Tatuaje T110 Capa Especial

In the beginning, there was a blend known as Thermonuclear. This cigar begot the T110; and the T110 begot the Fausto; and the Fausto begot the Avión, as well as a host of other limited sizes and variations over the years.

This storied collection from Tatuaje is known as being the company’s strongest core recipe. This begins with the unreleased Thermonuclear, which has been said to be rolled entirely from ligero-priming tobaccos. The T110 used a similar recipe, deriving its codified name from “Thermonuclear” and the cigar’s length: 110 millimeters. This cigar was released in 2009, with roughly 400 boxes of 25 cigars being sold exclusively through Hawaiian retailer R. Field Wine Co.

Following recent re-releases of fan-favorite Tatuaje blends such as Little Boris and CQ2, the T110 made its return in 2021. Differing from the former two, the T110 not only included the original recipe, but the addition of Broadleaf (T110 Reserva Broadleaf) and Sumatra-wrapped (Tatuaje T110 Capa Especial) variants. As company owner, Pete Johnson, has done with former such releases, a portion of the launch was allocated to the original retailer, with 400 boxes heading to Hawaii. Six hundred more boxes then shipped nationwide. But the two new variations received higher production, with 2,400 boxes apiece shipping earlier this spring.

Tatuaje T110 Capa Especial Breakdown

As the “Reserva BROADLEAF” sub-band designates Tatuaje’s Broadleaf-wrapped blends, the “Capa Especial” sub-band likewise signifies an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and all-Nicaraguan binder/filler. The cigars are rolled in the same 4⅜″ × 52 format as the original T110, with the Nicaraguan core recipe maintaining the fuller-bodied spirit of the original, now tweaked to accommodate the altered wrapper.

Appearance

The cigar may only be five eighths of an inch shy of a robusto, but it somehow feels smaller than the stats suggest. The bands are a mishmash of former Tatuaje releases, being simplistic and forcing the attention on the tobacco—I’m a fan. The Sumatra wrapper has a classic Colorado hue, being soft and slightly fuzzy to the touch. The wrapper is slightly loose at some of the seams, covering a medium-plus bunch within the filler. It’s a solid cigar, no doubt.

There are musk, citrus, and generic barnyard notes on the nose of the wrapper. The foot leans towards cedar, earth, and nutmeg. With a pre-light draw, the short robusto brings clean flavors of mineral and apricot across the palate.

Smoking Experience

Dry and fiery—this is the first impression as the cigar gets its start. Personally, this is not a winning combination, with primary flavors including red pepper, earth, and sharp, burning woods. The cigar offers its first sign of a break in the clouds not long after with the introduction of caramel. It’s a subtle sweetness, joined by lightly zesty cabinet spice and citrus—a nice balance of heat and sweet.

Given a bit more time to develop, the smoke hits the tongue on the front sides (saltiness) and a mid-point between the salty and acidic regions first, followed by the front (sweetness) and a touch down the center (bitterness). It has left the dry mouthfeel behind, bringing out a good amount of flavor and body that has some substance but is nowhere near intense. There is a nice aroma in the air, and the profile picks up a touch of saltiness that lingers on the tongue between puffs. The caramel note from earlier teeters in and out of light-roast coffee bean, and the saltiness occasionally reminds me of PayDay candy bars, combining nougat, caramel, and peanuts.

Just before the sub-band, a great sweetness rises to the top, taking the former nougat note and adding in cherries and chocolate. I initially pegged this as cotton candy, then cherries jubilee, before settling on chocolates with cherry nougat center (of course, this is the chocolate I choose close to last, but in smoke form, it was quite complex and enjoyable). This portion lasts five to 10 minutes, eventually morphing into more of a generic cocoa powder.

Interestingly, the final section seems to return to the dryness of before, with flavors ranging from wet concrete (similar to the mineral found in the pre-light) to dried woods. Caramel barely clings on as the embers dwindle, joined by dark toasted bread through the finish. The cigar is medium in flavor, medium-full in strength, and medium-plus in body.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to it. It’s not the longest-lasting smoke, but at $10, I felt that I got my money’s worth. Looking at the points between the half-inch and two-inch marks, this was an absolute home run. The beginning was a bit rough and the final portion was a bit dull. For me, this did not detract enough from the exciting center, and I’d love to have this one around for shorter smoking sessions. I’ll add that I’ve never smoked the acclaimed original—only the T110 Capa Especial and T110 Reserva Broadleaf from this year’s run. Of the two, I found the Capa Especial to be the more enjoyable smoke.

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