a different flavor profile than any of the Monsters blends, but it is also one that is unique to the overall Tatuaje brand as a whole.  I’d love to see this released in some other sizes as I am curious to see how this blends smokes in another vitola.

6-Tatuaje Tiff

The Tatuaje Tiff is other new blend included in the Pudgy Monsters Series. This marks the first time an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper has been used in the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters set.  Like the Tatuaje Chuck, the Tatuaje Tiff comes in a short robusto (4 x 50) size.  There are two Tatuaje Chucks in the series.  Also like the Tatuaje Chuck, there are two Tatuaje Tiffs included in the Pudgy Monsters set.

The Tiff delivers starts out with notes of black pepper, wood, and nut. Notes of cream and fruit enter the equation. In the first third, the wood becomes a nice sweet cedar that combines with the nut flavors. The fruit sweetness diminishes in the second third, but the cream and pepper notes increased during the second half.  The cigar maintained medium strength and medium body throughout the smoking experience.  The burn and draw were excellent.

While I was curious on how the Chuck smoked in the other sizes, my gut tells me the short robusto format is ideal for the Tatuaje Tiff.  Overall, the Tatuaje Tiff is not a groundbreaking Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade, but it’s one that still delivers nice flavor.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 4 x 50

Original Assessment Date: August 1, 2014
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium to Full
Assessment: 3.0 – The Fiver
Score: 91

7-Tatuaje Wolf

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 1/2 x 52

Original Assessment Date: September 8, 2014
Strength: Medium 
Body: Medium to Full
Assessment: 3.0 – The Fiver
Score: 90


The Tatuaje Wolf is based off 2011’s Tatuaje – The Wolfman, the fourth installment of the Monsters Series.  The Wolf was preceded by the releae of its Little Monsters counterpart, the Tatuaje Wolfie.  The Wolfman / Wolfie / Wolf blend is unique to all of the Monsters / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters series in that it is the only cigar to use an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The cigar has been released in a box-press torpedo in each vitola. All of the releases feature a rough cut foot. ;In a nutshell the Wolf is a shorter version of the Wolfman and fatter version of the Wolfie.

The Wolf delivered some notes of citrus, cedar, coffee, orange-citrus, cream and grass. There was a slight astringent flavor to the citrus early on, but it wore off. The flavors were medium to full bodied countered by medium strength. The construction was excellent.

Like the Wolfie, the Wolf isn’t going to come close to that original Wolfman – which finished the Cigar Coop #11 Cigar of the Year for 2011.  However it’s still a very good cigar and one certainly worth smoking.


8-Tatuaje Drac

Wrapper: Habano Ecuador Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 52 (Belicoso)

Original Assessment Date: October 21, 2014
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full
Assessment: 3.0 – The Fiver
Score: 89


The Pudgy Monster Drac  is based off 2009’s Tatuaje – The Drac, the second installment of the Monsters Series. The Drac is one of two Monster / Little Monsters / Pudgy Monsters blends to use a Habano Ecuador wrapper (while the Chuck uses a Habano Ecuador wrapper, the Drac uses a maduro).  The Drac along with the Wolf are the two torpedo-shaped releases in the Pudgy Monsters series. In a nutshell the Pudgy Monster Drac is a shorter version of the Drac and fatter version of the Little Monsters Lil Drac.

The Pudgy Monstrs Drac delivered notes of white pepper, orange peel, chocolate, and grass. Like the Little Monsters Lil’ Drac, I assessed the profile of this cigar is medium to full in terms of strength and body.  The construction was excellent.

My experience with the Lil’ Drac is that this is a cigar that gets better with age.  This still was a nice cigar, but just one up against tougher competition in the Pudgy Monsters sampler.