Agile Cigar Reviews replace what we termed “Assessment Updates”. The concept is the same, but the name is different. Agile Cigar Reviews use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or providing a score for a first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we take another look at the Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Reserva. This is a cigar first assessed back in April, 2014.
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| Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Reserva |
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (My Father SA)
Belle Encre: 5 3/8 x 48
The Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Reserva is limited edition Connecticut Broadleaf version of the Tatuaje 10th Anniversary in the Belle Encre (perfecto) shape. In 2013, as a part of Tatuaje’s 10th Anniversary, Tatuaje released three new cigars based on the Tatuaje Brown Label blend. The cigars were all banded with a special commemorative Tatuaje 10th Anniversary band. One of those cigars was the Belle Encre – a perfecto measuring 5 3/8 x 48. Thet Belle Encre Reserva uses a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper – replacing the Habano Ecuador wrapper found on the original 10th Anniversary Belle Encre. With a year of age in the Cigar Coop humidor, we take another look at the Belle Encre Reserva.
When I first smoked the Belle Encre Reserva, I didn’t find it to be the most complex of smokes, but I did find it flavorful and enjoyable. Now almost a year later, I’m pretty much in the same boat. The difference is I found the flavors smoothed out tremendously. This is still going to deliver notes of mocha, earth, and black pepper. There is definitely more mocha / coffee flavors up front and more earth in the second half. The spicy kick at the end seemed to be gone. I still found the strength level at medium to full, but the body dialed back slightly from last year and now came in at medium to full.
Overall the cigar comes in again at 91, but with a tweak from last year’s scoring, this is actually a higher score when normalized. This cigar still is worthy of a box split in my book
Summary
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Low
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Full
Finish: Good
Assessment: 3.5 – Box Split
Score: 91 (* Original Score – 91)
* Using 2014 scoring algorithm
References
Original Assessment: Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Reserva
News: Tatuaje Releases 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Reserva
Price: $11.00
Source: Purchased
Stogie Geeks Podcast: Stogie Geeks Episode 90
Stogie Feed: Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva
