Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we 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 giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Tatuaje Monster Mash Tiff. This is a cigar blend previously assessed back in April 2020 in the “The Tiff” size.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Monster Mash Tiff: 4 3/8 x 52
Today we look at the 12th of the 14 cigars released in the Tatuaje Monster Mash Sampler, the Tatuaje Monster Mash Tiff. The Monster Series by Tatauje is an annual series that pays homage to horror film characters with unique blends. Typically Tatuaje has released each installment just before Halloween. Over the years, Tatuaje has also released many offshoot samplers of the series, each containing a different theme. The Monster Mash is actually the seventh sampler that was introduced into the series. It contains one of each of the 13 blends in the Tatuaje Monsters Series (plus an additional unreleased blend known as The Creature). The Monster Mash cigars would be the same ring gauge as the Halloween-released “monster,” but each Monster Mash cigar was 1 1/2 inches shorter than the Halloween release. In the case of the Monster Mash Tiff, it measures 4 3/8 x 52.
Some of the Monster characters have been based on classic horror film characters and others are based on more contemporary characters. In the case of the Tatuaje Tiff, it is based on the character of Tiffany Valentine introduced in the Bride of Chucky film. In the past when there was a Tatuaje Tiff release, there has also been a Tatuaje Chuck release – Tiffany is a companion character to the main antagonist “Chucky” from the films.
The chart below shows the complete history of the Tatuaje Monsters series and what is offered in one sampler. Note the Tatuaje Monster Mash includes a new “monster” known as “The Creature.” It does not have a corresponding Halloween character and at press time is exclusive to the Monster Mash series.
| Character/Collection | Full Monsters (The +) -Annual |
Little Monsters |
Pudgy Monsters | Skinny Monsters | Skinny Monsters Cazadores |
Skinny Monsters Lancero |
MBS | Monster Mash |
| Frankenstein (2008) | Frank (*) | Frank Jr. | Frank | Frank | Frank | Frank | Frank | |
| Dracula (2009) | Drac (*) | Lil’ Drac | Drac | Drac | Drac | Drac | Drac | |
| Leather Face (2010) | Face | Baby Face | Face | Face | Face | Face | Face | |
| The Wolfman (2011) | Wolfman | Wolfie | Wolf | Wolf | Wolf | Wolf | Wolf | |
| The Mummy (2012) | Mummy | Mini Mum | Mummy | Mummy | Mummy | Mummy | Mummy | |
| Jason Voorhees (2013) | JV13 | Jason | Jason | Jason | Jason | Jason | ||
| Dr. Jekyll (2014) | Jekyll | Jekyll | Jekyll | Jekyll | Jekyll | |||
| Mr. Hyde (2015) | Hyde | Hyde | Hyde | Hyde | Hyde | |||
| Freddy Krueger (2016) | Krueger | FK | Krueger | |||||
| Chucky (2019) | Chuck | Chuck | Chuck | Chuck | Chuck | Chuck | ||
| Tiffany (2019) | Tiff | Tiff | Tiff | Tiff | Tiff | Tiff | ||
| Michael Myers (2017) | Michael | Michael | ||||||
| “The Bride” (2018) | Bride | Bride | ||||||
| “The Creature (from the Black Lagoon)” (2021) | Creature |
* Also Re-released as Redux
The Monster Mash Tiff uses the same tobacco components as the other sizes that utilize the Tatuaje Tiff blend. This consists of an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over all-Nicaraguan fillers. The Tiff is the only blend in the Monsters series that utilizes an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.
The Tatuaje Monster Mash Tiff started out with notes of cream, cedar, and wood. The cream and cedar emerged as primary notes. Some citrus and mixed pepper emerged in the background. The mixed pepper was also present on the retro-hale. The second third saw the pepper and citrus increase in intensity. By the midway point, the citrus joined the cedar in the forefront. The creaminess subsided and would dissipate before the cigar reached the final third. The remainder of the cigar saw the citrus and cedar primary and rounded off by notes of pepper and wood.
Flavor-wise the Tatuaje Monster Mash Tiff delivered medium-bodied notes. The cigar started with mild to medium strength, but by the midway point, the strength progressed to medium. The second half of this cigar had more boldness than any of the other Tiff sizes I had smoked. Construction-wise the Tiff was excellent. The burn required minimal touch-ups and the draw had just a touch of resistance – which is something that I like.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Final Thoughts
My experience with the Tatuaje Monster Mash Tiff mimicked the experience I had with the full-sized Tatuaje The Tiff. This is a cigar that had creaminess during the first half which gave way to citrus notes in the second half. The one difference is the citrus notes for the Monster Mash Tiff were less acidic and demonstrated some nice sweetness. I still think this blend performed best in 2014’s Pudgy Monsters format – which was the original size.
Looking at the Monster Mash Tiff, because this comes only in a $150.00 sampler, it’s still a “Try a Sample” for the individual cigar. However, after smoking 12 of the 14 blends in the sampler, the sampler is something I would recommend purchasing as a whole.
Summary
Key Flavors: Cream, Cedar, Classic Wood, Citrus, Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium Minus
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Mild to Medium (1st 1/2), Medium (Second Half)
Finish: Very Good
Rating
Value: Try a Sample
Score: 88
REFERENCES
Previous Review: Tatuaje – The Tiff
News: Tatuaje Monster Mash Introduced at 2021 PCA
Price: $150.00 for a sampler that includes 14 different Monster Mash cigars (which includes one Monster Mash Tiff)
Source: Purchased
Brand Reference: Tatuaje
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
