Pete Johnson and company finally made the leap from My Father Cigars to their own booth in 2016, and were subsequently among the most buzzed-about locations. And for 2017, the vibe is the same. The booth is medium-large, housing both Tatuaje and L’Atelier Imports. The decor is rustic wood, metal, and black on black on black… as it should be. The cigars are displayed in the center of the booth (usually the more important releases) and along the perimeter, held within the walls of the booth itself. And there is a separate booth/display area for Tatuaje’s most anticipated release—the annual Monster Series.

The booth’s dark ambiance provides a “hangout feel” for the craft junkies and “outcast” types within the cigar realm, offering popular festivities such as a daily bottle share after working hours each evening. While many booths pour free beer, cocktails, and Cuban coffee, this was the best spot to find true, craft beer and other rareties. In addition, Pete Johnson brought some of his own wine to occasionally pour for booth guests.

SEE ALSO: New Releases from L’Atelier Imports at IPCPR 2017

Négociant Monopole No. 4

Négociant was introduced at IPCPR 2016 in three sizes (with quite the interesting backstory), with the cigar’s eventual release being delayed until the spring of 2017. Now, Tatuaje/L’Atelier have added a fourth size, appropriately dubbed “No. 4.” The cigar is the smallest/cheapest in the series, using the same mold as Tatuaje’s limited edition Porkchop. According to Pete Johnson, the Négociant blend had to be tweaked in order to subdue the dominant qualities of the cigar’s San Andrés binder (which is one of two binders in the blend, the other being Nicaraguan).

  • Atlantic Cigar Sale

SEE ALSO: Tatuaje Négociant Monopole No. 4 Cigar Review

Tatuaje Négociant Monopole No. 4 cigar IPCPR 2017

  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
  • Binder: Mexican San Andrés | Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. (Nicaragua)
  • Production: Regular Production
  • Packaging: 25-ct boxes
  • Vitola: 4⅛″ × 46 “No. 4”
  • Price: $8.00 (MSRP)
  • Release: August, 2017

Monster Series 2017 – The Michael (#10)

Tatuaje’s Monster Series is, of course, the biggest draw to the booth each year. For 2017, the tenth cigar in the series was revealed as The Michael, featuring the likeness of Michael Myers, à la Halloween. Incidentally, Tatuaje owner Pete Johnson announced this cigar and the final blend in the series back in March—with the final cigar being dubbed “The Bride.” How does this make sense, considering the series has always been planned for 13 blends? The Michael is marked #10, Chuck will be #11 (yes, the Pudgy Monster release from 2014), likewise, Tiff will be #12, and The Bride (referencing Bride of Frankenstein) will be #13—bringing the series full circle from The Frank, the first monster cigar blend.

The Michael uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers, showcasing a shorter cigar than usual, at 6⅛″ × 52. This differs from most Monster Series releases, usually featuring Churchill vitolas with belicoso-style caps. The cigars will debut in October, as usual, offering 666 dress boxes of thirteen cigars; but Johnson has pulled back on the plain boxes of ten, releasing 500 less than 2016’s The Krueger, on par with The Jekyll and The Hyde cigars.

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  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. (Nicaragua)
  • Production: Limited Edition (4,000 boxes of 10 | 666 boxes of 13)
  • Packaging: 10-ct | 13-ct boxes
  • Vitola: 6⅛″ × 52 Toro
  • Price: $13.00 (MSRP)
  • Release: October, 2017

Tattoo Needles

Tatuaje debuted Tattoo in 2014 to compete in the realm of affordable, craft cigars. At IPCPR 2017, the brand introduced a new, petit size for Tattoo, on par with the paper-packaged petit corona cigars from sister brand L’Atelier. The cigars are 4½″ × 38 and will be available in paper bundles of 5 cigars, which will be sold to retailers in five sleeves of ten cigars—fifty total per box. Unlike the petit cigars from L’Atelier, the Tattoo features a true fuma head—where the cigars are capped in a traditional manner, rather than being pre-cut. Finally, Tattoo is being rolled at the García family’s TACUBA factory, the family’s first Nicaraguan factory and the same location where the full-sized Tattoo cigars are rolled.

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  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Factory: Tabacalera Cubana S.A. (Nicaragua)
  • Production: Regular Production
  • Packaging: 5-ct sleeves | 50-ct boxes
  • Vitola: 4½″ × 38 Petit Corona
  • Price: $3.25 (MSRP)
  • Release: Fall, 2017

Other

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  • Elie Bleu has crafted custom The Michael jet lighters to coincide with the cigar’s release. Pricing is estimated in the $260 range.
  • Tatuaje is bringing back the Colecciones del Rey Sampler. These samplers include six cigars from Tatuaje and My Father, all offered in 5½” x 52 belicoso formats. Included cigars: Tatuaje Havana VI, Tatuaje Selección de Cazador, Tatuaje Cojonu 2006, Don Pepín García Cuban Classic, Don Pepín García Series JJ, Cabaiguan Belicoso Fino.
  • Three new sizes based on Tatuaje’s limited RC (Retro Cuba) cigars are being made for the European market, to be introduced at Germany’s InterTabac trade show (similar to IPCPR) in September. The cigars move production from the RC’s usual location of Miami to My Father Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua and will be offered in sizes comparable to Cohiba’s Behike—No. 1 (4¾” x 52), No.2 (5⅝” x 54) and No.3 (6½ x 56).
  • Skinny Monsters cigars became available in individual, jar packaging at IPCPR 2016, but manufacturers were required to purchase every blend in order to receive the cigars. Now, Tatuaje is allowing individual orders, which should make Skinny Monsters cigars much more widely available.
  • Tatuaje is placing lower-selling brands on the back burner, including La Riqueza, La Casita Criolla, El Triunfador, and Ambos Mundos. The cigars will still be made in small batches and may even become prime choices for future regional/shop-exclusive sizes.
  • Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

About The Author

Jordan Sumatra Samurai avatar
Managing Editor

I am the managing editor at Cigar Dojo, making sure all cigar reviews and articles meet the Dojo standards. Aside from my major passions (premium cigars and Kentucky Straight Bourbon), I enjoy photography/videography, as well as playing ice hockey and spending time with my family—which currently includes two boys, two girls, and one amazing wife.

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