Tatuaje La Riqueza

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 The Good Stuff: Sadly, I wasn’t able to dig up a lot of history or interesting facts on this cigar. Basically it’s exactly what you would expect from a Tatuaje. Produced in mid 2008, La Riqueza is another custom blend rolled by cigar master Jose Don Pepin Garcia at his factory in Nicaragua exclusively for Pete Johnson of Tatuaje cigars. Unlike other cigars produced by Tatuaje, La Riqueza is wrapped in a naturally dark  Connecticut Broadleaf that is actually produced by the Oliva Tobacco Company. Pete Johnson believes that this wrapper is amongst the most flavorful in the world, and it will be interesting to see what a Tauaje cigar tastes like with such a different take than what we are all used to.

Size: No. 2  — 5 1/2 x 52  – Wrapper :Connecticut Broadleaf  –  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  –  Body: Medium

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 Prelight:La Riqueza is a nice, thick, what I would call semi-boxpress. The body of the cigar is just a bit too rounded to actually label the Riqueza a normal boxpress in my book (technically it is a boxpress). The wrapper is a very rich and consistent dark brown with scattered lighter brown blemishes.  There are tons of little glimmery specs on the wrapper that just add to the overall oily appeal of this cigar. There are little to no veins visible, nor are there any soft spots or signs of misconstruction. La Riqueza carries the rounded triple cap that Pepin is known for. La Riqueza gives off a massive amount of aroma that can big picked up the second it comes out of its cellophane. The wrapper gives off a chocolatey walnut aroma where as the foot of the cigar boast a massive amount of chocolate and espresso with slight floral scents. The cold draw matches that of the aroma to a tee. Very chocolatey with hints of coffee, spice, and walnut.

Tatuaje La Riqueza

First Smoke: La Riqueza started out with a sharp blast of pepper that faded away almost instantaneously and seemed to only stick around long enough to tease, and tickle the tip of my tongue. The cigar has a very bold and complex flavor. It starts off very floral with burned wood mixed in, but then finishes very cleanly with an earthy/coffee/chocolate taste followed up with a nutty aftertaste. This is an extremely pleasant cigar. I’m usually not a big fan of medium bodied cigars, but La Riqueza packed enough flavor to keep me entertained for hours on end. The draw is a bit tight, but produces the expected amount of this greyish-brown smoke. La Riqueza gives off a bit more stationary smoke than the average cigar, but makes up for it by giving off a very floral and cedar aroma that wouldn’t bother any people sitting nearby. The burnline is razor thin and burning pretty consistent for the most part. There are a few small, innocent waves opening up to a well-packed medium grey ash. The cigar held a little over an inch and a half before the ash gave in.

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 Halfway There: I can’t get over how flavorful this cigar is. I’m assuming most of the blend is similar in containment to what you would expect from Tatuaje and the only main difference is the wrapper. In retrospect, it makes me appreciate the cigar that much more. It may be a bit too early to say this but this is an incredible tasting cigar. Halfway in and the flavors are still holding true. At this point I was able to pull a bit more spice out of the mixture, it almost tastes like nutmeg, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. The floral, chocolate, and nut flavors are all very present, where as the coffee has dissipated quite a bit since the first portion of this cigar. There is also a bit of fruit thrown in there. I hate to say this for fear of getting flamed. but this is the closest thing to an infused cigar I have ever had that wasn’t actually an infused cigar. It has a lot to do with the massive amount of flavor this cigar produces I’m sure. The burn line is continuing to develop without any flaws and the ash seems to only be getting stronger as the cigar progresses. 

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 Finish: La Riqueza finished just as smooth as it began with absolutely no signs of harshness at all. Towards the end of the cigar the coffee and chocolate flavors began to fade out and the floral and spice flavors took center stage. I still can’t quite place the exact taste but I picked up a bit of nutmeg and jasmine in there that’s for sure. I never once had any burn issues with this cigar, nor did I ever have to worry about the ash falling off prematurely. In it’s entirety La Riqueza took about an hour and a half to smoke. It probably would have lasted two hours but I just couldn’t put it down.

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 Overview: Honestly, this was hands down, one of the best cigars I have ever had. I’m not quite sure that it crests my top 5, but it is definitely up there. The only bad thing I can think of is the fact that I CANNOT get them locally. So if there is anyone out there with a few on hand, lets trade!

As far as value goes, these sticks are priced around the 7 – 8 dollar range which I personally think is a great price tag for such a great cigar.

I WILL have these again, if I can get my hands on them. And I honestly think anyone else out there should give La Riqueza a try if you can find them.

Tatuaje La Riqueza

 This Tatuaje La Riqueza was paired with an Avery Brewing “The Reverend” Belgium Style Quadruple Ale

Tatuaje La Riqueza