Tatuaje La Riqueza Lancero

By Jeremy Hensley | October 30, 2015

In April 2014 Tatuaje released the Limited Lancero Collection featuring 10 highly acclaimed cigars all in a 7 ½ by 38 Lancero vitola. The Limited Lancero Collection is made in small batches on a regular basis and are readily available from several shops. Included in the Lancero sampler:

• Tatuaje (Brown Label)
• Tatuaje Havana VI
• Tatuaje Black Label
• Cabaiguan
• Cabaiguan Guapo
• La Riqueza
• El Triunfador Original
• El Triunfador
• La Casita Criolla
• Fausto

The La Riqueza, brought to market in 2008 by Pete Johnson, is produced in Nicaragua at My Father S.A.. Featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, the La Riqueza box-pressed and Cabinet series has an extensive number of available vitolas. William Cooper of cigar-coop.com, as usual, has the most up-to-date list of available vitolas, which you can find HERE.

You can find Tony’s review of the Tatuaje La Riqueza No. 2 HERE.

The Facts

A gift from my bride
Price: $95.00 per box of 10 / $9.50 per cigar
Vitola: Lancero
Size:7 1/2 by 38
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes

Pre-light

Tatuaje’s La Riqueza is draped in a dark brown, very rustic looking Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that is full of bumps, veins, and dark watermarks splotched down the leaf. To the touch, the cigar feels like a fine grain sandpaper and gives slightly when pinched between the fingers except for a few rock solid spots. Small sugar-like crystals glisten in the light.

The aroma off of the wrapper is straight up chicken coop. The foot has deep notes of earth, diesel, and wet woodsy notes. The cigar comes to a close with a very clean pig-tail cap. Big, dark notes of chocolate, earth, and diesel, as well as a clove spice, are on found on the cold draw. The resistance on the draw is just right.

First Third

The La Riqueza begins with a full amount of black pepper that leaves a sting in the back of the throat. Alongside the spice, there is some of that typical Connecticut Broadleaf tartness contrasted with a candy like sweetness. The darker earth notes are found in the profile as well and about an inch in a very rich cedar begins to peek through. The spice calms in the profile but just a small amount through the sinuses quickly shows the spice that is bright, white pepper. A thick, eyeliner burn-line is leaving behind a white ash.

Middle Third

Deep earth notes are paired alongside some rich cedar notes and dark red fruit. There is also a peanut flavor. About half through this 7 ½ inch stick, the profile lightens with the rich woodsy notes at the forefront with a natural tobacco sweetness. On the finish of the smoke, a light coffee quickly fades. The burn-line has become thin and is burning even. I am already feeling a nicotine kick from the La Riqueza. 

Final Third

Just after an hour of smoking, I make my way into the final third of the Tatuaje La Riqueza. Coffee and earth characterize the flavor with a perfume/floral quality to the smoke. The tartness from earlier has made a reappearance on the finish of the smoke, which is now much longer. An interplay between the darker coffee and earth notes and rich cedar is going on and a spice tingle is felt on the lips as I close out the cigar. 

Wrap-up

Marketed as a full flavor, medium body cigar, the La Riqueza in the lancero vitola is full all round leaving me completely satisfied after the hour and 25 minutes smoke. A draw with just the right amount of resistance, an even burn, and pleasant looking white ash that held well for such a small ring gauge made this an exceptionally performing cigar. The core of the flavors were dark and spicy, with lots of subtleties in the profile and change-ups in each of thirds kept me engaged the entire time. Each time I burn through one of the Tatuaje lanceros in the Limited Lancero Collection, I feel like I just found my new favorite Tat. As it stand today, this may very well be my favorite.