PCA 2024: Tatuaje Cigars - 34 Minutes with Pete Johnson (Plus 8 w/ LGP)

When it came to new products at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Show, perhaps no booth was more active than Tatuaje Cigars. Owner Pete Johnson had elected to use the 2024 PCA Trade Show to showcase all of the releases he had planned for 2024. There was plenty to see as there were new offerings under the several brands in the Tatuaje portfolio. As we usually do, we conclude our PCA coverage with a visit to Tatuaje Cigars and Pete Johnson. This year, we not only present “34 Minutes with Pete Johnson” at PCA, but we also add another eight minutes for Let’s Get Pairing.

Tatuaje Cojonú

This was a big year for the Cojonú Series, as there were several new product introductions.

Cojonú Broadleaf

Tatuaje introduced the Cojonú 2015 and Cojonú 2018 Broadleaf editions. As the name indicates, these are versions of the Cojonú 2015 and Cojonú 2018 cigars, but with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Both Broadleaf cigars are the same sizes as the original offerings. The Cojonú 2015 Broadleaf is a 5 x 55 Robusto while Cojonú 2018 is 5 5/8 x 54. Produced by My Father Cigars S.A., both cigars feature Nicaraguan binders and fillers. Each blend comes in 21-count boxes. The Cojonú 2015 is priced at $13.00 SRP/cigar, while the Cojonú 2018 is priced at $13.50. Both cigars have shipped to retailers.

Cojonú 2012 Expansion

Tatuaje Cigars has introduced San Andres (Tuxtla) and Corojo wrapper offerings to its Cojonú 2012 line. This brings the total number of blends in the Cojonú 2012 line to five. In addition to the San Andres and Corojo wrappers, the Cojonú 2012 San Andres and Cojonú 2012 Corojo feature all Nicaraguan tobaccos. Both cigars are in the same box-pressed 6 1/2 x 52 format as the Sumatra (Capa Especial), Broadleaf (Reserva), and Habano offerings. The two new Cojonú 2012 offerings are priced at $13.00 SRP/cigar.

Finally, the new San Andres and Corojo offerings will also be available in a 24-count limited edition package resembling a book called “The Cojonú Two 12’s Second Edition”. This book will open up and contain 12 Cojonú 2012 San Andrés cigars on one side and 12 Cojonú 2012 Corojo cigars on the other. The “Second Edition” name comes from this not being the first time Tatuaje has packaged the Cojonú 2012 Capa Especial and Reserva offerings in a book. Tatuaje estimates that about 1,000 copies of the Cojonú Two 12’s Second Edition will be available.

Tatuaje is also changing the presentation of all five Cojonú 2012 offerings to 21-count cabinet boxes. Previously, the three existing Cojonú 2012 offerings were in 25-count boxes.

Tatuaje Monsters

He did the smash, he did the Monster Smash….

Tatuaje will release its latest iteration of its Monsters Series with the Monster Smash this year. The Monster Smash is a sampler that contains 5 1/4 x 52 box-pressed Robusto Extra versions of each of the 14 Monster blends. This includes the 13 Monster blends plus the “Creature,” which debuted with the recent Monster Mash series. Monster Smash is targeted for an August/September release. Pricing comes in at $175.00 MSRP.

Tatuaje 50th

Tatuaje showcased two cigars commemorating Pete Johnson’s 50th birthday. The cigars were rolled back in December 2019 at El Rey de Los Habanos using extra-aged tobaccos. A year later, Pete Johnson decided to foil-wrap the cigars into 50-count cabinets. However, the price of the cigars, combined with the fact that few cabinets would be made available, led Johnson to move the cigars to ten-count boxes in September 2023. Since Tatuaje stamps dates when the cigars are packaged into boxes, the final packaging will come with both the 2020 and 2023 date stamps. The Tatuaje 50th comes in two sizes: Robusto Especial (5 1/2 x 52) and Toro Especial (6 1/2 x 52). The blend uses a Corojo ’99 Shade Grown wrapper over Nicaraguan tobacco. Finalized pricing is not set, but these cigars are anticipated to be in the $50.00 to $55.00 SRP range.

L’Atelier

A new limited offering under L’Atelier is the L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18. This is based on the 2016 L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche. While the 2016 release was a Robusto, the Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 is a 6 x 46 Corona Corda. The blend uses a Sancti Spiritus wrapper over all Nicaraguan tobaccos. A total of 1,000 ten-count boxes of Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 have been produced. L’Atelier Côte d’Or La Tâche ’18 is scheduled for a July release.

Tatuaje Cigars introduced 20-count boxes for its L’Atelier Natural Roxy and L’Atelier Maduro Roxy. Initially, the Roxy Natural and Roxy Maduro cigars were packaged in 20-count boxes featuring ten Natural and ten Maduro. This year, both the Natural and Maduro are now available separately.

Surrogates

This year, we will see two new releases under the Surrogates blend. Surrogates Closing Time is a new regular production offering and is the 11th installment in the series. Produced at the My Father Cigars factory, Closing Time features all Garcia family-grown tobaccos highlighted by a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. Presented in 20-count boxes, the cigar comes in one size—a rounded 5 x 50 Robusto. Pricing is $10.00 SRP.

The other Surrogates is the Big Ten LLE. The name LLE stands for Limited Lonsdale Extra, which introduces a 6 3/4 x 42 vitola based on the Surrogates Big Ten blend. The LLE size was first seen on the Tatuaje Capa Especial LLE. The Surrogates LLE is a limited production release. Consistent with the Big Ten line, the LLE features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over all Nicaraguan tobaccos used for the binder and filler. Limited to 1,000 boxes, Surrogates Big Ten LLE comes packaged in 20-count boxes. Pricing comes at a price point of $9.99.

Tatuaje Broadleaf LLE

Another LLE release is the Tatuaje Broadleaf LLE. The Broadleaf LLE is also 6 3/4 X 42 vitola. The Tatuaje Broadleaf LLE comprises a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over all Nicaraguan tobaccos for the binder and filler. Presented in 20-count boxes, the Tatuaje LLE comes in at $11.00 SRP/cigar.